Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The White House Project
Former SGS Development staff member now President of the White House Project, Tiffany Dufu. Listen to her presentation, "Pathways to Non-Profit."
http://youtu.be/kzs1BhSxYS0
... and learn more about The White House Project:
http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/
http://youtu.be/kzs1BhSxYS0
... and learn more about The White House Project:
http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Philadelphia Murals - Featured at POCC
Thanks to the City of Philadelphia’s “Mural Arts Program,” Philadelphia is truly “The City of Murals.” As John and I walked around the city, I was struck by "Philadelphia Muses" - among others. You can clearly see the connection to the work of POCC and part of the conference theme, Painting Our New Mural of Community!
Enjoy!
http://www.phillymuralpics.com/Welcome.html
Enjoy!
http://www.phillymuralpics.com/Welcome.html
Saturday, December 3, 2011
POCC - Day 3
Closing Ceremony with Martin Nesbit
I love how one of my fellow bloggers describes the impact of his words - "it's personal."
http://midscribble.tumblr.com/post/13685832552/its-personal
I love how one of my fellow bloggers describes the impact of his words - "it's personal."
http://midscribble.tumblr.com/post/13685832552/its-personal
POCC - Day 2
Day 2 was filled with networking. I was able to meet with outstanding educators from all over the country. While we expect minimal turn-over among our faculty for 2012-13, I believe that we must engage in on-going conversation with excellent teachers of color in order to diversify our candidate pool when the time comes for a search.
More excellent speakers that inspire with their personal stories:
Lorene Carey
Suzan Shown Harjo
More excellent speakers that inspire with their personal stories:
Lorene Carey
Suzan Shown Harjo
Thursday, December 1, 2011
POCC - Day 1
Day one of the conference had both a national and local PNW feel to it. The day was book-ended with inspirational speeches from Wes Moore and Patti Solis Doyle - not to mention Charles Blockson and Zohra Zarwari. It's like a three ring circus here, so I had to make some choices; but here are links to all of these remarkable people:
Charles Blockson
Zohra Zarwari
Patti Solis Doyle
I actually spent most of Day 1 much "closer to home" as I watched a screening of a remarkable movie, Why Us? Left Behind and Dying that represents the collaborative efforts of adults and young people on the critical issue of high rates of HIV in African-American communities.
I was moved by the film; and I was especially proud that our own Rosetta Lee sponsored the presentation and has helped in developing curriculum to accompany the project. I also attended a presentation by the Head of Lakeside School and several other administrators on how they have developed their professional development for faculty and staff over the past decade or so. There is much to be learned just down the street! And, frankly, our small school has accomplished some things that we need to share with other schools.
Tomorrow, I will be meeting with several representatives from Seattle schools who are interested in discussing possible ways to engage faculty of color from beyond our region in a concerted outreach effort. Stay tuned!
Please take a look at the film trailer above. We have several copies available to us at SGS. Until tomorrow!
Charles Blockson
Zohra Zarwari
Patti Solis Doyle
I actually spent most of Day 1 much "closer to home" as I watched a screening of a remarkable movie, Why Us? Left Behind and Dying that represents the collaborative efforts of adults and young people on the critical issue of high rates of HIV in African-American communities.
I was moved by the film; and I was especially proud that our own Rosetta Lee sponsored the presentation and has helped in developing curriculum to accompany the project. I also attended a presentation by the Head of Lakeside School and several other administrators on how they have developed their professional development for faculty and staff over the past decade or so. There is much to be learned just down the street! And, frankly, our small school has accomplished some things that we need to share with other schools.
Tomorrow, I will be meeting with several representatives from Seattle schools who are interested in discussing possible ways to engage faculty of color from beyond our region in a concerted outreach effort. Stay tuned!
Please take a look at the film trailer above. We have several copies available to us at SGS. Until tomorrow!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Arrival in Philadelphia
Settling in for the evening. Hope you will join me and other bloggers to get a sense of what POCC-SLDC is all about.
Other POCC bloggers @
http://pocc.nais.org/item.cfm?ItemNumber=155863&navItemNumber=155864
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
I want to take the opportunity of this Veteran’s Day to highlight a woman of great significance featured at each year’s SGS luncheon, Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper. At our annual luncheon we honor women in our community who have achieved great things in their chosen field with the Grace Hopper Awards. It is our hope that the SGS 7th graders in attendance, and hosting the event, will be inspired by the example of the winners as well as by the story of Admiral Hopper. Who was Grace Hopper?
She was an accomplished mathematician who achieved the rank of associate professor at Vassar in 1941. Coming from a family with military traditions, she resigned her Vassar post to join the Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) in1943. She was commissioned a lieutenant and reported to the Bureau of Ordnance Computation Project at Harvard University, where she was the third person to join the research team of professor Howard H. Aiken. Hopper outlined the fundamental operating principles of computing machines. After the war, she was appointed to the Harvard faculty as a research fellow, and in 1949 she joined the newly formed Eckert-Mauchly Corporation.
