The Case for Girls' Schools by Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case For

Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Schools

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Social responsibility and regard for the common good demand that decision makers, researchers, product developers, manufacturers, brand houses, advertisers, and media outlets realize that the contributions that they produce have a cumulative impact that affects far more than sales.

Small causes have the power to effect radical change

“One thing leads to another.”

The Fixx

Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Girls in single-sex schools perform better than girls in co-ed schools, regardless of socio-economic and ability levels.”1

1 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School - Section 3” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/3-girlsfirstforemost/ 4 Serious Play for Serious Girls

Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

By kindergarten, children have already identified and

internalized the culturally sanctioned gender and ethnic stereotypes that are expected of them. Stereotypic prejudices such as “boys are better at math” have the power to supersede a girl’s understanding of her own capability which can cause her to depress her individual performance so she can conform to her expected “role”.2 By age 11, girls begin to perceive the cultural pressure to conform to stereotyped subordinate gender roles that emphasize the importance of appearing physically attractive to men. This pressure to conform to sexual roles is a major cause of girls’ sharp drop in self-confidence at the onset of puberty.3

In girl-centric environments many of the social pressures placed on girls are removed. This cultivates a healthy environment of acceptance that frees girls to dare new things and discover for themselves just where their strengths and passions lie.

“Without the presence of boys, girls tend to display their intelligence and curiosity regardless of powerful age-determined notions of popularity, attractiveness or negative peer pressure.”4

2 Ambady, Nalini; Shih, Margaret; Kim, Amy; and Todd L. Pittinsky. “Stereotype Susceptibility in Children: Effects of Identity Activation on Quantitative Performance.” Psychological Science, Vol. 12, No. 5 (Sep. 2001), p. 385-390. http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~na/Children.pdf 3 Catherine H. Knott. “Transitioning to Womanhood: Why Girls Need More Support.” http://www. boardingschoolsforgirls.com/transitioning.html 4 Girls School Association. “What Girls’ Schools Do Differently.” http://www.gsa.uk.com/whyagirlsschool/what-girls-schools-do-differently 6 Serious Play for Serious Girls

Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

All-girls schools help reduce gender stereotypes.5 Stereotypes impact girls’ test grades- “In 2008, researchers Kelly Danaher and Christian S. Crandall demonstrated that stereotype threat casts a long shadow on the Calculus AP exam. In fact, if the students taking the test were asked to fill out the demographic information identifying themselves as male or female at the end of the exam, rather than the typical placement just before the exam beings), an additional 4,700 girls would receive AP calculus credit each year!”6

Imagine a culture of exploration that provokes girls to take leaps of faith, challenge and trust themselves. Imagine a community committed to developing the confidence of tomorrow’s thought leaders that are unrestricted by stereotypes and not defined by gender.

“Research demonstrates that the very existence of the negative stereotype (e.g., “boys are better than girls at mathematics”) suppresses the test performance of members of the negatively stereotyped group (Aronson, 2002). This phenomenon is known as stereotype threat. Members of negatively stereotyped groups tend to underperform in situations that have the potential to confirm the negative stereotype because their anxiety about confirming the stereotype leads to negative thoughts and difficulties with short-term memory (Halpern et al., 2007). Young women who believe that they are taking a test of mathematics ability (and are aware of the stereotype of girls as inferior to boys in mathematics achievement) perform less well than young women who believe that the same test is a test of problem-solving strategies (Spencer, Steele, & Quinn, 1999).”7 5 National Association for Single-Sex Public Education. “Single-Sex vs. Coed: The Evidence.” http://www.singlesexschools.org/evidence.html 6 Lisa Damour and Larry Goodman. “Shielding Students from Stereotype Threat: A Guide for Teachers.” http://www.nais.org/publications/ismagazinearticle.cfm?itemNumber=152245 7 Lisa Damour and Larry Goodman. “Shielding Students from Stereotype Threat: A Guide for Teachers.” http://www.nais.org/publications/ismagazinearticle.cfm?itemNumber=152245

8 Serious Play for Serious Girls

Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Dr Alice Sullivan’s research with the Single-sex Schools Project showed that “Single-sex schools seemed more likely to encourage students to pursue academic paths according to their talents rather than their gender.” 8

“Margret Olafsdottir, an expert on single sex education, said, “mixed-sex schools support and increase old traditional roles,” and single sex schools break down gender stereotypes. Girls become more competitive.” 10

“‘Gender intensification’ means that when girls and boys are together, they are very mindful of what the prevailing culture says is appropriate for girls, and what’s appropriate for boys. As a result, the coed format often has the unintended consequence of intensifying gender roles, despite the most enlightened leadership and teaching. Our culture is a sexist culture (and the culture of children and adolescents is even more sexist than the adult culture). The prevailing culture sends all sorts of gendered messages pushing girls and boys into pink and blue cubbyholes. Flutes are for girls, children tell one another, and trumpets are for boys (or so the children say). Physics is for guys, and art history is for girls -- or so the teenagers will tell you. You, the adult, can try to tell them otherwise, but in the coed format the forces driving ‘gender intensification’ may be too strong for mere words to counteract. The singlesex format, with the right kind of leadership, offers a great opportunity to break down those gender stereotypes. In a girls’ school, it’s cool to play the trumpet.” 9

“When it comes to math and science, the list of stereotypes reinforcing the idea that girls just aren’t any good is endless – but not necessarily true.”11

8 BBC News. “Girls’ School Women ‘Earn More.’” September 22, 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/ hi/uk_news/education/5370970.stm 9 National Association for Single-Sex Public Education. “Advantages for Girls.” http://www. singlesexschools.org/research-forgirls.htm. 10 Serious Play for Serious Girls

A University of Michigan study found that girls at single sex schools had fewer stereotypical ideas about what women can and cannot accomplish. They found that both male and female graduates of single-sex schools are more likely to go on to a prestigious college and more likely to aspire to graduate or professional school.12

10 Boarding Schools for Girls. http://www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/study-summary-hiddenbenefits.html 11 Boarding Schools for Girls. “Today’s Girls - Myths Limit Math and Science Success.” http:// www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/girls-math-science.html 12 National Association for Single Sex Public Education. “Single-Sex vs. Coed: The Evidence.” http://www.singlesexschools.org/research-singlesexvscoed.htm Serious Play for Serious Girls 11

