From the Director of Quality Teaching and Learning
Why are the final two years Coeducational for Years 11 and 12?
This is the third in a series of newsletter articles that highlight the benefits of Calrossy’s Diamond Model and its positive impact on learning outcomes.
The first newsletter article was titled Improving Boys’ Reading in the Secondary School – An initiative by the Calrossy PDHPE Department and can be found either here https://inewsletter.co/10Aogx/calrossy-anglican-school-term-3-week-7a/#/0 or by looking up Whole School Newsletters Term 3, 2019 Week 7a. The second newsletter in the series was titled Gender Specific Education: Improving Girls’ participation in TAS (Technological and Applied Studies) and can be found here https://inewsletter.co/vlBXj1/calrossy-anglican-school-whole-school-newsletter/#/7 or by looking up Whole School Newsletters Term 4, 2019, Week 8.
The senior years of schooling are a critical transition point for young people – emotionally, socially, and educationally. These final years see great possibilities for students as they learn, grow and serve. These years should provide all students with the high-quality, relevant and engaging education that choosing academic subjects afford and the support necessary to complete their secondary school education.
By the time students reach the Years 11 and 12, they have sufficiently matured and established themselves academically. Students can cope with a mixed gender classroom environment and become better prepared for their life at university or in the world of work.
The reality is a few elective subjects in Year 9 and 10 are already coeducational and we believe this enables a smooth transition to senior coeducation classes.
At Calrossy Anglican School there are a plethora of benefits that emerge from coeducation and not the least are enhanced relationships with the other gender.
Students in the coeducational setting grow in their learning. Their greater maturity levels allow students to be intelligently engaged in learning for longer. Coeducation promotes an increase in perspective taking as boys and girls can greater appreciate each other’s views, thereby increasing communication and collaboration. Coeducation allows young women to present their ideas confidently in a mixed context and understand the male perspective, whilst enabling young men to participate confidently and learn to understand and respect the female point of view.
A further benefit of coeducation is that the students experience a growth in subject choice enabling teachers to focus on their specialized subject area. Thus allowing for the maximum number of courses to be delivered to senior students.
Teaching and learning in a coeducational setting in Years 11 and 12, best equips students in their final years of learning for the HSC, future study, employment beyond school and successful adult lives.
Rob Marchetto
Director of Quality Teaching & Learning