In 1983, she was promoted to commodore in a ceremony at the White House and two years later, she became Admiral Hopper. She was one of the first strategic "futurists" in the world of computing. Perhaps her best-known contribution to computing was the invention of the compiler, the intermediate program that translates English language instructions into the language of the target computer.
She was very proud of her service to her country, and she was buried with full Naval honors at Arlington National Cemetery on January 7, 1992.
Tomorrow, we honor Grace Hopper as a veteran of our nation; and on March 29th, 2012, we will honor two more Grace Hopper Award winners for the whole of their achievements. For more information on the SGS Luncheon and the Grace Hopper Awards, go to:
http://www.seattlegirlsschool.org/sgs-luncheon.php
For our students, the notion of demonstrating all that they have achieved will become very real in grade 6. They – along with their teachers - have been very busy preparing for the first Culminating Event of the year.
cul·mi·na·tion/ˌ kəәlməәˈ nāSHəәn/Noun The highest or climactic point of something, esp. as attained after a long time.
At SGS, culmination is a time for the girls to “stand and deliver” and show us what they have been learning. It is a time for “big ideas,” working collaboratively, and presenting models, art, and writing – among other things. It is also a time of some stress given that we are also teaching the reality of deadline, product, and audience. Please support all 6th graders with encouragement and attendance at 6th Grade Fall Culmination:
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants!
Part I: Culmination of Studies on Machines and Inventions
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Part II: Culmination of Studies on Ancient Civilizations
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
For more information on 6th grade culmination, go to:
http://sites.google.com/site/sgs6th/standingontheshouldersofgiants
She was an accomplished mathematician who achieved the rank of associate professor at Vassar in 1941. Coming from a family with military traditions, she resigned her Vassar post to join the Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) in1943. She was commissioned a lieutenant and reported to the Bureau of Ordnance Computation Project at Harvard University, where she was the third person to join the research team of professor Howard H. Aiken. Hopper outlined the fundamental operating principles of computing machines. After the war, she was appointed to the Harvard faculty as a research fellow, and in 1949 she joined the newly formed Eckert-Mauchly Corporation.
In 1983, she was promoted to commodore in a ceremony at the White House and two years later, she became Admiral Hopper. She was one of the first strategic "futurists" in the world of computing. Perhaps her best-known contribution to computing was the invention of the compiler, the intermediate program that translates English language instructions into the language of the target computer.
She was very proud of her service to her country, and she was buried with full Naval honors at Arlington National Cemetery on January 7, 1992.
Tomorrow, we honor Grace Hopper as a veteran of our nation; and on March 29th, 2012, we will honor two more Grace Hopper Award winners for the whole of their achievements. For more information on the SGS Luncheon and the Grace Hopper Awards, go to:
http://www.seattlegirlsschool.org/sgs-luncheon.php
For our students, the notion of demonstrating all that they have achieved will become very real in grade 6. They – along with their teachers - have been very busy preparing for the first Culminating Event of the year.
cul·mi·na·tion/ˌ kəәlməәˈ nāSHəәn/Noun The highest or climactic point of something, esp. as attained after a long time.
At SGS, culmination is a time for the girls to “stand and deliver” and show us what they have been learning. It is a time for “big ideas,” working collaboratively, and presenting models, art, and writing – among other things. It is also a time of some stress given that we are also teaching the reality of deadline, product, and audience. Please support all 6th graders with encouragement and attendance at 6th Grade Fall Culmination:
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants!
Part I: Culmination of Studies on Machines and Inventions
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Part II: Culmination of Studies on Ancient Civilizations
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
For more information on 6th grade culmination, go to:
http://sites.google.com/site/sgs6th/standingontheshouldersofgiants
Monday, October 31, 2011
SGS Grade 5 Take "Toxic Tour" of Duwamish
News item in West Seattle Herald
Fifth-graders from SGS joined Nova High School students on the 39-foot Admiral Jack pontoon boat Thursday for a toxic tour of the Duwamish River. They left from Harbor Island Marina. The tour was sponsored by the Duwamish River Clean-up Coalition, or DRCC, and led by its director, James Rasmussen, a Duwamish River expert and member of the Duwamish tribe, and Alberto Rodriguez, with DRCC education and outreach. They were on hand to discuss the river's history, including its critical role in the lives of the Duwamish Indians, as well as causes for its pollution, and possible solutions. They also fielded a boat load of adult questions from the kids who apparently had done their homework on the waterway.
Link to Article
Fifth-graders from SGS joined Nova High School students on the 39-foot Admiral Jack pontoon boat Thursday for a toxic tour of the Duwamish River. They left from Harbor Island Marina. The tour was sponsored by the Duwamish River Clean-up Coalition, or DRCC, and led by its director, James Rasmussen, a Duwamish River expert and member of the Duwamish tribe, and Alberto Rodriguez, with DRCC education and outreach. They were on hand to discuss the river's history, including its critical role in the lives of the Duwamish Indians, as well as causes for its pollution, and possible solutions. They also fielded a boat load of adult questions from the kids who apparently had done their homework on the waterway.
