On Educating Girls: Creating a World of Possibilities

"Parents' focus should be on the people, the program, the place that puts a smile on their daughter's face and a sparkle in the eye of the girl sitting right in front of them.”

— Liz Schmitt

If you have been wondering about your daughter’s education lately, this episode is just for you. Perhaps she is ready to transition to the next grade level, perhaps your family has a move on the horizon and she will need to change her school, or perhaps you have a parental sense that she might need a very different school environment. Or maybe you just want to ensure she is already being well served by her current school. This conversation offers wisdom and guidance on each part of this exploratory journey—and be assured: It is definitely a journey! Finding the right school is a matter of both head and heart. It is about partnering with your daughter to ask the right questions as you think about the relationships that you and she will want with those in her school community. 

Host, Trudy Hall asks Liz Schmitt, the Chief Enrollment and Student Affairs Officer at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Connecticut, and Naomi Bartholomew, the Prep School Headmistress at St Catherine’s, Bramley in the UK, to share perspectives from their different universes on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Collectively, they have decades of experience in guiding both parents and their daughters in the important process of searching for the “best” school home for a girl. What they know might just be what you and your daughter need to know as well. 

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Additional Resources:

ICGS: https://girlsschools.org

Miss Porter’s School: https://www.porters.org/

St. Catherine’s, Bramley: https://www.stcatherines.info/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools

“If we are not preparing (our children) with the skills and the tools that they need to handle the expected…and the unexpected…then we are not actually doing our job”

If it seems like every time you check your newsfeed there is an alarmist article on new perils parents must manage as they help their daughters steer the course through childhood to adolescence; it is most likely because that is the world we live in now. Continuous and contradictory news blasts seem designed to keep us in a state of “red alert,” or may cause us to feel guilty that we are not doing enough to protect our children from this changing world that is not the one in which we grew up, and–perhaps worse–is not one we recognize. What is a conscientious parent to do? For starters, we should not be crippled by the onslaught. The better approach? Being aware and proactive.

Listen in as host Trudy Hall engages with Liz Joyce, a clinical social worker and school counselor at Nashoba Brooks School, as Liz gets us to take a deep breath, give ourselves a “time-out,” and think about what it means to do some proactive parenting. A parent herself, she brings bundles of common sense and calm to the project of parenting a daughter through tumultuous waters. Her affirming advice grounds us in these anxiety-producing times and gives us permission “not to worry alone.” This episode is guaranteed to make you smile as its sage wisdom reminds you: “You’ve got this.”

Resources:

ICGS: https://girlsschools.org/advocacy/podcast/

Nashoba Brooks: https://www.nashobabrooks.org/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Quote: “When women support each other, it’s just like magic. Something happens and everybody ends up just lifting each other up and becoming even more successful in the future.” - (Ashleigh DeSilva)

Women are simply not making the progress into management roles that one might expect. The most recent Gender Equality Snapshot, produced by the United Nations, noted that as of 2020 women held less than 1 in 3 management positions around the globe–a somewhat depressing 28% of women are leading others. What is holding them back?

This episode puts a spotlight on an international leadership program for girls in Australia that, for 25 years, has been committed to doing its part to improve that leadership pipeline, working to provide aspiring teen leaders with a leadership toolkit that will set them up for success in their school roles and well beyond. These young women come together in a transformational sisterhood to lean into their vulnerability and emerge with renewed confidence in wearing the mantle of leadership.

Join Host Trudy Hall as she learns about the program and its powerful outcomes from Loren Bridge, Executive Officer of Alliance of Girls Schools Australasia, and two former participants in the Student Leadership Conference, Ashleigh DeSilva and Eloise Hall, both of whom are now inspiring leaders in their own right. As you hear about the authenticity and confidence this program instills, think about where your daughter is getting this sort of inspiration to act on her leadership dream

Resources:

ICGS: https://girlsschools.org/

AGSA: https://www.agsa.org.au/ja/

Taboo: https://tabooau.co/

Girls Up: https://girlup.org/about International Coalition of Girls Schools Website · Alliance of Girls School Australia · Taboo Website · Girl Up Website · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Quote: “This person that I trust…really listens to me, offers me advice and knows when to step in, and when to just sit there and let me tell them what I need to say. And that is just really important to me because sometimes I need help and sometimes I just need an ear to listen.”

(Tavi, 8th grade student)

It takes a village to raise a child, right? In a day and age when social media seems to be the go-to resource for advice, we know in our hearts that girls of every age need at least one trusted adult in whom they can confide, an adult in addition to their parents who can offer an unbiased listening ear or unhurried wise counsel in a problem-solving moment. Yet, as unbelievable as this sounds, research shows that only 40% of students say they can name a trusted adult outside their home. Just what does it take to show up as a “trusted adult” in a girl's life and what difference might it make to a girl if we did so? And do our daughters know how to ensure they have a trusted adult at the ready when they most need one?