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Implicit Stereotypes” are stereotyped thoughts and beliefs that people may not know they have, or may not want to want to admit to having. These implicit stereotypes can have “a powerful effect on gender equity in science and mathematics engagement and performance.”13 According to an international 2009 study involving more than half a million participants in 34 different countries, 70% of people around the world “harbor implicit stereotypes associating science with males more than with females. Moreover, in countries whose citizens stereotyped most strongly, boys achieved at a higher level in eighth-grade science and math.”14 This global study indicates that “Implicit stereotypes may contribute to continuing underachievement and underparticipation among girls and women in science compared to their male peers.”15 According to the study’s lead investigator, Brian Nosek, researchers “found a general tendency, across every country that we investigated, that people on average have an easier time associating science concepts with male, rather than with female…. If countries want to increase their competitiveness in science and engineering, they might want to look at their social environments, the social factors like implicit stereotypes that exist at a cultural level, and how this might inhibit women – who comprise more than half their intellectual pool – from contributing to scientific and engineering advancement.”16 13 “Citizens in 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More than Females with Science.” e! Science News, June 22, 2009. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/06/22/citizens.34.countries. show.implicit.bias.linking.males.more.females.with.science 14 “Citizens in 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More than Females with Science.” e! Science News, June 22, 2009. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/06/22/citizens.34.countries. show.implicit.bias.linking.males.more.females.with.science 15 “Citizens in 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More than Females with Science.” e! Science News, June 22, 2009. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/06/22/citizens.34.countries. show.implicit.bias.linking.males.more.females.with.science 16 “Citizens in 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More than Females with Science.” e! Science News, June 22, 2009. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/06/22/citizens.34.countries. show.implicit.bias.linking.males.more.females.with.science 12 Serious Play for Serious Girls

All-girls schools help reduce gender stereotypes.5

Stereotypes impact girls’ test grades- “In 2008, researchers Kelly Danaher and Christian S. Crandall demonstrated that stereotype threat casts a long shadow on the Calculus AP exam. In fact, if the students taking the test were asked to fill out the 5

National Association for Single-Sex Public Education. “Single-Sex vs. Coed: The Evidence” http://www.singlesexschools.org/evidence.html

Lisa Damour and Larry Goodman. “Shielding Students from Stereotype Threat: A Guide for Teachers.” http://www.nais.org/publications/ismagazinearticle. cfm?itemNumber=152245 Serious Play for Serious Girls 13

The Case for Girls’ Schools

If the cure for cancer was in the mind of a girl, we might never discover it. Myra Sadker17

“Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields have become increasingly central to U.S. economic competitiveness and growth. Long-term strategies to maintain and increase living standards and promote opportunity will require coordinated efforts among public, private, and not-for-profit entities to promote innovation and to prepare an adequate supply of qualified workers for employment in STEM fields. American pre-eminence in STEM will not be secured or extended without concerted effort and investment. Trends in K-12 and higher education science and math preparation, coupled with demographic and labor supply trends, point to a serious challenge: our nation needs to increase the supply and quality of “knowledge workers” whose specialized skills enable them to work productively within the STEM industries and occupations.

When girls’ achievement is discouraged in traditionally male-dominated fields, their potential is limited and society loses potentially talented individuals in important fields such as science and technology.18

It will not be sufficient to target baccalaureate and advanced degree holders in STEM fields. Our nation’s economic future depends upon improving the pipeline into the STEM fields for subbaccalaureate students as well as BA and advanced degree holders, for youth moving toward employment and adults already in the workforce, for those already employed in STEM fields and those who would like to change careers to secure better employment and earnings.

Every girl should have the right to pursue her wildest imaginings rather than “small realities.”19

The seriousness of this challenge has penetrated public and opinion-makers’ consciousness—and government, industry, and education and training providers have begun to respond. NIH, NSF, and the Department of Education have been leading the federal effort. Industry associations, individual firms, foundations, and other organizations have identified and tried to fill gaps. State governments, too, are working to strengthen the STEM workforce pipeline. Much remains to be done, though, within government and across diverse sectors, to ensure that U.S. education, workforce, and economic systems rise to the STEM challenge.”20

17 The Myra Sadker Foundation. “Biography.” http://www.sadker.org/about-bio.html 18 “Teenage Girls Still Experience Harassment.” e! Science News, May 14, 2008. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/05/15/teenage.girls.still.experience.harassment 19 Kobi Yamada. “She…” Seattle, WA: Compendium Inc., 2008. p.6.

20 U.S. Department of Labor. “The STEM Workforce Challenge: the Role of the Public Workforce System in a National Solution for a Competitive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Workforce.” April, 2007.http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/pdf/STEM_ Report_4%2007.pdf

14 Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Girls’ preoccupation with appearance ties up cognitive resources, girls will have less time and mental energy for other pursuits. Girls may be learning to prioritize certain rewards (male attention) over other rewards (academic accomplishment), thus limiting their future educational and occupational opportunities. If they perceive occupations relating to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as less consistent with a sexy self-image, they may be induced to want to be a model, fashion designer, or pop star in order to embody the sexualized look that they know is valued for women rather than choose to be a chemist, computer programmer, or engineer.”21

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Cambridge University researchers validated the theory that girls’ performance in math and science-based courses improves significantly in single-sex educational settings.22 “Girls in girls-only schools were about 40% more likely to take advanced science courses than were girls of comparable ability at coed schools.”23 85% of all-girls school alumnae reported “that girls’ schools provide young women with more encouragement in the areas of science, math, and technology than do coed schools.”24 A survey of 2,300 students regarding attitudes toward science “found that girls at single-sex schools had significantly more positive attitudes toward science in general, and physics and chemistry in particular, compared with girls at coed schools.”25 “Girls at all-girls schools reported enjoying math more, and found math less difficult, than girls who attended coed schools. Girls at the all-girls schools were more than twice as likely to say that they planned to take advanced math, compared with girls at coed schools.”26

21 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf 16 Serious Play for Serious Girls

22 Mike Younger et. al. “Raising Boys’ Achievement.” University of Cambridge, 2005 http://www. education.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR636.pdf. 23 National Association for Single Sex Public Schools. “Single-sex classes increase girls’ participation in physics, computer science, etc.” http://www.singlesexschools.org/advantages-equity. htm 24 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools and the Goodman Research Group. “Achievement, Leadership & Success: A Report on Educational, Professional, and Life Outcomes at Girls’ Schools in the United States.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/researchbriefsfromtheusandtheworld/achievementleadershipsuccess/ 25 National Association for Single Sex Public Schools. “Single-sex classes increase girls’ participation in physics, computer science, etc.” http://www.singlesexschools.org/advantages-equity. htm 26 National Association for Single Sex Public Schools. “Single-sex classes increase girls’ participation in physics, computer science, etc.” http://www.singlesexschools.org/advantages-equity. htm Serious Play for Serious Girls 17

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Ten percent more girls’ school graduates rate their confidence in math and computer abilities high at the start of college compared to their peers from coed schools.”27 “Achievement indicators suggest that girls’ school alumnae enter college with test scores above the norm. Once in college, they major in science and math at a higher rate than females and males nationwide.”28

27 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “Research shows: girls’ school graduates have an edge.” http://www.ncgs.org/researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/ 28 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools and the Goodman Research Group. “Achievement, Leadership & Success: A Report on Educational, Professional, and Life Outcomes at Girls’ Schools in the United States.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/researchbriefsfromtheusandtheworld/achievementleadershipsuccess/ 18 Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