Link to Article
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Miss Representation
When the documentary Miss Representation premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, audiences were riveted and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network acquired its broadcast rights.
The film explores how the media’s misrepresentation of women has led to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence.
It will premiere in the US on Oct. 20th at 9pm ET.
Get involved at: http://missrepresentation.org/
Click here for trailer
The film explores how the media’s misrepresentation of women has led to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence.
It will premiere in the US on Oct. 20th at 9pm ET.
Get involved at: http://missrepresentation.org/
Click here for trailer
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Rigor Redefined
In a few weeks, students and their families will be scheduling their first Learning Team Meetings of the academic year. This will be an opportunity for your daughter to take a lead role in her own learning as “chair” of this team. With more or less scaffolding depending on the grade, she will set goals, identify both strengths and weaknesses, provide exemplars of work, and set the stage for end of term narratives that will provide an in-depth of view of what the grade has been doing collectively and what your child has achieved individually. When that narrative comes home, what will you be looking for as evidence of success? I want to plant a seed for a redefinition of a phrase we often hear, “academic rigor.” What do we define as rigorous at SGS?
Tony Wagner, of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, suggests that even our best schools are not always preparing students for 21st century careers and citizenship. He identifies seven survival skills for the future:
Critical thinking and problem-solving
Collaboration and leadership
Agility and adaptability
Initiative and entrepreneurialism
Effective oral and written communication
Accessing and analyzing information
Curiosity and imagination
He bases his conclusions on both classroom observations and conversations with leaders in business, non-profit work, philanthropy, and education. He describes a “rare class”
where academic content is used to develop students’ core competencies, such as those suggested above; where complex, multi-step problems are regularly featured, where students seek multiple solutions that require creativity and imagination; and where success requires teamwork. I certainly hope that this classroom sounds familiar to you, because it is what we strive for at Seattle Girls’ School, I observe this type of learning everyday within our walls, and often beyond them in “being there” experiences.
Take a look at Tony Wagner’s entire article at another blog site - http://lessonslearnedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/2010/07/rigor-redefined-by-tony-wagner.html
What do you think of this redefinition of academic rigor? I would love to hear your perspectives and feedback.
Tony Wagner, of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, suggests that even our best schools are not always preparing students for 21st century careers and citizenship. He identifies seven survival skills for the future:
Critical thinking and problem-solving
Collaboration and leadership
Agility and adaptability
Initiative and entrepreneurialism
Effective oral and written communication
Accessing and analyzing information
Curiosity and imagination
He bases his conclusions on both classroom observations and conversations with leaders in business, non-profit work, philanthropy, and education. He describes a “rare class”
where academic content is used to develop students’ core competencies, such as those suggested above; where complex, multi-step problems are regularly featured, where students seek multiple solutions that require creativity and imagination; and where success requires teamwork. I certainly hope that this classroom sounds familiar to you, because it is what we strive for at Seattle Girls’ School, I observe this type of learning everyday within our walls, and often beyond them in “being there” experiences.
Take a look at Tony Wagner’s entire article at another blog site - http://lessonslearnedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/2010/07/rigor-redefined-by-tony-wagner.html
What do you think of this redefinition of academic rigor? I would love to hear your perspectives and feedback.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Are there lessons for US education from Finland?
Tony Wagner discusses the Finnish approach to educating their children. The model runs counter to much of the current reform movement. Apples and oranges? Lessons to be learned? Comments?
Link to Article - How Finland became an education leader
Link to Article - How Finland became an education leader
Sunday, September 25, 2011
What's the matter with teachers today?
Link to Pacific NW Magazine Article
Depends who you ask! I believe we have the best faculty in the city right here at SGS. They embody the 10 qualities of great teachers; and yet we are sometimes tempted to focus on one imperfection rather than view the "big picture" of what they have to offer to each of our students.
Ten Qualities of the Great Teacher?
Attention Gates Foundation: 10 Qualities of a Great Teacher
James D. Starkey, Ed Week, 2/3/2010
Sense of humor
High intuition
Knowledgeable about the subject
Listens well
Articulate
Obsessive-compulsive
Subversive (at times)
Fearless
Performer’s instinct
Taskmaster
There is also a generational shift happening within our teaching corps - public and private. Pat Bassett of NAIS provides a comparison of motivators for Baby Booomer versus Gen Y/Millenials:
Boomers:
1. High quality colleagues
2. Intellectually stimulating environment
3. Autonomy regarding work tasks
4. Flexible work arrangements
5. Giving back to the world through work
Recognition from one's employer
Gen Y/Millenials
1. High quality colleagues
2. Flexible work arrangements
3. Prospects for advancement
4. Recognition from one's employer
5. A steady rate of advancement/promotion
6. Access to new experiences/challenges
I am struck by item #1 that is clearly cross-generational. Not only is a school's success strongly correlated with the quality of its faculty, I would argue that the richness of their collaborative efforts and the opportunities to learn from each other may be the key to achieving excellence across a faculty - regardless of size.