Listen in as host Trudy Hall spends time with Brooklyn Raney, the author of One Trusted Adult: How to Build Strong Connections and Healthy Boundaries with Young People, and the founder of an organization of the same name that trains parents, educators,and student leaders to “be the person they needed” as a youngster. An experienced practitioner in this work, Brooklyn is passionate about her mission to ensure that every child on the planet has a trained, committed and motivated trusted adult. Offering helpful anecdotes and useful advice, this episode could change the way you think about partnering with your daughter and the other meaningful adults in her life to help her build a healthy adult support network in these challenging times.

Resources:

ICGS: https://girlsschools.org/

One Trusted Adult: https://www.onetrustedadult.com/

Seattle Girls School: https://www.seattlegirlsschool.org/ One Trusted Adult · Seattle Girls School: · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Quote: “I do think the world of work has moved away from valuing superficial skills and knowledge and has very much moved to valuing people who are able to think more deeply and have the skills to think critically and problem-solve.” (Benenden Student)

How can we prepare today’s girls for a future in which nearly 85 percent of the jobs that they will hold over the course of their work years haven’t yet been invented? Certainly, while it is not possible to know precisely how the world of work will look in 15-20 years, emerging statistics suggest that today’s students will have multiple jobs–and perhaps multiple income streams–as they build their careers. Girls need to be “future-proofed”--yes, that really is a word–with a new mindset about work: a mindset that embraces lifelong learning, creative problem-solving, and adaptability to the relentless pace of change. Girls need authentic experiences in today’s real world, learning competencies that will make them “future ready.”

Samantha Price, the Head of School of the Benenden School in Cranbrook, England, and Helen Semple, the Academic Deputy Head there, join host Trudy Hall to share a vision for “a complete education,” one that goes far beyond academics to include a multi-faceted Professional Skills Programme that will make you want to go back to high school. It is never too soon to start the conversation about work with a young girl, especially if we want them to steer their own course to a future in which they are the ones asking “what if” as they imagine possibilities.

Resources:

ICGS (International Coalition of Girls Schools): https://girlsschools.org

Benenden School: https://www.benenden.school/

Institute for the Future: https://www.iftf.org/about-iftf/ Benenden School · Institute for the Future · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Quote: “ I have been teaching women’s history my entire career, so I have taught lots of young people,....and I have found such curiosity to know more about how we got to where we are and particularly about the relationship of black women and white women.”

Until recently, women’s history has been buried within the layers of known and documented facts; an untold history of unpublished stories. And yet, we know it matters greatly that girls see themselves in the pages of history; that they discover the generations of strong, resilient, purpose-driven women who came before them, breaking ground in striving for equality. It takes the persistence and patience of a trained historian to weave a more complete tapestry of the events that have shaped–and will shape–the lives of women in today’s world, as these stories need to be teased out of the existing narrative. It also takes a great storyteller to shine a light on the gems.

Listen in when host Trudy Hall has the opportunity to learn from Dr. Elisabeth Griffith, activist, celebrated historian, acclaimed author, long-tenured girls school leader, and engaging storyteller, as they discuss the importance of girls knowing women’s history–or the “pink” timeline, as it is sometimes called. Griffith’s new book, Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality, 1920-2020, which the New York Times raved is “a profoundly illuminating tour de force,” is a multiracial, inclusive timeline of women’s history packed with stories that will empower girls and women of all ages.You will also hear clips from both Griffith’s PBS Newshour interview as well as a spot on TED talk by Emily Krichbaum, Director of the Center for Girls’ and Young Women’s Leadership at Columbus School for Girls. It is often said that “girls need to see it to be it.” Perhaps it would be even more powerful if they also read it, heard it, and learned about it in history class.

Resources:

ICGS (International Coalition of Girls Schools): https://girlsschools.org

Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality, 1920-2020,

Elisabeth Griffith.

The Medeira School: https://www.madeira.org/

The Village School: https://villageschool.us/

“Elisabeth Griffith’s new book, ‘Formidable,’ chronicles American women’s fight for equality,” PBS NewsHour interview with Judy Woodruff: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/elisabeth-griffiths-new-book-formidable-chronicles-american-womens-fight-for-equality

“Remember the Ladies,” a TEDxColumbusWomen talk by Emily Krichbaum, quoted in this episode: https://www.ted.com/talks/emily_krichbaum_remember_the_ladies_the_importance_of_women_s_history_in_classrooms?language=en Elisabeth Griffith · · The Village School · · “Remember the Ladies,” a TEDxColumbusWomen talk by Emily Krichbaum, quoted in this episode · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Quote: “I would like the parents of introverted children to know that supporting our passions and interests is important and that we will find our individual ways of being a leader. Even though we are quiet, we are still capable of being confident.”

This episode of On Educating Girls unapologetically celebrates the introverts who live, learn and work among us. Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, launched a conversation that has, over the last decade, become a full-blown movement to better understand what introverts bring to the table and to support and empower “quiet” children, often erroneously judged as painfully shy or socially awkward. If there is a quiet girl in your life–or inside you—you will want to listen.

Join host Trudy Hall as she learns how Betsy Gugle, Director of Lower School at Columbus School for Girls, and her teaching colleagues have embraced the challenge of affirming introverts in a world that is still biased toward extroverts, integrating awarenss of all personality temperaments into the school culture. We learn that language and labels matter in this important work, as does the modeling of adults who want to ensure the voices and talents of self-described introverts are honed and honored. In a world that has become too noisy, perhaps it is the introverts that can lead the way?

