Teaching Girls

Women continue to be underrepresented in the high paying fields of science, math, and engineering. They receive only about 80% of the salary of men holding similar jobs in any field and still face glass ceilings that limit their attainment. How do we educate and empower girls to surmount these barriers and succeed throughout their lives?

This unique book reveals the kinds of teaching that engages girls intellectually, fosters their creativity, and bolsters their confidence. Drawing on descriptions of great lessons written by nearly 2,000 students and teachers, it offers a practical, accessible guide to anyone who wants to find better ways to help young women succeed.

The authors review the special qualities of lessons that resonate with girls and show how they meet their developmental needs throughout adolescence. They also show how vital it is that such teaching happen within schools that help students learn about the numerous ways that gender affects girls’ development. The authors conclude by detailing how school leaders can create cultures that support this kind of great learning and teaching.

Peter Kuriloff, Ed.D., is a psychologist and Professor of Education at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. He the Research Director of The Center for the Study of Boys’ and Girls’ Lives (www.csbgl.org).

Charlotte E. Jacobs, Ph.D. is an Associate Director of the Independent School Teaching Residency program at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. She is also the Executive Director of Girls Justice League, a non-profit organization dedicated to the social, political, and economic rights of girls in Philadelphia (www.girlsjusticeleague.org).

Shannon H. Andrus, Ed.D., is an educational researcher and consultant living in Colorado. A former high school teacher, her areas of research include teacher training, girls’ education, and gender in schools.