New Study Suggests that Same-Sex Schools Result in "Collateral Damage"
A recent study rejects any academic advantage of same-sex schools and suggests that same-sex schools result in "collateral damage" in perpetuating gender stereotypes. Never one to shy away from a data-driven approach, I offer the following questions that should be considered as this study is validated - or not - through further peer review and other studies that seek to replicate it.
- Does the study consider all data - quantitative and qualitative - that, I believe strongly supports a same-sex learning experience at some point between ages 10-20? This is especially supported for girls. I would urge readers to review the data provided through the National Coalition of Girls Schools -
http://www.ncgs.org/the-case-for-girls-schools/
as well as the research of Dr. JoAnn Deak -
http://www.deakgroup.com/our-educators/joann-deak-phd/
- Prof. Liben's statement that "neuroscientists have found very little difference between male and female brains, and none of them are connected to education" gives me pause. It runs counter to my own experience of 25 years in co-ed and single-sex environments; and the notion that differences in our brains, gender aside, has nothing to do with education is reflective of "20th century thinking" in my opinion.
- Prof. Liben's point that the majority of single-sex schools are private and exclusive runs counter to the learning community at Seattle Girls' School where our school profile is as diverse as area public schools. I hope that the study also focused on the implicit minority of those schools that achieve the same results indicated in the NCGS data.
- I am hopeful that the study plans to extend itself beyond pre-school to middle school and beyond where the source of gender stereotyping "collateral damage" shifts from schools and home to a very powerful culture and media that most recently featured a T-shirt that read, "I'm too pretty to do homework so my brother has to do it for me."
- The final quote in the article states that, “The bottom line is that there is not good scientific evidence for the academic advantages of single-sex schooling. But there is strong evidence for negative consequences of segregating by sex — the collateral damage of segregating by sex.” No scientific study has a bottom line. We need to know what Dr. Liben means by "good" scientific evidence, and we need to assess the "strength" of the evidence for negative consequences. I need to know the answer to these questions as the conclusions of this study run counter to 25 years in a real-life laboratory working with boys and girls in grades PK-12. I welcome a visit by Dr. Liben to our school to engage in a rich conversation. Naturally, if there were strong evidence for such negative consequences, our school would be very interested in understanding it and mitigating it.
Link to Globe and Mail Article
- Does the study consider all data - quantitative and qualitative - that, I believe strongly supports a same-sex learning experience at some point between ages 10-20? This is especially supported for girls. I would urge readers to review the data provided through the National Coalition of Girls Schools -
http://www.ncgs.org/the-case-for-girls-schools/
as well as the research of Dr. JoAnn Deak -
http://www.deakgroup.com/our-educators/joann-deak-phd/
- Prof. Liben's statement that "neuroscientists have found very little difference between male and female brains, and none of them are connected to education" gives me pause. It runs counter to my own experience of 25 years in co-ed and single-sex environments; and the notion that differences in our brains, gender aside, has nothing to do with education is reflective of "20th century thinking" in my opinion.
- Prof. Liben's point that the majority of single-sex schools are private and exclusive runs counter to the learning community at Seattle Girls' School where our school profile is as diverse as area public schools. I hope that the study also focused on the implicit minority of those schools that achieve the same results indicated in the NCGS data.
- I am hopeful that the study plans to extend itself beyond pre-school to middle school and beyond where the source of gender stereotyping "collateral damage" shifts from schools and home to a very powerful culture and media that most recently featured a T-shirt that read, "I'm too pretty to do homework so my brother has to do it for me."
- The final quote in the article states that, “The bottom line is that there is not good scientific evidence for the academic advantages of single-sex schooling. But there is strong evidence for negative consequences of segregating by sex — the collateral damage of segregating by sex.” No scientific study has a bottom line. We need to know what Dr. Liben means by "good" scientific evidence, and we need to assess the "strength" of the evidence for negative consequences. I need to know the answer to these questions as the conclusions of this study run counter to 25 years in a real-life laboratory working with boys and girls in grades PK-12. I welcome a visit by Dr. Liben to our school to engage in a rich conversation. Naturally, if there were strong evidence for such negative consequences, our school would be very interested in understanding it and mitigating it.
Link to Globe and Mail Article
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Does the fall TV season feature "Girl Power" or is it a step back?
One of today's newspaper headlines described the new TV season as a tribute to "Girl Power." Perhaps. Shows featuring Pan Am stewardesses and Playboy bunnies do not convey power to me. I am curious to see for myself what lens is brought to bear. I do think that I will skip the reprise of Charley's Angels.
Regardless of your family guidelines regarding TV viewing, popular culture will impact your daughter once again this fall. Thoughts?
Link to story
Regardless of your family guidelines regarding TV viewing, popular culture will impact your daughter once again this fall. Thoughts?
