Category Archives: Blog

“Drama. Drama. Drama.” That is how Louann Brizendine, M.D., starts her chapter called “The Teen Girl’s Brain” in her fascinating book The Female Brain. We all know that teenage girls go through a dramatic change with the onset of puberty. The hormonal shifts leave them – and often us, as their parents – confused and […]

When the second wave of American feminism began in the late 1960s, most researchers in gender studies believed that all babies are born without gender-specific behaviors. Gender differences came about because parents and other adults treated girl babies differently than boy babies. A typical scientific study was one that had a researcher take a video […]

From Harry Potter’s Hogwarts to Professor Xavier’s school for X-Men, boarding schools have made quite the cinematic comeback in recent years. This trend is reflected in real life as well, as residential academic facilities are adding innovative approaches to a centuries-old tradition of offering quality educational experiences for specific sets of students.

Who is responsible for ensuring that teens are safe from school bullies? Since aggressive teens can’t typically be expected to police themselves, and bystanders are often targeted for bullying when they stand up for a friend in need, many people believe it is the responsibility of teachers, counselors, and parents.

Teachers are often stunned when they watch videos of themselves leading their classes. Time after time a video is clear evidence that a teacher favors boys. Professors David and Myra Sadker spent over a decade and thousands of hours in American classrooms watching and taking notes on sexist teaching methods. They published their results in […]

The older little girls get, the less confidence they have. A six-year-old girl is often robust and full of confidence, eagerly speaking up in her classroom, and full of energy and health on the playground. Girls in early elementary school not only earn better grades but also obtain higher scores on national tests like the […]

Once girls go through puberty and look like women, the boys at their schools sexually harass them. In survey after survey, overwhelming majorities of American high school girls report putting up with lewd comments, boys brushing against them in a sexual way, bra-snapping, unwanted kissing and fondling, and sexually explicit comments publicly posted on the […]

“I can’t do it.” “I don’t want to go to school anymore.” “Nothing I do matters.” If these statements frequently echo from your child’s bedroom as the alarm goes off for school each morning or as she sits down to do her homework each night, you may have on your hands what Carol Randstad, the […]

Recent studies suggest that teens today have more mental health disorders than prior generations and that these problems often go untreated.

Enthusiasm to begin the school day; attainment of B’s and A’s across the curriculum; enjoyment of (gulp!) reading a book; organization of Trapper Keepers and backpacks independent of adult admonition and frantic last-minute scrambling! Are these the wistful wishes of a parent of a struggling teenager? The bold response is “Not at all!” but let […]

It sounded so old-fashioned to me, like something from another century. I could not imagine I would like to be in an all-girls school. While there were plenty of boys who took over the classroom, most were fine in my opinion. Unless you had a real bully in the class, what difference could it possibly […]

About 97 percent of teens who attend a private residential therapeutic school show improvement in behavior, communication, confidence, and any emotional problems they were experiencing, according to a study of nine private schools. The study, conducted by independent research company Canyon Research & Consulting Inc., involved 993 students ages 13 to 18 who attended schools […]

Many times parents have to make difficult decisions that are in the best interest of their child. Temple University Professor Gabriel D’Amato writes that “some children need to be removed from the home in order to allow for a possible change in behavior and to permit new types of behavior to emerge” (Ref 3). Sending […]

You may be surprised to learn that 80 percent of all high school dropouts are boys. What is more, boys comprise fewer than 50 percent of the current college population. Is this a new phenomenon? Some experts say that traditional industrial education – the “sit down, be quiet and learn” approach – a system in […]

NCGS engages the power of many voices to strengthen our schools, communities, and world. Now is a time when we need to assert our collective voice—educators, parents, students, alumnae, and supporters—to ensure innovative, vibrant, and safe school environments. We must focus on our commitment to educate and empower students with the skills and confidence to […]

“There has never been a better time to be female.” —Terri McCullough, Director of No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project, a Clinton Foundation initiative led by former Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton I am a product of a girls’ school. The year I graduated, Saturday Night Fever had just come out. As a […]

As a new school year begins, we’ve been thinking a lot about how girls learn best. In many ways, this question could be answered by describing what girls’ schools do best. This is because girls’ schools are dedicated to championing the educational and developmental needs of girls. So how do girls learn best? Here are […]

The admissions season is coming to a close with families weighing their options. They are pouring over acceptance letters, evaluating financial aid packages, and reviewing for the final time their pros and cons lists comparing different schools. Lists that will help them make the ultimate decision—one that’s led equally by the head and the heart—which […]