Episoder
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Bullying and high rates of eating disorders and body dysmorphia are constant worries in the age of social media - for girls and the adults who care about them.
In a world where young girls spend up to six hours of their day online, it’s important to help them navigate insecurities from the constant comparisons that may lead to feelings of low self-esteem. It’s also important to remember that it is indeed possible for girls to have positive relationships with social media and technology.
Listen to this audio short for tips and tools to help girls experience life online in a healthy way, encouraging them to embrace the idea that ‘digital flourishing’ is achievable, and within reach. National Coalition of Girls' Schools -
‘Curiosity killed the cat’ and ‘don’t speak unless spoken to’ are the kinds of phrases many of us grew up hearing. Yet research shows that cultivating curiosity leads to better learning, creativity, and well-being.
Helping girls develop their curiosity has immense benefits. They’re likely to take a keener interest in social justice issues, be more confident and self-aware, and take on more leadership roles. This audio short explores the many benefits of encouraging curious minds. And quite frankly, why wouldn’t we want that for the young women in our lives? 👭 National Coalition of Girls' Schools -
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Ninety-six percent of female CEOs credit their sports participation in high school as a time when they honed valuable leadership skills. Girls who participate in sports not only cultivate physical fitness, but they also develop essential life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and time management.
Movement-based education and sports contribute to improved cognitive functions and mental well-being, fostering confidence and self-acceptance. By challenging societal norms and representing more than themselves, girls who move also inspire others, and they pave the way for future generations of empowered women. GO TEAM!🤸🥇 National Coalition of Girls' Schools -
“I feel like your voice is your courage…it’s your bravery.” (Culver Girls Academy student)
Can there be any connection more vital in a girl’s life than her connection to her voice, her authentic voice? The word “voice” has multiple meanings in the world of girls. Voice is often a term that is used metaphorically to talk about gender equity, implying that to have voice is to have power, to lack voice is to be powerless. We need to remember, however, that every girl already has a voice, a real voice, a voice she uses every day to negotiate her world. But having that voice is only the beginning; she must learn to find that voice, to use that voice, to own that voice. This episode is about the girls who are on that journey and will need our support, our encouragement, our modeling, as they are going to need to be brave.
Join host Trudy Hall as she shares a lively conversation with Latricia Barksdale, the Vice President of Lean In Girls, a leadership program that is on a mission to equip girls to be self-assured, resilient, and knowledgeable about the bias they will face in the real world. We live in a world that often sends signals to girls that leadership belongs to others. This conversation reminds us that leadership belongs to them…once they have owned the power of their voice.
Resources:
Lean in Girls: https://www.leaningirls.org/
ICGS: https://girlsschools.org/
Tell Our Story :https://girlsschools.org/advocacy/blog/2022/07/13/the-icgs-community-poem/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools · Transcript: Speaking up, with Latricia Barksdale.pdf — PDF (94.3 KB) -
“Social media is a tool. If people aren’t equipped to navigate it positively, you are going to see negative consequences like anxiety and depression…I liken social media to giving students the key to a car….” (Laura Tierney)
For better or for worse, the girls in our lives “do” social media; they are “connected” to TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and more. In fact, recent surveys tell us that 98% of the teenage girls in the survey used social media daily, spending about 2 hours on average–average– specifically on well known social media apps. Yet, the truth is that girls are conflicted about their relationship with social media. Many use the word “addicted,” aware they are wasting time scrolling but find social media to be essential for creative inspiration, relaxation and connectivity. Frankly, they already know social media plays both positive and negative roles in their lives. Clearly, it is a powerful influencer, but adults can proactively help girls manage their connection to social media so that their social media use doesn’t manage them.
In this episode of The Connected Girl, host Trudy Hall invites Laura Tierney, the Founder and CEO of the Social Institute, to share proactive strategies for negotiating this tricky terrain. The Social Institute has designed a unique approach to help students navigate the possibilities of social media so that it can fuel wellness and future success, showcasing role models and leaning into character strengths such as empathy, integrity and teamwork to inspire students to make good choices with their social media use. She reminds us that we are–and need to be– critical partners with girls in this arena, keeping them connected to their real selves even as they stay connected to their smartphones.