Link to story
Thursday, September 8, 2011
What Teachers Really Want to Tell Parents
At SGS, we are proud of our parent-teacher partnerships; but did you ever wonder what teachers really want to communicate to parents in order to foster an honest, mutually respectful relationship?
Link to Story
Link to Story
Friday, September 2, 2011
Know Thy Students
In this touching article in Middle Ground, Bowling Green State University professor Angela Falter Thomas frets as her daughter starts middle school. When she taught in a middle school, Thomas prided herself on knowing her students by giving questionnaires at the beginning of the year and chatting between classes, at lunch, at assemblies, and after school. Now she wonders:
- Will someone at the school be there for her daughter if she needs help?
- Will they do something if she is bullied?
- Will they know that she switched elementary schools the year before (due to her mom’s job change) and found the transition difficult?
- Will they find out that she has spent hundreds of hours volunteering in Ronald McDonald Houses and hospitals, “which has made her the sweetest and most compassionate young lady, but has also robbed her of her innocence”?
- Will they learn that she has lost hearing in one ear but doesn’t want the school to know so she won’t be treated differently?
- Will they find out that her older (and only) sibling died a few years ago and she’s never had counseling because she seemed to be okay?
- Will they learn that she wants to be a writer when she grows up and live in New York City, 500 miles from home?
- Will they nurture her love for writing?
- Will they give her “a gentle kick in the pants” if that’s what she needs?
“This beloved and treasured young lady is all I’ve got,” says Thomas. “She’s far from perfect, but I hope you will love her too and expect from her what you would from your own son or daughter.”
“Know Thy Students – Including My Daughter” by Angela Falter Thomas in Middle Ground, August 2011 (Vol. 15, #1, p. 19-20), http://www.amle.org
- Will someone at the school be there for her daughter if she needs help?
- Will they do something if she is bullied?
- Will they know that she switched elementary schools the year before (due to her mom’s job change) and found the transition difficult?
- Will they find out that she has spent hundreds of hours volunteering in Ronald McDonald Houses and hospitals, “which has made her the sweetest and most compassionate young lady, but has also robbed her of her innocence”?
- Will they learn that she has lost hearing in one ear but doesn’t want the school to know so she won’t be treated differently?
- Will they find out that her older (and only) sibling died a few years ago and she’s never had counseling because she seemed to be okay?
- Will they learn that she wants to be a writer when she grows up and live in New York City, 500 miles from home?
- Will they nurture her love for writing?
- Will they give her “a gentle kick in the pants” if that’s what she needs?
“This beloved and treasured young lady is all I’ve got,” says Thomas. “She’s far from perfect, but I hope you will love her too and expect from her what you would from your own son or daughter.”
“Know Thy Students – Including My Daughter” by Angela Falter Thomas in Middle Ground, August 2011 (Vol. 15, #1, p. 19-20), http://www.amle.org
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Children Should be Seen AND Heard
Great blog post from the President of NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) that addresses the power of an intimate independent school education where teachers can engage students to help drive their own learning. Yes, it is the good teacher that ignites a passion; but it is the remarkable teacher who can keep the student at the center of that passion.
Link to Pat Bassett's blog
Link to Pat Bassett's blog
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
NEW Website - National Coalition of Girls' Schools
Time to check out the newly unveiled NCGS website. It has a new "look and feel" and serves as an excellent resource in making the case for girls' schools. When the coalition was first founded, many schools for girls were closing or merging with boys schools to become coed institutions. Two decades later, there is compelling evidence for the power and efficacy of single-gender education - for both boys and girls.
On Monday night, the symposium participants were hosted at Southfield School in Brookline. The story of Southfield is an interesting one. It is a 20 year old girls school that was actually "birthed" by Dexter, an 85 year old boys school. As their Head of School toured me around their impressive facility, I could not help but think of Initiative IV in the SGS Strategic Plan :-)
The pendulum has clearly swung back toward considering single-gender schools as strong options in our search for differentiating instruction for the individual learner.
Check out the new NCGS website - Click Here
On Monday night, the symposium participants were hosted at Southfield School in Brookline. The story of Southfield is an interesting one. It is a 20 year old girls school that was actually "birthed" by Dexter, an 85 year old boys school. As their Head of School toured me around their impressive facility, I could not help but think of Initiative IV in the SGS Strategic Plan :-)
The pendulum has clearly swung back toward considering single-gender schools as strong options in our search for differentiating instruction for the individual learner.
Check out the new NCGS website - Click Here
Girls Need Relevance When Choosing Careers in STEM
This morning, we kicked off the symposium with an engaging keynote from Ioannis Miaoulis, President and Director of the Boston Museum of Science and creator of the National Center for Technological Literacy. His presentation was both humorous and provocative, entitled - ”Science in the K-12 Schools: Oh My, do we have it WRONG!” He proceeded to talk about the need for relevance when presenting STEM subjects, especially for girls who generally seek connection to science and technology that promotes the "greater good." Hence, their greater representation in medicine, bio-medical engineering, and the like. It's not that these fields are easy, it's simply that women often need the how and the why addressed when choosing career paths.