In her classic study, Professor Elizabeth Tidball “found that women who graduate from all-women colleges are five times more likely to earn doctorates in math, physics and chemistry than their co-ed counterparts.”29

29 Boarding Schools for Girls. http://www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/study-summary-drsaxspeech.html

Serious Play for Serious Girls 19

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“At every age, girls in girls-only classrooms are more likely to explore ‘non-traditional’ subjects such as computer science, physics (or the primary school precursors to the physical sciences), woodworking, etc. This finding is extraordinarily robust, having been replicated in every age group from kindergarten through college, and in every country where researchers have examined this question, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Jamaica, Iceland, and Kenya.”30 In all-girls schools, girls “feel more comfortable expressing themselves, because they are not afraid of being embarrassed by boys or having the class dominated by males. This allows girls to more likely feel good about getting good grades and not outshining boys because in a mixed classroom girl might receive mixed messages about being smart but also downplaying intelligence in trying to attract boys.”31

Every girl should have ample opportunities to develop her self confidence; take risks, succeed, and fail. In a girl-centric school girls have the privilege to learn from their own mistakes without the fear of judgment or rejection. Imagine a shame-free environment that encourages hard work and values brilliant mistakes.

20 Serious Play for Serious Girls

At an all-girls school, “girls are encouraged to take academic and learning risks in terms of leadership. It’s a comfortable place to learn from risk-taking, to make public mistakes, and to learn and grow personally and academically from them.”32 “Biology is not destiny. At all-girls schools, educators challenge girls to spend more time in sports and risktaking experiences, and encourage them to develop “male-oriented” skills through spatial tasks like puzzles and building, and strategy tasks like chess and checkers.”33 30 National Association for Single-Sex Public Education. “Advantages for Girls.” http://www. singlesexschools.org/research-forgirls.htm. 31 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_papers/ flaherty_single_sex.pdf 32 Sheila Riley. “A Conversation with Meg Moulton, National Coalition of Girls’ Schools” March 2, 2009. http://www.hotchalk.com/mydesk/index.php/editorial/106-leadership/592-a-conversation-with-meg-moulton-national-coalition-of-girls-schools 33 Boarding Schools for Girls. http://www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/study-summary-benefits. html Serious Play for Serious Girls 21

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Girls’ schools are expert in recognizing the qualities of girls and understanding what makes them tick and how they learn. This knowledge is built up over years of experience of teaching girls.”35 “Women need to be treated as equal, not identical, to men. Single-sex schools have long known this, applied the philosophy to their pedagogy, and therefore maintained a strong reputation for success.”36 Single-gender learning environments allow teachers to create gender-specific learning environments, which can significantly improve academic performance. Girls, for example, are four times more hearing sensitive than boys. Because of their differences in hearing sensitivity, boys are more engaged in louder and livelier classrooms, while girls learn better in quieter and more relaxed environments.37

Adopting a girl-centered teaching strategy that appreciates how girls “experience school and the world” is key to offering an unlimited range of academic and experiential opportunities that will nurture her potential and inspirit her healthy sense of competition. Transformation and innovation are the fruit of nontraditional methods and unconventional thinking. 34

34 Girls School Association. “Frequently Asked Questions.” http://www.gsa.uk.com/whyagirlsschool/frequently-asked-questions 22 Serious Play for Serious Girls

“Most co-ed institutions inherently gear the teaching of math and science towards boys simply because they adhere to relatively traditional teaching methods,” whereas “Science and math in an all-girls’ school will be taught in a way that appeals to girls’ gender-specific learning styles. As a result, girls in single-sex environments learn to successfully adapt their particular skills and strengths to subject matter that may have seemed difficult, confusing or overly challenging in a traditional, co-ed setting.”38 35 Girls School Association. “What Girls’ Schools Do Differently.” http://www.gsa.uk.com/whyagirlsschool/what-girls-schools-do-differently 36 Susan Pinker. “The Sexual Paradox: Men, Women, and the Real Gender Gap.” Scribner, 2009. 37 Boarding Schools for Girls. http://www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/study-summary-teachingmethods.html 38 Boarding Schools for Girls. “Today’s Girls - Myths Limit Math and Science Success.” http:// www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/girls-math-science.html Serious Play for Serious Girls 23

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Diversity in education is not only exposing children to different cultures, but also exposing them to different learning styles and curriculums. The Court in U.S. v. Virginia acknowledged that diversity in education is an important government objective. Creating single sex schools, grades or classrooms, offers different opportunities for children to learn.39 Researchers at Virginia Tech have discovered that girls’ and boys’ brains develop in different sequences- specifically the area of “the brain involved in language and fine motor skills (such as handwriting) mature about six years earlier in girls than in boys” and “the areas of the brain involved in math and geometry mature about four years earlier in boys than in girls.”40 Boys and girls require different teaching strategies because their brains are also wired differently. When studying math and sciences, girls use their cerebral cortex- the part of their brain that processes language. This means girls are better able to learn math and science when it introduced through practical examples as story problems that relates to girls’ real worlds. Boys, however, do better in math and science when the lessons are focused on pure theory rather than language, stories, and practical applications.41 “Sexualization may contribute to girls’ dropping out of higher level mathematics in high school. Studies show that as girls develop through adolescence, their science 39 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_papers/ flaherty_single_sex.pdf 40 National Association for Single Sex Public Education. “Computers, Brains, and Gender Equity.” http://www.singlesexschools.org/advantages-equity.htm 41 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “Research shows: girls’ school graduates have an edge.” http://www.ncgs.org/researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/ 24 Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

and math self-concepts are less stable than those of boys (e.g., Simpkins, Davis-Kean, & Eccles, 2006). For example, girls begin to underestimate their math ability relative to boys and show diminished interest in upper level, optional math classes in high school (Linver, Davis-Kean, & Eccles, 2002). Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) have pointed out that these declines in estimations of ability and the value girls place on math begin around puberty, when their bodies mature. Studies show that single-sex math classes lead girls to feel less self-conscious and improve their math performance substantially (Rutti, 1997). This may not be solely because boys would otherwise dominate the classroom (one popular explanation for the success of single-sex math classes for girls) but also because without boys, girls can literally take their minds off their own bodies and think more effectively.”42 “The advantages of single-sex education for girls fall into three categories: • expanded educational opportunity • custom-tailored learning and instruction • greater autonomy, especially in heterosexual relationships”43 “Research has shown that girls appreciate an environment in which they are neither competing with boys for the teachers attention nor being distracted by boy’s behavior.”44 42 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf 43 National Association of Single Sex Public Education. “Advantages for Girls.” http://www. singlesexschools.org/advantages-forgirls.htm 44 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_papers/ flaherty_single_sex.pdf Serious Play for Serious Girls 25