Resources:
The Social Institute: https://thesocialinstitute.com/
Common Sense Media Report: How Girls Really Feel About Social Media:https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/how-girls-really-feel-about-social-media-researchreport_web_final_2.pdf
International Coalition of Girls Schools: https://girlsschools.org/
Tell Our Story :https://girlsschools.org/advocacy/blog/2022/07/13/the-icgs-community-poem/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools · Transcript: Navigating Life Online, with Laura Tierney.pdf — PDF (94.1 KB) -
“With grief, for me personally, the main thing is letting myself feel it and not trying to pretend it hasn’t happened…Rather than hiding it, I give myself permission to deal with it.
(Wycombe student)
What we know for sure is that at some point the girls in our life will grieve a loss in their family, in their school or church community, in their world. It might be a break up with a first true love, a move away from friends, the loss of an adored pet, a parents’ divorce, the loss of a safe relationship–or worse, the death of a loved one, and might likely be a loss of a relationship that sustained her through thick and thin. She will be heartbroken. Walking the path of sorrow and sadness with her can break our hearts, too. Every type of grief is different and every one of us grieves differently; there is no grief handbook, but that is not a reason to dodge this important conversation.
Listen in as Angela Terpstra, the Head of School at Bishop Strachan School in Canada, shares her compelling story of leading her school community through several significant losses. It is in the times of deepest loss that we lean heaviest into the communities that know and support us. Angela’s story inspires even as it reminds us why connecting a girl to her grief, and supporting her as she walks “with” grief can help her shape and reframe the many and varied emotions that will flow from that loss.
Resources:
Bishop Strachan School: https://www.bss.on.ca/
International Coalition of Girls Schools: https://girlsschools.org/
Tell Our Story :https://girlsschools.org/advocacy/blog/2022/07/13/the-icgs-community-poem/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools · Transcript: Handling Heartbreak, with Angela Terpstra.pdf — PDF (99.4 KB) -
“We need to work with our young people to help them understand what consent means.” (Elizabeth Zeigler)
Unfortunately, the statistics tell us why having the hard conversations with girls about consent and violations of personal space is vital: 1 in 5 middle school students have experienced unwanted sexual contact; 1 in 20 girls have changed schools due to sexual harrassment; 1 in 4 women have experienced some form of sexual violence before college. The reality is that by the time students finish their education, 81% will have experienced some type of sexual harassment. This is a conversation that we may not want to have, but girls NEED us to have it. This episode of The Connected Girl coaches adults how to be proactive, and it also offers guidance as to what to do if the girl in your life is feeling unsafe due to some sort of harassment.
Join host Trudy Hall as she learns from Elizabeth Zeigler, the former Executive Director of I Have The Right To, a nonprofit dedicated to being a hub for students, parents and educators as they search for resources and support to address sexual harrassment and sexual assault. Elizabeth, also the founder of Claremont, a coaching firm, is an experienced CEO who is committed to ensuring respectful cultures She believes that no one needs to be facing serious challenges without a network of support. This conversation is all about the criticality of girls respecting themselves as they confront challenges to the things that are most important to them—their feelings of safety, personal boundaries and their bodies. Hard and real for sure.
Resources:
I Have The Right To: https://ihavetherightto.org/
International Coalition of Girls Schools: https://girlsschools.org/
Tell Our Story :https://girlsschools.org/advocacy/blog/2022/07/13/the-icgs-community-poem/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools · Transcript: Setting Healthy Boundaries, with Elizabeth Ziegler.pdf — PDF (92.2 KB) -
“To have a good relationship with your child is extremely important, but not such a good relationship that you are describing your child as your best friend.” (Dr. Judith Locke)
Is there any relationship, any connection, more vital, more critical in a young girl’s life than the one she has with her parents on the journey from girlhood to womanhood? Yet, is there any connection more fraught and fragile? Parenting a girl as she moves along the developmental path from dependence to independence is not a job for the faint of heart. There has never been a time when so much guidance has been available to parents, yet neither has there ever been a time when parents have struggled more to get parenting “right,” if there even is such a thing. This episode of The Connected Girl embraces the topic of maintaining a healthy connection to a girl as she becomes her own person, walking in the world in ways that are sometimes hard for parents to understand, making mistakes and choices that make her parents shake their heads and make her roll her eyes.