Resources You Should Know About:

ICGS (International Coalition of Girls Schools): https://girlsschools.org

Columbus School for Girls: https://www.columbusschoolforgirls.org/

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Cannot Stop Talking, Susan Cain

Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts, Susan Cain

Additional Resources:

● The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World, Marti Olsen Lancy, Psy.D.

● Quiet Kids: Help Your Introverted Child Succeed in an Extroverted World, Christine Fonseca

● The Elegance of a Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery

● Quiet Revolution Resources for Schools

● Quiet Revolution Resources for Parents

● Article: How the Definition of Leadership is Changing for Women by Kathryn Sollmann (Forbes

Magazine)

● Article: Engaging Quiet Kids by Susan Cain and Emily Klein (Independent School Magazine)

● Article: What are Introverts like as Children, Jenn Granneman (Psychology Today) website · Columbus School for Girls · Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Cannot Stop Talking · Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Quote: “At the root of everything we do is collaboration and communication.” (Ainsley, 17)

We want the girls in our lives to have big ideas and the passion to bring them to life. Yet, how do we, as their adult role models, set the tone, become their partners, teach them the transferable skill sets they need when the big idea might need some help in the “birthing” process? You do it with curiosity and positivity. You do it by asking the right questions. You do it with a learner’s mindset. Together, with her, you create the satisfying “journey to yes.”

Enjoy the ride as host Trudy Hall learns just how that is done well at Our Lady of Peace Academy in San Diego, California. Dr. Lauren Lek, Head of School, Rivka Bent, Interim Director of Marketing and Communications , and Ainsley Savant, OLP class of 2023, who created the school’s first Hackathon and is a student lead for the Architects of Change initiative share how they intentionally built a culture of collaboration, honed a mindset of curiosity, and became partners in a process that enables girls to challenge the status quo, envision a different reality and develop the skills needed to make their big plans actionable.

Resources You Should Know About:

ICGS (International Coalition of Girls Schools): https://girlsschools.org

Our Lady of Peace Academy: https://aolp.org/aocatschool/

Architects of Change: https://mariashriver.com/aoc/

Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others, Stephen Covey Our Lady of Peace Academy · Architects of Change · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Quote: “When parents are asked, ‘What do you want for your child when they are older,’ they will often say ‘confidence’ or ‘resilience.’ And both of these qualities can be gained from playing sports. (Elizabeth, 12 years old)

If there was one thing in a girl’s life that could lead to a healthier lifestyle, help her build time-management skills, ensure she is less likely to be sad or depressed, be more likely to have strong relationships with friends, and more likely to say she is smart enough to pursue her dream career, wouldn’t every parent tune in to learn about that magic potion? All the data suggests that there is one gamechanger that might impact everything on that list and more: engaging in athletics during pre-teen and teenage years.

Listen to Martha Perry, Head of School at St. Clement’s School in Toronto, Canada, and Tilly Rigby, St. Clement’s School alum and winner of the Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sports Award, as they talk with host Trudy Hall about how and why sports participation positively impacts nearly every single aspect of a girl's life–not just in her teen years, but throughout the rest of her life. The good news is that these benefits are not just for the athletic superstars; they are the rewards a girl gets simply from getting into the game.

Resources You Should Know About:

ICGS (International Coalition of Girls Schools): https://girlsschools.org

St. Clements School:https://www.scs.on.ca/

Women’s Sports Foundation:https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/ St. Clements School · Women’s Sports Foundation · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

EPISODE 12 Show Notes: Girls Who Say “Yes, And…”

Quote: This is an unusual podcast….not sure we have a quote that pops out….should I search for one or let it go?

The compelling research leaves no doubt about the reality that between the ages of 8 to 14, girls’ confidence levels can plummet up to 30%. Since the impact of this drop in confidence can be both profound and long lasting, it is no wonder that both parents and educators care deeply about proactively addressing this central challenge in the life of a young girl. The great news for girls and their parents is that there are proven ways to intervene at this critical juncture; ways that foster important skill sets of self-awareness, empathy, intellectual agility, collaboration and resilience.

Jenny Raymond, the Executive Director of the Harnisch Foundation and founder of Funny Girls, joins host Trudy Hall for a lively conversation about teaching pre-teen girls how to think of themselves as leaders in the making. Funny Girls is a research-based curriculum designed to utilize improvisational theater games and strategies to tackle the confidence gap head on. In the process of this fun experimentation, however, far more than leadership skills are honed. As these efforts demonstrate, teaching girls improv might be the perfect, playful way to move a girl from the sidelines to center stage during a formative stage in her life. And parents can join in the fun, too.

The resources you need to know about:

International Coalition of Girls Schools: https://girlsschools.org/

The Confidence Code for Girls: Claire Shipman, Jillellen Riley, Katty Kay

Funny Girls: https://thehf.org/funny-girls/ Funny Girls · National Coalition of Girls' Schools