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“In both the elementary and middle school samples, more positive academic and behavioral interactions between teachers and students (both boys and girls) were observed in the single sex schools than in the coeducational comparison schools.”45 “Teachers in the single sex schools were more likely than teachers in the comparison schools to have earned certification beyond a master’s degree but on average, teachers from single-sex schools had fewer years of experience in the classroom.”46 The best single sex girls schools are not just segregating boys from girls but are hiring experts in the in the teaching of girls and boys. “First point to remember, when you consider evidence regarding the effectiveness of gender-separate classrooms: Simply putting girls in one room, and boys in another, is no guarantee of anything good happening. On the contrary: some public schools which have adopted single-sex classrooms, without appropriate preparation, have experienced bad outcomes.”47 Just as girls in all-girl schools show more interest in math and sciences, boys in all-boys schools show more interest in literature and modern languages, compared to their peers in mixed-gender schools.48 45 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_papers/ flaherty_single_sex.pdf 46 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_papers/ flaherty_single_sex.pdf 47 Dr. Leonard Sax. “The Promise and Peril of Single-Sex Public Education.” Education Week, March 2, 2005. P. 48, 34, 35. http://www.singlesexschools.org/edweek.html. 48 BBC News. “Girls’ School Women ‘Earn More.’” September 22, 2006. http://news.bbc. co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/5370970.stm 26 Serious Play for Serious Girls

Serious Play for Serious Girls 27

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Researchers writing in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students in single-sex schools are more involved in learning and classroom activities and less preoccupied with social status and interactions than those in co-ed situations.”49 “Single sex schools have a better school climate, more school community and better student interaction action with teachers, all of which can lead to better grades and better career opportunities in the future.”50 A major study at Cambridge University in London found that “single-sex education was a significant factor in establishing a school culture that raises educational achievement.”51 “Celebrate learning without social distractions. Girls’ schools offer an environment in which girls can concentrate on learning without the distraction of boys.”52

Consider an environment where learning is natural, camaraderie becomes companionship, courage is celebrated, exploration is encouraged and barriers and boundaries fall to the wayside.

Girls who attend all-girl schools report spending more time studying and doing homework. 62% of female graduates from independent all-girl schools report having spent 11 hours or more each week studying or doing homework, compared to only 42% of independent mixed-gender school graduates.53

49 Boarding Schools for Girls. http://www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/study-summary-hiddenbenefits.html 50 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_papers/ flaherty_single_sex.pdf 51 National Association for Single Sex Public Education. “Single-Sex vs. Coed: The Evidence.” http://www.singlesexschools.org/research-singlesexvscoed.htm 52 Girls School Association. “What Girls’ Schools Do Differently.” http://www.gsa.uk.com/whyagirlsschool/what-girls-schools-do-differently 53 Linda J. Sax, et. al. “Women Graduates of Single-Sex and Coeducational High Schools: Differences in their Characteristics and the Transition to College.” P.7. http://www.ncgs.org/ researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/FINAL%20REPORT.pdf 28 Serious Play for Serious Girls

Serious Play for Serious Girls 29

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Girls who attend all-girl schools are more likely to engage in group study and peer-based academic engagement.54 “Girls receive more individual attention in single-sex schools.”55 53% of independent single-sex graduates reporting that they study with other students on a frequent basis, compared with 45% among independent coeducational graduates.56 65% of girls in all-girl high schools report tutoring fellow students, compared to 58% of girls who attend mixed-gender high schools.57 Girls at all-girls schools “spend more time on nonstereotypical extracurricular activities.”58

Give a girl an education and introduce her properly into the world, and ten to one but she has the means of settling well, without further expense to anybody.

Jane Austen

54 Linda J. Sax, et. al. “Women Graduates of Single-Sex and Coeducational High Schools: Differences in their Characteristics and the Transition to College.” P.8. http://www.ncgs.org/ researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/FINAL%20REPORT.pdf 55 Linda J. Sax, et. al. “Women Graduates of Single-Sex and Coeducational High Schools: Differences in their Characteristics and the Transition to College.” http://www.ncgs.org/researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/FINAL%20REPORT.pdf 56 Linda J. Sax, et. al. “Women Graduates of Single-Sex and Coeducational High Schools: Differences in their Characteristics and the Transition to College.” P.8. http://www.ncgs.org/ researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/FINAL%20REPORT.pdf 57 Linda J. Sax, et. al. “Women Graduates of Single-Sex and Coeducational High Schools: Differences in their Characteristics and the Transition to College.” P.8. http://www.ncgs.org/ researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/FINAL%20REPORT.pdf 58 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf 30 Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Girls’ schools don’t just offer equal opportunities but every opportunity.”60

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Single sex schools are also known to have more opportunity for leadership roles, which benefits females because males are more likely to take on leadership roles in mixed schools.”61 Girls who attend all-girl schools are more likely to rate their academic ability, intellectual selfconfidence, writing ability, and speaking ability as “above average” or “in the highest ten percent.” 62 The single greatest factor deterring girls from leadership roles is the lack of confidence in concrete skills.63 45% of girls that report avoiding leadership positions specifically because they dislike speaking in front of others.64 Conversely, girls who attend all-girl schools are more likely to rate their speaking ability as “above average” or “in the highest ten percent” of their peers.65

Every girl should have the right to lead change, champion causes, and seize opportunities. Confident leaders with a certain sense of self and an authentic voice are initiated into their purpose one triumphant challenge and feat at time. Every student body leadership position in a girls school is held by girls assuring that there are no “limitations on their ambitions, either professionally or personally.”59 “Girls’ schools don’t just offer equal opportunities but every opportunity.”60

59 The Ladies College. “Welcome from the Principal.” http://www.ladiescollege.com/ 60 Service Parent’s Guide to Boarding Schools. “Single Sex or Co Ed?” http://www.serviceschools.com/cms/single_sex_or_coeducation_the_pros_and_cons/ 32 Serious Play for Serious Girls

93% of recent graduates from all-girls schools reported that “girls’ schools provide greater leadership opportunities than co-ed schools.”66

61 National Association for Single-Sex Public Education. “Advantages for Girls.” http://www. singlesexschools.org/research-forgirls.htm. 62 Linda J. Sax, et. al. “Women Graduates of Single-Sex and Coeducational High Schools: Differences in their Characteristics and the Transition to College.” P.8-9. http://www.ncgs.org/ researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/FINAL%20REPORT.pdf 63 Girl Scout Research Institute. “Change It Up: What Girls Say About Redefining Leadership.” 2008, p. 17. 64 Girl Scout Research Institute. “Change It Up: What Girls Say About Redefining Leadership.” 2008, p. 19 65 Linda J. Sax, et. al. “Women Graduates of Single-Sex and Coeducational High Schools: Differences in their Characteristics and the Transition to College.” P.8-9. http://www.ncgs.org/ researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/FINAL%20REPORT.pdf 66 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School - Section 2.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/2-consistentdata/ Serious Play for Serious Girls 33