Listen in as host Trudy Hall invites Dr. Judith Locke, a clinical psychologist and researcher from Australia, and the author of The Bonsai Child and The Bonsai Student, to share her theory about modern parenting. She posits that even though parents are spending more time than ever parenting their children, the self-esteem and resilience in their children is not reflecting that investment. What gives? She has a theory that makes a great deal of sense and some advice to go along with it. The girls voices you will hear give heartwarming testimony to the reality that girls truly want and need their parents in their lives.
Resources:
The Bonsai Child:https://www.bonsaichild.com/
The Bonsai Student:https://www.bonsaichild.com/#about-student-book
International Coalition of Girls Schools: https://girlsschools.org/
Tell Our Story :https://girlsschools.org/advocacy/blog/2022/07/13/the-icgs-community-poem/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools · Transcript: Connecting with Parents, with Dr. Judith Locke.pdf — PDF (105.9 KB) -
The Connected Girl, a podcast series curated by the International Coalition of Girls Schools, is an invitation to those who know, love and believe in empowering girls, to engage with the experts we have gathered to understand the power and possibility of the many connections in the lives of girls. National Coalition of Girls' Schools
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“What we know is that strong, powerful relationships with trusted adults are a protective factor for girls at all levels of development.” (Dr. Tori Cordiano)
Girls love to be connected; they are all about relationships, connections in both real and symbolic ways with the world and everything in it. Girls have relationships with peers, with food, with their bodies, with nature, with music, with exercise, with their social media..with their voices. For girls, the proactive management of all these connections is critical to their sense of wellbeing. It is through healthy relationships that girls feel connected to all that makes them whole. As importantly, the reverse of this is also true: when girls are disconnected from their peers, from their bodies, from caring adults, from nature, from sleep they feel afloat, untethered, vulnerable, less than. In this first episode of The Connected Girls series, you are invited into a conversation that explores what we know for sure about the power of healthy–and unhealthy–connections in the lives of the girls.
To launch this important journey, join Dr. Tori Cordiano, a consulting psychologist and the director of research at Laurel School’s Center for Research on Girls in Cleveland, Ohio, and host Trudy Hall as they unpack critical terms and demystify the language and the realities of connection and disconnection for girls. This episode lays the groundwork for a six episode series that has been curated with girls at the center and includes the voices of girls themselves sharing their insights about the connections in their lives. After a listen, you will want to stay connected to The Connected Girl series!
Resources:
Laurel’s Center for Research on Girls: https://lcrg.laurelschool.org/
International Coalition for Girls Schools: https://girlsschools.org/
Wycombe High YouTube
Tell Our Story :https://girlsschools.org/advocacy/blog/2022/07/13/the-icgs-community-poem/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools · Transcript: Forging Powerful Relationships, with Dr. Tori Cordiano.pdf — PDF (98.7 KB) -
You "should’ve… could’ve… would’ve…” is the last thing a girl needs to hear when life turns the heat up.🔥 Pressure is coming from everywhere for the young women we love and lead, so how do we help them face it in healthy and proactive ways?
We do it by encouraging them to stay true to themselves, support each other, face anxiety, and spread their wings in pursuit of their dreams and not ours (sorry, Mom). This audio short is full of practical gems hand-picked from our previous episodes. If you love it, share it with a friend. 💌 National Coalition of Girls' Schools -
Yikes! Are all the robots-who-take-over-the-world movies coming to life? 🤖 ‘AI in education’ is the hottest topic at the moment, and for good reason. But is it good? Is it bad? Is it both?
One thing is for sure: Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. And it’s revolutionizing the way we educate, communicate with, and parent the girls in our lives 👀. Join us as we travel through the best moments from our On Educating Girls podcast to see how we can embrace the better parts of this technocentric world—and in the process, maybe even become better humans ourselves. 👾
Sources
https://girlsschools.org/advocacy/blog/2023/09/19/thinking-critically-about-the-role-of-ai-in-education/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools -
*Cue pink clouds and the Barbie theme song 🩷
In reality, girls aren’t made of plastic and life isn’t a breeze. How do we teach young women how to face the pressures of life or bounce back from failure?