I appreciated his call for a greater understanding of how a car works versus weeks of study on volcanic activity. Nothing wrong with a proper understanding of plate tectonics, but kids do spend much more time in automobiles than inside volcanoes!
He went on to say that in the US we have a very murky understanding of what exactly engineers do. In his native Greece and throughout Europe, engineering is a highly regarded and better understood profession. Again, young people need relevance and connection in order to pursue these careers. He sited a study that suggests that sons and daughters of engineers are much more likely to pursue a comparable career. I must confess that my own study of aerospace engineering in undergraduate school was indeed inspired by my parents' studies in chemical engineering at the University of Havana. I am sure that my mother was one of the few women in Cuba, perhaps in the world, studying engineering in 1960. I would say an SGS girl at her core!
I went on to present on a panel featuring some SGS signature "being there" experiences such as the Salish Seas expedition in grade 5, medical "board exams" in grade 6, "Future SGS" in grade 7, and "Mission" in grade 8. Based on the audience response, I would say that at SGS, we have "got it right." Relevance and full exposure to STEM + the arts = STEAM makes for a winning equation.
I leave you with a definition of engineering that might serve as a starting point next time you discuss future careers with your daughter :-)
The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property.
The American Engineers' Council for Professional Development
I appreciated his call for a greater understanding of how a car works versus weeks of study on volcanic activity. Nothing wrong with a proper understanding of plate tectonics, but kids do spend much more time in automobiles than inside volcanoes!
He went on to say that in the US we have a very murky understanding of what exactly engineers do. In his native Greece and throughout Europe, engineering is a highly regarded and better understood profession. Again, young people need relevance and connection in order to pursue these careers. He sited a study that suggests that sons and daughters of engineers are much more likely to pursue a comparable career. I must confess that my own study of aerospace engineering in undergraduate school was indeed inspired by my parents' studies in chemical engineering at the University of Havana. I am sure that my mother was one of the few women in Cuba, perhaps in the world, studying engineering in 1960. I would say an SGS girl at her core!
I went on to present on a panel featuring some SGS signature "being there" experiences such as the Salish Seas expedition in grade 5, medical "board exams" in grade 6, "Future SGS" in grade 7, and "Mission" in grade 8. Based on the audience response, I would say that at SGS, we have "got it right." Relevance and full exposure to STEM + the arts = STEAM makes for a winning equation.
I leave you with a definition of engineering that might serve as a starting point next time you discuss future careers with your daughter :-)
The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property.
The American Engineers' Council for Professional Development
Monday, June 20, 2011
Do we still need girls' schools? YES! More than ever.
Tonight, I will join colleagues from girls’ schools from across the nation in celebrating 20 years of work by the National Coalition of Girls Schools. I will certainly raise a glass and toast the progress made over the past two decades, but I also want to ask the question – how much more work is left to be done? Has our campaign to empower young women – especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields – been successful? I was struck at a recent meeting of Heads of Schools when I heard two of the speakers refer to the needs of boys. To quote one of the presenters, “The girls are kicking a--!”
While it is true that the current college population is about 60% female, let’s dig a little deeper and examine some data. To his credit, the presenter did exactly that with a friendly prompt from yours truly ☺. He followed up his earlier statement by acknowledging that while more women than men are entering colleges and universities, that men “out-perform” them in many areas – especially in the sciences and in technology. There is much evidence that what is at play here is, once again, issues of confidence rather than competence. We must also remember that women are forced to create space for themselves in these male dominated fields. Where are the male allies? Your engagement in ending sexism is needed!
In 2008, I had the privilege of serving as a state delegate to the Democratic State Convention in support of Senator Hillary Clinton. As I worked through the Washington State political process from the local caucus to Spokane, I was struck by very clear evidence that sexism was alive and well in American politics. I will not go down the road of comparing “isms,” but I saw Senator Clinton hit that glass ceiling! For me, that campaign was a reminder of both how far we have come and how far we have left to go.
So lets examine the data to see how far we have come and how far we have left to go in accessing STEM fields for young women. In a report from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) entitled Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, eight research findings are grouped into three areas:
•How social and environmental factors shape girls’ achievement and interest in math and science
•The climate of college and university science and engineering departments
•Continuing influence of bias
The report provides insight in terms of the reality as well as potential solutions. For now, we must work in all three of these areas in order to increase the percentages of women in STEM fields that range from a low of less than 10% in Mechanical Engineering and Electronics to a “high” of just over 30% in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry. The lack of female role models at the university level is apparent as tenured female professors range from just over 7% in engineering to a “high” of 22% in computer sciences.