The Case for Girls’ Schools

80% of recent graduates from all-girls schools reported that they “had held leadership positions since graduating from high school.”67

“Single sex schools contribute to higher academic achievement. Single sex schools, raise girls confidence and contribution in the classroom, which can then lead to higher academic performance.”68

67 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School - Section 2.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/2-consistentdata/

68 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_papers/ flaherty_single_sex.pdf

34 Serious Play for Serious Girls

Serious Play for Serious Girls 35

The Case for Girls’ Schools

91% of all-girls school alumnae reported that “girls’ schools are more relevant to young women’s academic needs than are coed schools”70 All-girls schools help provide girls with “greater self-confidence, greater statistical chances for academic and career success, a healthier sense of competition, greater levels of athletic involvement and achievement and exposure to a wider range of academic and experiential opportunities.”71 “Teenage girls confront a reality when studying U.S. government and history:

“Girls’ schools celebrate the female perspective and way of doing things, are places where girls are accustomed to being heard and being valued for who they are, irrespective of what they look like or what they wear. The girls’ school environment affirms and encourages young women in their capacities as confident individuals, leaders and agents of social change.”69

Every girl should have the benefit of culturally sanctioned beliefs that empower her sense of being and nourish her full potential. 69 Girls School Association. “What Girls Schools Do Differently.” http://www.gsa.uk.com/whyagirlsschool/what-girls-schools-do-differently 36 Serious Play for Serious Girls

They realize that there is less female representation in the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Supreme Court. They identify that no woman has ever been elected President or Vice-President of the United States. It will take a lot of reinforcement to empower girls to see that historically and momentarily women are part of a group that is often treated as second class citizens in the worlds of politics, high finance, and power. But that it can change. They are the change.”72 In an all girls school “girls can find strong role models amongst the staff, ethos and philosophy of the school.”73 70 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools and the Goodman Research Group. “Achievement, Leadership & Success: A Report on Educational, Professional, and Life Outcomes at Girls’ Schools in the United States.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/researchbriefsfromtheusandtheworld/achievementleadershipsuccess/ 71 Boarding Schools for girls. “Today’s Girls - Myths Limit Math and Science Success.” http:// www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/girls-math-science.html 72 Catherine H. Knott, Ph.D. “Transitioning to Womanhood: Why Girls Need More Support.” Boarding Schools for Girls. http://www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/transitioning.html 73 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_papers/ flaherty_single_sex.pdf Serious Play for Serious Girls 37

The Case for Girls’ Schools

While studying U.S. government and history, “girls experience anger and disbelief, or in repression of feelings, submission to the rules of popular culture, and a refusal to acknowledge that these issues of fairness and justice are important for their well-being. These subjects become particularly confusing because the message voiced to girls through the media and in school is that they have complete equality with boys, and that women can be anything they want to be, and achieve equally with men. When perceived as reality rather than well-intentioned encouragement, it creates confusion for girls and boys; it is a message similar to the denial of the existence of racism for people of color.”74 “…single-sex education doesn’t mean a single-sex life… Girls get plenty of the real world in the rest of their lives outside the school gates. It can be a great relief for girls to know that after a hectic weekend packed with lots of social traumas, they don’t have to deal with it all on Monday morning. Girls’ schools can provide the space for girls to develop at their own pace set apart from the cruel realities of mixed teenagedom. There can be big advantages in having to separate business and pleasure. By the time girls are ready to leave school they have acquired higher self-esteem, greater self-confidence, better exam passes especially in vital subjects, more genuine subject choice, and more opportunities for leadership. All these things will make them better equipped for a life in which they will be both career women and mothers, balancing roles to an extent that few men must do.”75 74 Catherine H. Knott, Ph.D. “Transitioning to Womanhood: Why Girls Need More Support.” Boarding Schools for Girls. http://www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/transitioning.html 75 Girls School Association. “Frequently Asked Questions.” http://www.gsa.uk.com/whyagirlsschool/frequently-asked-questions 38 Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Girls in an all girl’s school “see these schools as safe havens that can be called their own...” They “appreciate single sex schools for the community atmosphere.”76 Socialization theories help us see that girls’ understanding of appropriate femininity is not “natural” or innate but is acquired through developmental processes whereby girls draw information from the adults and peers, real and fictional, around them.77 “Girls develop their identities as teenagers and as women, and they learn the socially acceptable ways to engage in intimate relationships by modeling what they see older girls and young women doing (Bussey & Bandura, 1984, 1992; Lips, 1989) and by imitating the ways in which women are represented in the media (Huston & Wright, 1998). Concomitantly, parents and other adults may overtly or inadvertently communicate expectations that girls should embody the appearances, attitudes, and behaviors that are exemplified by sexualized adult women (of course, parents might instead encourage girls to reject these sexualized models).”78 A study of 270,000 students, conducted by the Australian Counsel for Educational Research, has found that “boys and girls in single-sex schools were more likely to be better behaved and to find learning more enjoyable and the curriculum more relevant.”79 76 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_papers/ flaherty_single_sex.pdf 77 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf. 78 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf. 79 Sunrise. “Therapeutic Boarding Schools for Girls.” www.sunrisertc.com/articles/therapeuticboarding-schools-for-girls.php Serious Play for Serious Girls 39

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Cultivation theory (Gerbner, Gross, Morgan, & Signorielli, 1994) argues that exposure to consistent themes over time leads viewers to adopt a particular perspective of the world, one that coincides with the images they have been viewing.”80 “Automatic gender stereotypes and attitudes operate in both women and men (Banaji & Greenwald, 1995; L. Rudman & Kilianski, 2000), and other types of automatic associations (e.g., a link between power and sex; Zurbriggen, 2000) are present in some people. Although these attitudes, beliefs, and associations are automatic, they are not immutable (Dasgupta & Greenwald, 2001). For example, exposure to female leaders led to a decrease in women’s automatic gender stereotyping (Dasgupta & Asgari, 2004).”81

80 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf 81 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf. 40 Serious Play for Serious Girls

Serious Play for Serious Girls 41

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Girls who attend all-girls schools are more likely to play competitive sports.82 Female student athletes in Division 1 sports graduate college at higher rates than male athletes and nonathlete females.83 In 2002 the National Youth Survey of Civic Engagement revealed that young women actively engaged in sports were more apt to volunteer, register to vote, take a stand publicly, stay current and boycott than were young women that had not participated in sports.84 82% of female executives played sports growing up, most of whom report that their experience in sports contributes to their success in business.85 Girls that participate in athletics and physical activities have heightened esteem and an increased satisfaction with their weight, regardless of their actual weight.86

