Greetings fellow Green & Gold Members.
The question of co-education in the GPS schools is indeed a controversial one. There appears to be an underlying assumption for those in favour of it that that co-education is equally beneficial for both boys and girls. Many years ago, my son was at our local co-educational public primary school which was a great school, but he was having great difficulty learning and as a boy young for his class had no chance keeping up with the girls who were already far more advanced than he was. He was getting lost with poor results and did not want to go to school.
We decided to send him to Newington Lindfield and it was the best thing we ever did for him. (And I am a Joeys Old Boy!!!) At Lindfield he enjoyed smaller classes; shorter lessons with better focus; regular breaks (including fruit break in the morning); building forts in the bush behind the school and an excellent mix of co-curricular activities focused on boys needs. His grades improved; he was happier and he actually wanted to go to school. He ended up a House Captain and received multiple awards in his final year at Lindfield. And not just for Rugby!
There is a definite need to ensure that all boys receive the right education to become socially aware, respectful of women and good citizens in our Australian society. I just don't believe that co-education is necessarily the best way to achieve that.
I am obviously only one view in this discussion and many people will not agree with me and that's OK.
Bring on the Rugby!!!
Hello Its Not Pink
Great to hear and confirms the irrelevancy of coeducation at Newington.
The underlying belief of coeducation is its suppose to gentrify the boys into well balance confident young men by socialising with girls. The reality is that girls have at least two years maturity on the boys. As such many boys will have difficult relating to the girls. Girls will be superior in their verbal skills and dominate intellectually in English, Languages Media Studies and Debating. Boys on intellectual level, will not achieve their peak until their mid twenties. Some even later. Thereby, placing the boys in a position of intellectual inferiority, whereby they lose self confidence.
The example of Barker is misleading, as most of the boys are products of gentrified Professional Middle Class families, on Sydney's North Shore. That is what gives these boys a social advantage.The same exists at Knox, Shore, Kings and off course Newington without coeducation. I know this, having taught at a number of these schools.
Doctor Tim Hawkes,former Kings School Headmaster, wrote a book called "Educating Boys". The centre feature, I felt, is that Boys Education, is a highly specialised topic, where specialist topics need to be incorporated into their curriculum.Coeducation cuts across this specialist approach to educating boys. In many ways the current English Curriculum is overtly sexist against boys. With many novels featuring the works of Jane Austen and Charlotte Brody, that articulate a female perspective of Life. Literature Classics such as James Jones "Thin Red Line", "All Quiet on the Western Front" or my favourite "The 13th Valley" are no where to be seen. Even coeducational schools now have have single sex classes, particularly, in Maths and English. As boys and girls learn differently from each other.
To me coeducation is a fade that has reached it's" used by date". The best solution for boys, is teach subjects that develop their interest in learning.In this regard out politicians and Educational Bureaucrats have proven to be useless.
Michael Parker, is proven educator, but his greatest challenge, is providing a 21st Curriculum for the Boys at Newington by developing relevant courses for the boys.This will include continuing the turning the boys into "Good All Rounders" and that is the best preparation for the boys at Newington. As what happens outside the Classroom, can be as important, as what happens within the Classroom. The answer will not be found in coeducation. This is something the school council at Newington are very aware of. So scholarships will continue, with the aim of achieving a balance of 1 in every 5 Boys on a full scholarship. Featuring Academic, in the Arts and Sport.
There is a false narrative that Michael Parker, is anti sport and pro academic Headmaster, at the expense of sport. I have spoken to Michael Parker, while he was supporting Newington Rugby Teams on a Saturday. Together, with communications from Newington News Letters, this is not true. Being Pro-Academic, is not Anti-Sport, as he stresses that success in sport breeds self confidence, mate ship, teamwork and pride within one self.Leading to enhance academic potential. This is also stressed on the Newington Website. On Video downloads, he talks proudly about Newington sporting achievements. With particular attention given to the 5th XI Cricket team and what they achieved and the pride they had in representing Newington. Hardly, remarks of a Headmaster, determined to devalue sport. Nor has he communicated in any manner, that sport will lose it's place, as a major component of a Newington eduction.
Finally,"It's not Pink" I am wondering did he attend the Senior School at Stanmore. Kind regards
Black and White
