The School Debate

男女合校或分校之爭Do boys and girls benefit more from being taught together or separately?
接受教育时,男女一起学习比较好,还是分开学习较有益?by Jeremiah Clark and Chelsea Ewald

The debate about the best way to teach children has been around almost as long as schools have been in existence. One part of this debate has been the question of educating boys and girls separately or together.

Conversation A
Adam: Hi, Beth. How has your sister been doing since she declared art as her major in college?
Beth: She’s doing well. And she decided to minor in business. Hey, don’t you have a sister too?
Adam: Yes, but she’s only in junior high school. Right now she’s just focused on finishing ninth grade so she can move to a coed school.

Conversation B
Beth: Well, she shouldn't be so eager to move to a coed school that students of opposite sex can be distraction.
Adam: Maybe that is true sometimes but when girl and boy study together, they are more prepared for society. Same sex education actually limits students opportunity to work cooperatively with the opposite sex.
Beth: Coed school, well, they might have ease the transition to an adulthood, but single school can encourage students to achieve more. The one study I read showed that student in single school get 15 to 22 % better grades than coed school.
Adam: But, there is more to school than just getting good grades. It is an idea place to learn how to get along with others. This is also very important point.
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Conversation C
Beth: Perhaps, but on the flip side, single sex are able to break down the gender stereo type when boys and girls going school together.

Adam: Are you arguing that in single sex education boys is more unlike to enroll in theater or music, art courses, and girls enroll in the math and science courses.

Beth: That exactly, what I'm saying that attending boys are less likely to enroll in these types of courses for fear of looking feminine. Likewise, female are also avoid math. and science because these courses are typically associate with boys or male.

Adam: I see your point. However in my mind there are still a few problems with single sex education.

Beth: Hear me out Adam, consider this, single sex education enhance students success, because teacher can use teaching technique and learning style yield toward of the gender of their students. After all, the study has shown the girls and boys learn in very different ways.

Adam: Unfortunately, using gender specific learning style may not always be effected. In fact, in some cases, it could actually even be harmful.

Beth: Well, single sex education may not be perfect, but there are definite people who benefit from it like female, minority or low-income students.

Adam: I think that the bottom line is that all students can strife when the element of the good teaching of the present. It's doesn't matter weather the single sex or coed setting.

Vocabulary
opposite sex (n)-People often members of the opposite sex difficult to understand.相反的性别,异性
opposite相反,相对的, sex, (gender)性别 -Please fill in your gender on the application form.
distraction (n)-分心,令人分心的事物. distract (v)分心,使分心
The television was a huge distraction while Janet was trying to do her homework. She couldn't concentrate.
*Music at the workplace can be a distraction for some people.
*The study in my home is a good place to work because it is free from distraction.
cooperatively (adv)-合作,同心协力. cooperate (v) 合作
The two teams worked cooperatively to come up with a solution to their problem.
Our class worked cooperatively to finish this science project and won the title at the fair.科学设计.
*Oliver is very shy when he meets anyone of the opposite sex. (The fair 科学展览会)
adulthood (n)-In early adulthood, a person experiences increased independence and more responsibilities.
flip side (n)-另一方面,另一面,反面. flip 翻, side面,
The flip side of social welfare is that people begin to rely on the government for their money.
The flip side of industrialization is more pollution. 工业化的负面影响是更多污染.
gender (n)-A person's gender should not determine his or her worth. All people should be treated equally.
likewise (adv)-For people to be healthy, it is important they eat nutritious food. Likewise, they should exercise regularly. 反之亦然,同样的,照样的.
*We often complained about our parents when we were young. Likewise, our children will complain about us.
*I took the flu shot, and I suggest you to do likewise. 建议你也这么做.
bottom line (n)-结果,终结,结论.最重要得事,最重要得部分.
The bottom line is that smoking is bad for you health and can lead to medical problems.
*The bottom line is if the company doesn't get this loan, they'll have to end their business.
*We might face many problems now, but the bottom line is to make the sales grow.
stereo type-印制,陈腔滥调,老套,千篇一律.
hear me out (idiom)- listen to me until I finish what I am saying or until I done my talking.

Grammar
In co-ed schools, boys are less likely to enroll in these courses for fear of looking feminine.
for fear of--to avoid or prevent from something is or isn't done.
Johnny decided to go to the airport early for fear of getting stuck in traffic.
Karen doesn't want to leave her office for fear of missing an important phone call.

Chat Room
grades (n)-What grade are you.年级,
grades (n)-成绩,分数, (甲乙丙丁,A B C D )score,getting good grades.
grade(v)- 打分数. teacher grade papers/grade tests
When student get older, 大学以后we don't say "grade", we say "year"
What year are you? instead of what grade are you.
freshman, sophomore, junior, senior. 大学一到四年级或是高中9到12年级. 11th grade, 12th grade.
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something to do with woman
female/ male -most neutral way to say"gender"
female-女性.雌性.(人类,动物,植物性别)
feminine-gracefully, positive qualities. 女性特有的,女子般的,温柔的籤细的.
womanly 成人女人般的/feminine 女人样的
womanlike 此字已少用,也是女人般的意思-womanly
Something to do man
male, masculine有自信,很阳刚的-(positive qualities). manly 具男子气概,雄赳赳的,
manlike-not human, 是指具有人类特性的动物,如猩猩.