Natural talent only determines the limits of your athletic potential. It’s dedication and a willingness to discipline your life that makes you great. Billie Jean King

42 Serious Play for Serious Girls

“Athletic activities inherently require a focus on body competence, agency, and action; they provide girls with the opportunity to develop a self-concept founded on what they can do rather than on how they look.”87 82 National Association for Single-Sex Public Education. “Single-Sex Education.” http://www. singlesexschools.org/home.php 83 In: Women’s Sports Foundation. “Women’s Sports & Fitness Facts & Statistics.” March 26, 2009. P.2. http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/~/media/Files/PDFs%20and%20other%20 files%20by%20Topic/Issues/General/W/WSF%20FACTS%20March%202009.pdf 84 Lopez, M.H. & Moore, K. “Participation in Sports and Civic Engagement.” The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 2006. http://civicyouth.org/PopUps/ FactSheets/FS_06_Sports_and_Civic_Engagement.pdf 85 In: Women’s Sports Foundation. “Women’s Sports & Fitness Facts & Statistics.” March 26, 2009. p.29. http://www.womenssportsfoundation. org/~/media/Files/PDFs%20and%20other%20files%20by%20Topic/Issues/General/W/WSF%20 FACTS%20March%202009.pdf 86 The Girl Scout Research Institute. “The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy Living,” (2006) http://www.girlscouts.org/research/publications/original/gs_exec_summary.pdf 87 Women’s Sports Foundation. “Women’s Sports & Fitness Facts & Statistics.” March 26, 2009. P.2. http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/~/media/Files/PDFs%20and%20other%20 Serious Play for Serious Girls 43

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Participation in sports and physical activities is related to healthier sexual development.88 “Teenage female athletes are less likely to use marijuana, cocaine or “other” illicit drugs (such as LSD, PCP, speed or heroin), less likely to be suicidal, less likely to smoke and more likely to have positive body images than female non-athletes.89 “Teenage female athletes are less than half as likely to get pregnant as female non-athletes (5% and 11%, respectively), more likely to report that they had never had sexual intercourse than female nonathletes (54% and 41%, respectively), and more likely to experience their first sexual intercourse later in adolescence than female non-athletes.90 All-girls schools allow girls to engage in competitive sports and physical education opportunities without fear of being labeled a “jock”, being seen as masculine, or being seen as unattractive to boys.91 Gender stereotyping, homophobia, and lack of opportunity hold girls back from participating in sports and physical activities. 92 40% of girls’ ages 11-17 say they do not play sports because they do not feel skilled or competent and 23% do not think their bodies look good.93 files%20by%20Topic/Issues/General/W/WSF%20FACTS%20March%202009.pdf 88 Women’s Sports Foundation. “Women’s Sports & Fitness Facts & Statistics.” March 26, 2009. P.2. http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/~/media/Files/PDFs%20and%20other%20 files%20by%20Topic/Issues/General/W/WSF%20FACTS%20March%202009.pdf 89 Miller, Sabo et. al. “The Women’s Sports Foundation Report: Health Risks and the Teen Athlete.” Women’s Sports Foundation, 2000. http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/Content/ Research-Reports/Research-Report-Health-Risks-and-the-Teen-Athlete.aspx 90 Miller, Sabo et. al. “The Women’s Sports Foundation Report: Sport and Teen Pregnancy.” Women’s Sports Foundation, 1998. 91 Boarding Schools for Girls. http://www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/girls-school-benefits.html 92 “Physical Activity & Sport in the Lives of Girls.” President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, 1997. http://www.fitness.gov/girlssports.pdf 93 Girl Scouts. “Sports and Physical Activity.” http://www.girlscouts.org/research/facts_findings/ sports_and_physical_activity.asp 44 Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Because physical activity may be a powerful means of negating self-objectification and other negative consequences of sexualization, the sexualization of women and girl athletes may be especially dangerous or harmful for girls. If this domain becomes coopted and turned into yet another venue where girls are taught to focus on how they look rather than on what their bodies can do, they will have been deprived of an important method of resistance and healthy development.”94 66% of people aged 18 to 30 who had positive high school gym class experiences report they that have remained “very active” since high school. Only 5% of adults who reported having discouraging or negative high school gym experiences considered themselves “very active.”95 30% of women report their high school gym class experience was overall embarrassing and discouraging, compared to only 11% of men.96 Between 2003-2006, girls comprised 49% of the high school population but only received 41% of all athletic participation opportunities. Female high school athletes received a total of 1.25 million fewer participation opportunities than their male counterparts.97 94 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf 95 In: “Women’s Sports & Fitness Facts & Statistics.” March 26, 2009. p.29. www.womenssportsfoundation.org/binary-data/WSF_ARTICLE/pdf_file/191.pdf 96 In: “Women’s Sports & Fitness Facts & Statistics.” March 26, 2009. p.29. www.womenssportsfoundation.org/binary-data/WSF_ARTICLE/pdf_file/191.pdf 97 National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2003-2004; National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), 2005-2006. Serious Play for Serious Girls 45

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Females of all ages are less active than their male peers.”98 The Centers for Disease Control reports that 51.7% of high school girls do not take a regular gym class (regular indicating one or more times a week), compared to 40% of high school boys.99

98 “Studies reveal lifelong gender difference in physical activity.” e! Science News, January 5 2009. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/01/05/studies.reveal.lifelong.gender.difference. physical.activity 99 Danice K. Eaton, et. al. “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance” Centers for Disease Control, 2005. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5505a1.htm 46 Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

A 2005 study suggested that high school girls may benefit from single-sex gym classes that offer an alternative to the competitive team sports found in many physically education programs. The proposed curriculum included health education lessons that promote skills needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle.100

100 Pate, R.R., et al. “Promotion of physical activity among high school girls: A randomized controlled trial.” Journal of Public Health. In: Gehring, J. “Researchers say girls thrive in single-sex gym classes.” Education Week, 2005.