A detailed overview of the STEM Equity Pipeline is available at:
http://www.stemequitypipeline.org/Resources/OnlineResources/Reports.aspx
It would seem that schools like Seattle Girls’ School are needed today more than ever in order to both continue the work of empowerment; and to remind educational leaders – all leaders – that while the current American educational system may not be serving boys, it is also not serving girls! The power of single-sex education for both boys and girls lies in its ability to meet the needs of that individual learner; and we know more and more that gender differences do exist at the physiological level.
So, tonight, I will raise a toast with my colleagues; but I will save a bottle of the “good stuff” for the day when we elect our first female President!
While it is true that the current college population is about 60% female, let’s dig a little deeper and examine some data. To his credit, the presenter did exactly that with a friendly prompt from yours truly ☺. He followed up his earlier statement by acknowledging that while more women than men are entering colleges and universities, that men “out-perform” them in many areas – especially in the sciences and in technology. There is much evidence that what is at play here is, once again, issues of confidence rather than competence. We must also remember that women are forced to create space for themselves in these male dominated fields. Where are the male allies? Your engagement in ending sexism is needed!
In 2008, I had the privilege of serving as a state delegate to the Democratic State Convention in support of Senator Hillary Clinton. As I worked through the Washington State political process from the local caucus to Spokane, I was struck by very clear evidence that sexism was alive and well in American politics. I will not go down the road of comparing “isms,” but I saw Senator Clinton hit that glass ceiling! For me, that campaign was a reminder of both how far we have come and how far we have left to go.
So lets examine the data to see how far we have come and how far we have left to go in accessing STEM fields for young women. In a report from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) entitled Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, eight research findings are grouped into three areas:
•How social and environmental factors shape girls’ achievement and interest in math and science
•The climate of college and university science and engineering departments
•Continuing influence of bias
The report provides insight in terms of the reality as well as potential solutions. For now, we must work in all three of these areas in order to increase the percentages of women in STEM fields that range from a low of less than 10% in Mechanical Engineering and Electronics to a “high” of just over 30% in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry. The lack of female role models at the university level is apparent as tenured female professors range from just over 7% in engineering to a “high” of 22% in computer sciences.
A detailed overview of the STEM Equity Pipeline is available at:
http://www.stemequitypipeline.org/Resources/OnlineResources/Reports.aspx
It would seem that schools like Seattle Girls’ School are needed today more than ever in order to both continue the work of empowerment; and to remind educational leaders – all leaders – that while the current American educational system may not be serving boys, it is also not serving girls! The power of single-sex education for both boys and girls lies in its ability to meet the needs of that individual learner; and we know more and more that gender differences do exist at the physiological level.
So, tonight, I will raise a toast with my colleagues; but I will save a bottle of the “good stuff” for the day when we elect our first female President!
Friday, June 17, 2011
In Boston for STEM Symposium
Attending the National Coalition of Girls' Schools STEM Symposium. I will be serving on a panel on Tuesday entitled, SPARK GIRLS’ INTEREST IN STEM BY BRINGING REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS INTO THE CLASSROOM, where I will be sharing several SGS signature experiences that bring the "real world" into our classrooms. Among the highlighted programs:
The 5th Grade Salish Seas Expedition - http://salish.org/
6th Grade “Grand Rounds” portion of "I Am More Than the Sum of My Parts" - http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2003/0511/cover.html
The recent 7th Grade "Future SGS" Project
The 8th Grade Mission - http://www.komonews.com/news/local/6518612.html
The coalition celebrates 20 years of work on behalf of girls and girls' schools across the world. I will blog Monday and Tuesday with some impressions. Attend the symposium virtually at:
http://www.ncgs.org/stem-symposium-2011/
The 5th Grade Salish Seas Expedition - http://salish.org/
6th Grade “Grand Rounds” portion of "I Am More Than the Sum of My Parts" - http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2003/0511/cover.html
The recent 7th Grade "Future SGS" Project
The 8th Grade Mission - http://www.komonews.com/news/local/6518612.html
The coalition celebrates 20 years of work on behalf of girls and girls' schools across the world. I will blog Monday and Tuesday with some impressions. Attend the symposium virtually at:
http://www.ncgs.org/stem-symposium-2011/
Monday, May 30, 2011
SGS Reflects on Interrupting Bullying Campaign
Seattle Girls’ School takes the issues of bullying, cyber-bullying, and relational aggression among young women very seriously. Not only do we reject the notion that adults might stand by and do nothing regarding situations like these, we are very proud of our on-going efforts and in many ways provide leadership – locally and nationally – in this arena. No school can claim that these issues are not present within its walls. It’s how you address and resolve situations as proactively as possible that really counts.
Our school has extensive documentation – some written by adults and some, such as our Constitution and Bill of Rights, written by students – that clearly and unequivocally address these issues. Here are a few highlights:
“SGS will not tolerate any form of physical or emotional harassment, including hazing, physical, or emotional abuse based on gender, race, color, national, or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation.”
From our Statement of Community Expectations
Our Discipline Protocol clearly identifies harassment (including cyber-bullying) as a Level 4 offense that can lead to probation and expulsion if repeated.
