All girls school?

[onlygirls]

My oldest is 5 y/o and in Pre-K. We are completing an application for her to attend an all girls school in the fall. It is K-8th grade (not a boarding school). It is very competitive and I would love for her to be accepted, but I am not counting on it. I don't want to be disappointed and we have not told her that we are applying.

I have to write a short essay about her and what we hope that she will gain from an all girls education. There is not a lot of room on the application. It is the size of my palm so I am trying to figure out what to write. I am stumped. I don't know if I should write about my personal experiences in a co-ed school or only about DD. I don't have any set goals for her or her future. I want her to be confident in who she is so she will have more opportunities. My experiences in a co-ed school are what I hope she will avoid. Do I keep things on a postive level?

If your daughter has attends an all girls school, what has the experience been like?

I am so nervous. Any input would help a lot.

[Momily]

I don't have a daughter and went to co-ed schools myself, but to me the biggest advantages of single sex education at this age is that girls aren't pushed into stereotyped roles. In all-girls schools girls are the math and science stars, they're the star athletes, they build the sets for the school plays and they run for student council president and win. They never get the message that these things are for boys only.

I wouldn't focus on your own negative experiences or why you don't want co-ed, but rather on the specific positives on an all-girl environment.

Good luck!

[onlygirls]

Thanks for your input.

This school is amazing. 40% of the girls participate in a after school robotics program. They went to a competition and got 2nd place. The first place school was co-ed, but they had no girls on their team.

I jotted down a few ideas last night and hopefully I will finish today. After they receive our application they will have DD go to the school to shadow in the classroom and we are interviewed.

eek!!!

[Mama Shifra]

I went to an all girls (very religious) school from kindergarten through high school and my daughter has gone to an all girls high school (she went to a coed school for elementary and middle school). The advantage of an all girl school is that the girls can be very empowered. They do not have to impress a boyfriend or potential boyfriend. They have all the leadership roles. They are not afraid to speak up in class--usually in a coed environment, the boys are the "loud mouths" and do all of the discussions in class. On the other hand, girls can be quite cruel and catty to one another, and without the boys to impress, it can sometimes be worse.

Shifra

[mommy68]

I don't know how I'd feel about sending my DD to a girls school at that young of an age but we have a wonderful private girls school in town for high schooled girls that I would consider (although DH is adamant against it). I think it depends on a lot of things, the child, the school, the expectations of the school, etc. I like my DD being around boys and girls at this age (she just turned 6) because she has two brothers at home and is comfy around both boys and girls. I think it's good for kids to experience being around all types of people. I would think a girl might go wild once she gets around boys more as she gets older or go the other way and not know how to act around them. But like I said, it probably just depends on the child.

[mata]

I went to single sex boarding school and college. For me the biggest strength an all girl education carries is that girls are able to truly be the centers of their own universe. So much of the coed, public school existence is conditioned to revolve around what boys are doing, what they're thinking, their sports, etc. Gender stereotypes can start very young, with girls taking on a supportive role. Example-in my oldest dd's public school, most girls no longer play sports like basketball at recess-the boys dominate.

IMO, the weakness of single sex education starts to come into play as they get older-I think it makes it difficult for them to learn how to relate to the opposite gender.

[IndigoRayne]

http://www.singlesexschools.org/home-introduction.htm

This is a site for single sex public schools. They have articles etc that may help clarify your thoughts on the subject.

[karne]

I would absolutely consider this for junior high/high school--I went to an all-women's college and loved it. And I am happily married, kids, etc., so I don't think I buy into needing a co-ed environment to learn how to interact with others that I sometimes hear. Is it just the school that's fab., or do you philosophically tend toward single sex schools?

[onlygirls]

Is it just the school that's fab., or do you philosophically tend toward single sex schools?

I have heard great things about single sex schools but have not done a lot of research on it because there were none where we lived before. Only single sex high schools.

Now that she has the opportunity to go to a single sex school at a young age, I REALLY want her to go. Last year they had 30 applicants for K and only accepted 15.

I think the combination of the school and the fact that it is single sex makes me want her to go there. They offer foreign language, music instruction, art. All the things that they cut at public schools. She currently attends a beautiful brand new elementary school, but I would rather have her at the girls school.