Serious Play for Serious Girls 47

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Some studies of the effects of school uniforms on students’ perceptions also lend indirect support for the notion that sexualizing clothing may be a factor in harassment of girls. When students dress in uniforms, fellow students as well as teachers rate them as higher in academic ability and positive school-related behavior than students in standard dress (Behling, 1994). Furthermore, one study showed that girls who wear uniforms report more positive perceptions of safety and peer relationships in school than girls in regular clothes (Fosseen, 2002). Standardized uniforms may help to change those cultural messages and understandings of who girls are and what they are capable of, thereby reducing the incidence of sexual harassment in general.” 101

101 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf 48 Serious Play for Serious Girls

Serious Play for Serious Girls 49

The Case for Girls’ Schools

All girls’ schools provide an alternative reality to the sexualizing influences in the culture. Freeing girls to “form their own alternative perspectives to the sexualizing influences in the culture”103 and equipping girls to reject “images of impossibly thin, sexualized women’s bodies as an appropriate goal for themselves.”104 Girls’ schools “counter mass-media influences by freeing girls from the pressure to conform to sexist patterns of behavior, and providing them with a framework with which to judge the image of girls in today’s media.”105 “Distorted media images and culturally sanctioned beauty standards negatively impact healthy sexual development in girls. Sexualization challenges the perceptions and expectations that girls have of their physical self resulting in lacking confidence, depression and eating disorders.”106 In a girl-centric school “girls are free to grow up at their own pace.102

102 Girls School Association. “What girls’ schools do differently.” www.gsa.uk.com/whyagirlsschool/what-girls-schools-do-differently 50 Serious Play for Serious Girls

“The perspectives and experiences that a young girl brings to her exposure to sexualizing images and experiences, as well as her cognitive, intellectual, social, and even physical development, might profoundly influence the effect that such exposure would have on her, rendering it quite different from what a teenage 103 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf 104 Catherine H. Knott, Ph.D. “Transitioning to Womanhood: Why Girls Need More Support.” www.boardingschoolsforgirls.com/transitioning.html 105 Girls School Association. “What girls’ schools do differently.” www.gsa.uk.com/whyagirlsschool/what-girls-schools-do-differently 106 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf Serious Play for Serious Girls 51

The Case for Girls’ Schools

girl would experience. We must deduce, therefore, that what young women believe about themselves and how they feel in the present moment were shaped by how they were treated and what they were exposed to when they were girls. Knowing how young women feel about and respond to sexualization, then, is entirely relevant to understanding how girls feel about and respond to sexualization.”107 “The messages to girls that they are to be considered as bodies and objects first and foremost, present serious barriers to the successful development of young women. Paradoxically, sometimes the brightest young women, often the ones who had high grades and were involved in many activities in elementary school, are most at risk as they may be most aware of the negative messages about women.”108 “Schools that provide athletic and other extracurricular opportunities that help girls develop a more empowering view of their bodies may also protect girls from the influence of sexualization.”109

107 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf. p.4 108 Mary Pipher and Ruth Ross. “Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls.” Riverhead Trade, 2005. 109 American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. “Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.” Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/events/pdfs/apa_report.pdf. 52 Serious Play for Serious Girls

Since a time has come, Mademoiselle, when the severe laws of men no longer prevent women from applying themselves to the sciences and other disciplines, it seems to me that those of us who can, should use this longcraved freedom to study and to let men see how greatly they wronged us when depriving us of its honor and advantages. And if any woman becomes so proficient as to be able to write down her thoughts, let her do so and not despise the honor but rather flaunt it instead of fine clothes, necklaces, and rings. For these may be considered ours only by use, whereas the honor of being educated is ours entirely. Louise Labé poet (c.1560)

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Self-perception and self-confidence are significant indicators of success in college and in life.110 “Each year, American taxpayers pay as much as an estimated $2 billion for remedial college education. Deficits in basic skills cost businesses, colleges, and underprepared graduates as much as $16 billion annually in lost productivity and remedial expenses.”111 Girls who attended all-girls schools scored 28-43 pointers higher on their SATs than girls who attended mixed-gender schools.112 In a survey, 95% of recent graduates from all-girls schools reported being “very or extremely satisfied with their schools’ strong academic curriculum.”113 93% of recent graduates from all-girls schools reported being “very or extremely satisfied with the individualized attention they received.”114

A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult. It’s complicated by the fact that in most nations women receive substantially less education than men. Melinda Gates

54 Serious Play for Serious Girls

99% of recent graduates from all-girls schools reported feeling “more or equally prepared to interact with faculty compared with their peers who attended co-ed schools.”115 110 Gary Fountain. “Study Shows Benefits of All-Girls Schools.” Richmond Times Dispatch, April 20 2009. http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/commentary/article/FOUNTAIN426_20090424-200214/263675/ 111 National Governors Association. “Testimony.” http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem. 0f8c660ba7cf98d18a278110501010a0/?vgnextoid=004fae45e2c33010VgnVCM1000001a0101 0aRCRD 112 Linda J. Sax, et. al. “Women Graduates of Single-Sex and Coeducational High Schools: Differences in their Characteristics and the Transition to College.” P.9. http://www.ncgs.org/ researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/FINAL%20REPORT.pdf 113 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School - Section 2.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/2-consistentdata/ 114 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School - Section 2.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/2-consistentdata/ 115 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School - Section 2.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/2-consistentdata/ Serious Play for Serious Girls 55

The Case for Girls’ Schools

93% of recent graduates from all-girls schools reported being “very or extremely satisfied with how their schools prepared them for college.”116 97% of recent graduates from all-girls schools reported feeling “more or equally prepared for public speaking compared with their peers who attended co-ed schools.”117

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“As a college professor I could identify students from girls’ schools with a 90 percent accuracy rate on the first day of class. They were the young women whose hands shot up in the air, who were not afraid to defend their positions, and who assumed that I would be interested in their perspective.”122

Girls who attend all-girl schools “are more likely to pursue careers in engineering, engage in political discussions, keep current with political affairs, and see college as a stepping stone to graduate school.118 All-girls’ school alumnae reported feeling more prepared for college science and mathematics than their coed school counterparts.119 Three quarters of all-girls’ school alumnae reported feeling “more prepared for humanities in college than their coed school counterparts.”120 “71% of girls’ school alumnae felt more prepared to transition to college than their counterparts from coed high schools.”121 116 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School - Section 2.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/2-consistentdata/ 117 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School - Section 2.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/2-consistentdata/ 118 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “Research shows: girls’ school graduates have an edge.” http://www.ncgs.org/researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/ 119 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools and the Goodman Research Group. “Achievement, Leadership & Success: A Report on Educational, Professional, and Life Outcomes at Girls’ Schools in the United States.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/researchbriefsfromtheusandtheworld/achievementleadershipsuccess/ 120 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools and the Goodman Research Group. “Achievement, Leadership & Success: A Report on Educational, Professional, and Life Outcomes at Girls’ Schools in the United States.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/researchbriefsfromtheusandtheworld/achievementleadershipsuccess/ 121 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools and the Goodman Research Group. “Achievement, Leadership & Success: A Report on Educational, Professional, and Life Outcomes at Girls’ Schools in the United States.” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/researchbriefsfromtheusandtheworld/achievementleadershipsuccess/ 56 Serious Play for Serious Girls

122 The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School - Section 3” http://www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/3-girlsfirstforemost/ Serious Play for Serious Girls 57