🌟Join us as we dive into the treasure trove of wisdom from our On Educating Girls podcast vault! Let's unlock the secrets to nurturing unstoppable resilience in the girls we guide, nurture, and inspire🎙️
Sources
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a44725030/america-ferrera-barbie-full-monologue-transcript/
http://blog.galalaw.com/post/102igfw/influencers-france-just-brought-in-new-law-to-prevent-abuse?utm_source=mondaq&utm_medium=syndication&utm_term=Media-Telecoms-IT-Entertainment&utm_content=articleoriginal&utm_campaign=article National Coalition of Girls' Schools -
Quote: “I think that I have learned to listen more to others. I learn more then. And everyone deserves to have their voice heard.”
-6th grade girl—
Imagine this: a world in which our children become so dependent on gadgets and screens that it is challenging for them to speak with other humans. Not likely, right? Yet many educators will tell you that moment has already arrived. They believe it is time to start intentionally teaching the critical skills of conversation and discourse. In this episode, we have the opportunity to learn why this matters now, how discussion skills can be taught for both the classroom setting and the dinner table, and some basic strategies that parents and educators can employ to create the healthy space for girls of all ages to hone communication skills at home, in school and for life.
In this “conversation about conversation,” host Trudy Hall learns from educators deeply knowledgeable about teaching discussion skills. Liza Garonzik, a former classroom teacher, is the founder of R.E.A.L. Discussion, an organization committed to the idea that discussion is the key to humanity, and, as important, discussion skills can be segmented into teachable elements. Joining her is Callie Hammond, a girls school educator and Global Action Research Fellow, a program hosted by the International Coalition of Girls Schools, bringing her recent research findings and experience with teaching these skills to girls. Offering both theory and practical skills for every adult who engages with girls, Callie and Liza remind us that girls are eager, interested and delighted to engage—if we offer them the tools that give them the confidence to do so.
Resources:
- R.E.A.L. Discussion: https://www.realdiscussion.org/
- International Coalition of Girls Schools: https://girlsschools.org/
- Global Action Research Collaborative: https://girlsschools.org/garc-2/ National Coalition of Girls' Schools · Transcript - Girls love REAL Conversation.pdf — PDF (107.6 KB) -
“What I suggest you do is to sit down and be the co-pilot. You don’t have to be the expert. Let your daughter be the expert.” (Robert Dodds)
How knowledgeable are you about ChatGPT? Do you know how knowledgeable your daughter is? There hasn’t just been a buzz about this new application of artificial intelligence, there has been an unrelenting hailstorm of pros and cons from every imaginable reliable source. As a parent, should you embrace this new technology, or should you be terrified? This episode is for every parent who wants to be an informed participant in these emerging conversations. With explanations of what ChatGPT can do and language to frame guidelines for its productive use, this conversation will let you be a thoughtful co-pilot on your daughter’s exploration of a tool that will be part of her world---now and well into the future.
Robert Dodds, the Head of Innovation at Methodist Ladies' College in Perth, Australia and a parent well-versed in ChatGPT, speaks with host Trudy Hall, taking a complex topic and parsing it into understandable chunks. With practical examples for how parents can learn and use the technology with their daughters, Robert also offers wise counsel to anchor decisions about the applications of A.I. in familiar parental values. He urges us all to be “moral optimists,” seeing past the dark and mysterious questions to a future in which this tool can help girls be both innovative and better prepared for life in school and beyond.
Resources:
ICGS: https://girlsschools.org/advocacy/podcast/
Methodist Ladies College: https://www.mlc.wa.edu.au/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp
Parent Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (attached as pdf) National Coalition of Girls' Schools · Parent Introduction to Artificial Intelligence — PDF (150.8 KB) · Transcript - ChatGPT_Friend or Foe to Girls Education.pdf — PDF (147.6 KB) -
"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.
Listen to this episode on your favorite streaming platform and subscribe today:
* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* Google Podcasts
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 · Transcript: The Girls' School Advantage — PDF (138.8 KB) -
“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 · Ep. 20_ Parenting Girls in a Changing World.docx.pdf — PDF (99.3 KB) -
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 · Ep. 19_ Girls Who Dare to Lead.docx.pdf — PDF (94.4 KB) -
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 · Transcript — PDF (139.3 KB) -
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 · Transcript.pdf — PDF (123.6 KB) - Vis mere