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“Census statistics released September 16, 2010 show that the women still earn 77 percent of what men earn, based on the median earnings of full-time, yearround workers in 2009. Both men’s and women’s earnings showed slight increases from 2008 to 2009, with men’s at $47,127 and women’s at $36,278, a difference of $10,849.”124 “Although women are half of the work force, they make 73 cents for every dollar a man makes. Women continue to lag behind men in the professional fields of chemistry, computers, and engineering.”125 Graduates of all-girls schools “have learned to be more self-confident in negotiating their wages and salaries.”126 “Single-sex schoolgirls’ higher earnings might have been because they were filling more technical or scientific roles even within female-dominated jobs.”127 Graduates of all-girls schools “exhibit a belief in their talent and potential that is measurable.”128

Long-term studies have shown that “women in their 40s” who attended all-girl schools have higher incomes and subsequent lifetime earnings than girls who attended mixed-gender schools.123

123 BBC News. “Girls’ School Women ‘Earn More.’” September 22, 2006. http://news.bbc. co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/5370970.stm 58 Serious Play for Serious Girls

“The vast majority of NCGS girls’ school alumnae view having a rewarding career or profession as an integral part of their lives. These are young women who have learned to set high goals for themselves, and to give it their all in attaining them.”129

124 National Committee on Pay Equity. “Wage Gap Remains Static.” http://www.pay-equity.org/ 125 Gary Fountain. “Study Shows Benefits of All-Girls Schools.” Richmond Times Dispatch, April 20 2009. http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/commentary/article/FOUNTAIN426_20090424-200214/263675/ 126 BBC News. “Girls’ School Women ‘Earn More.’” September 22, 2006. http://news.bbc. co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/5370970.stm 127 BBC News. “Girls’ School Women ‘Earn More.’” September 22, 2006. http://news.bbc. co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/5370970.stm 128 BBC News. “Girls’ School Women ‘Earn More.’” September 22, 2006. http://news.bbc. co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/5370970.stm 129 The National Coalition of Girls Schools. “The Benefits of Attending a Girls School.” http:// www.ncgs.org/aboutgirlsschools/thereasearch/careeraspirations/ Serious Play for Serious Girls 59

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“95% of recent graduates said that having a career and profession was very or extremely important to them.”130 “78% added that it was very or extremely important that they hold leadership positions in their professional lives as well.”131 “73% also said that it was very or extremely important that they win recognition for their career successes, community service, and volunteer activities.”132

For what is done or learned by one class of women becomes, by virtue of their common womanhood, the property of all women.

Elizabeth Blackwell,

first US female physician

130 National Coalition of Girls Schools and the Goodman Research Group. “The Girls’ School Experience: A Survey of Young Alumnae of Single-Sex Schools.” 2005. www.ncgs.org/uploads/ textWidget/600.00002/documents/2005_NCGS_Young_Alumnae_Survey.pdf 131 National Coalition of Girls Schools and the Goodman Research Group. “The Girls’ School Experience: A Survey of Young Alumnae of Single-Sex Schools.” 2005. www.ncgs.org/uploads/ textWidget/600.00002/documents/2005_NCGS_Young_Alumnae_Survey.pdf 132 National Coalition of Girls Schools and the Goodman Research Group. “The Girls’ School Experience: A Survey of Young Alumnae of Single-Sex Schools.” 2005. www.ncgs.org/uploads/ textWidget/600.00002/documents/2005_NCGS_Young_Alumnae_Survey.pdf 60 Serious Play for Serious Girls

The Case for Girls’ Schools

“As of March 2009, there were 540 schools operating in some degree as single gender.”133 “When girls have the classroom to themselves, there’s a huge payoff in terms of their self-confidence and academic achievement.”134 “A March 2010 United Nations joint statement indicates that the international community is beginning to recognize that girls are a powerful catalyst for change.”135

133 Eileen Flaherty. “Single Sex Education in Elementary and Secondary Public Schools.” 2009. http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/center/child/childed_forum/pdfs/2009_student_ papers/flaherty_single_sex.pdf 134 Sheila Riley. A Conversation with Meg Moulton, National Coalition of Girls’ Schools . HotChalk, March 2, 2009. http://www.hotchalk.com/mydesk/index.php/editorial/106-leadership/592-aconversation-with-meg-moulton-national-coalition-of-girls-schools 135 Kata Fustos. “Accelerating Efforts to Advance the Rights of Adolescent Girls–A UN Joint Statement .” Population Reference Bureau, http://www.unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/ documents/news/2010/joint_statement_adolescentgirls.pdf 62

The Case for Girls’ Schools

Serious Play for Serious Girls Our goal is to radically reduce Threats to Girlhood through our research, our awareness efforts, and our impact on industry. We’re working to advance the wellbeing of girls and the lifelong possibilities for women by impacting the modeling and messaging our children encounter and the quality of their play experiences. We believe that play is serious because it helps develop girls’ sense of self and cognitive abilities; it teaches creative and constructive problem solving, self expression, and emotional intelligence; contributes to character and skill development; and impacts the roles that girls think of as natural. Because the modeling and messaging conveyed by girls’ toys, products, and brands impacts girls’ childhood development and life-long wellness, we believe that it matters what we let girls’ brands say, convey, and sell.

Serious Play for Serious Girls

BlackDog Strategy and Brand financially underwrites our research endeavors as part of their commitment to improving the ethical standards of the branding industry and their continuing dedication to social responsibility. Our website is a research forum that allows us to share our ongoing discoveries, to help us learn about your experiences, and allow you to participate in our research endeavors. We look forward to hearing your stories and thank you for taking the time to consider how your contribution can help advance the well being of girls and the possibilities for women.

You are welcome to make a link to any of the web pages that Serious Play for Serious Girls has published on the Internet including this document. There is no need to request permission. Every effort has been made to collect and identify accurate, complete, verifiable, relevant, and timely information. It is our intent to correctly cite information and outside sources collected and request others do the same when using information published by Serious Play for Serious Girls. Images and content design are property of BlackDog Strategy & Brand or used under license and are subject to licensing agreements, terms, and copyright restrictions. Quotations and references may contain trademarked or copyrighted data which is the property of the respective authors, publishers or institutions. Any omissions or inaccuracies are an unintended oversight and will be revised upon notification. Please send updates or revisions to info@seriousplayforseriousgirls.com We appreciate that the presented data and information is compelling and has the potential to sway decisions that impact girls, as such we worked tirelessly to ensure the accuracy of the data presented. Serious Play for Serious Girls cannot guarantee that the sourced research, data, and facts represented and cited are accurate in their positional accuracy or attribute content. Serious Play for Serious Girls assumes no liability for any damages caused by errors or omissions in the data or for misuse, misrepresentation, or misinterpretation of the gathered content. Conclusions drawn from, or actions undertaken on the basis of such data and information are the sole responsibility of the user.

BlackDog Strategy & Brand™ Serious Play for Serious Girls™ Threats to Girlhood™

Serious Play for Serious Girls SeriousPlayforSeriousGirls.com ThreatstoGirlhood.com info@SeriousPlayforSeriousGirls.com

Foundation