Again, it is action – not words - that really counts when addressing these issues, and we have been very active in empowering both adults and students to take such action. We started the year with a strong commitment to interrupting any potential bullying with a clear message at our first community meeting. We provided parent education through our Parent-Guardian Information Series led by national presenters such as Dr. Joann Deak. We also empower staff members through extensive professional development that includes members of our own faculty recognized as national authorities in their own right. This past year, our Dean of Faculty and Technology Manager attended an international conference on preventing bullying and returned with a clear message – empower students! This approach so resonated with our school mission that a student task force was formed, two separate groups of 8th grade students presented powerful and well-received sessions at a local middle school – speaking to both students and parents - and at a woman’s advocacy group. Monthly Student Council check-in meetings have helped keep school leadership connected to student climate, which is often described as joyous – to such an extent that the word “joy” was added to our mission statement in 2010. Reflective of all this is our latest parent survey that indicates that 100% of our families believe their daughter is safe at our school and 96% report a positive school climate. This is all in addition to our on going and effective advisory program that helps us keep track of and address social-emotional issues.
We view our efforts this past year as part of an on-going effort that will need to be repeated year after year so that we can, in the words of one of our 8th graders, "become part of a movement" that says, "Not here!"
Our school has extensive documentation – some written by adults and some, such as our Constitution and Bill of Rights, written by students – that clearly and unequivocally address these issues. Here are a few highlights:
“SGS will not tolerate any form of physical or emotional harassment, including hazing, physical, or emotional abuse based on gender, race, color, national, or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation.”
From our Statement of Community Expectations
Our Discipline Protocol clearly identifies harassment (including cyber-bullying) as a Level 4 offense that can lead to probation and expulsion if repeated.
Again, it is action – not words - that really counts when addressing these issues, and we have been very active in empowering both adults and students to take such action. We started the year with a strong commitment to interrupting any potential bullying with a clear message at our first community meeting. We provided parent education through our Parent-Guardian Information Series led by national presenters such as Dr. Joann Deak. We also empower staff members through extensive professional development that includes members of our own faculty recognized as national authorities in their own right. This past year, our Dean of Faculty and Technology Manager attended an international conference on preventing bullying and returned with a clear message – empower students! This approach so resonated with our school mission that a student task force was formed, two separate groups of 8th grade students presented powerful and well-received sessions at a local middle school – speaking to both students and parents - and at a woman’s advocacy group. Monthly Student Council check-in meetings have helped keep school leadership connected to student climate, which is often described as joyous – to such an extent that the word “joy” was added to our mission statement in 2010. Reflective of all this is our latest parent survey that indicates that 100% of our families believe their daughter is safe at our school and 96% report a positive school climate. This is all in addition to our on going and effective advisory program that helps us keep track of and address social-emotional issues.
We view our efforts this past year as part of an on-going effort that will need to be repeated year after year so that we can, in the words of one of our 8th graders, "become part of a movement" that says, "Not here!"
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
STEM to STEAM
Great article on taking STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to STEAM (plus the arts).
Link to article
Link to Framework for 21st Century Learning
Link to article
Link to Framework for 21st Century Learning
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
A provocative list from TeachPaperless
21 THINGS THAT BE WILL OBSOLETE IN EDUCATION BY 2020
1.Desks
The 21st century does not fit neatly into rows. Neither should your students. Allow the network-based concepts of flow, collaboration, and dynamism help you rearrange your room for authentic 21st century learning.
2.Language Labs
Foreign language acquisition is only a smartphone away. Get rid of those clunky desktops and monitors and do something fun with that room.
3.Computers
More precisely this one should read: “Our concept of what a computer is.” Because computing is going mobile and over the next decade we're going to see the full fury of individualized computing via handhelds come to the fore. Can't wait.
4.Homework
The 21st century is a 24/7 environment. And the next decade is going to see the traditional temporal boundaries between home and school disappear. And despite whatever Secretary Duncan might say, we don't need kids to 'go to school' more; we need them to 'learn' more. And this will be done 24/7 and on the move (see #3).
5.The Role of Standardized Tests in College Admissions
The AP Exam is on its last legs. The SAT isn't far behind. Over the next ten years, we will see Digital Portfolios replace test scores as the #1 factor in college admissions.
6.Differentiated Instruction as the Sign of a Distinguished Teacher
The 21st century is customizable. In ten years, the teacher who hasn't yet figured out how to use tech to personalize learning will be the teacher out of a job. Differentiation won't make you 'distinguished'; it'll just be a natural part of your work.
7.Fear of Wikipedia
Wikipedia is the greatest democratizing force in the world right now. If you are afraid of letting your students peruse it, it's time you get over yourself.
8.Paperbacks
Books were nice. In ten years' time, all reading will be via digital means. And yes, I know, you like the 'feel' of paper. Well, in ten years' time you'll hardly tell the difference as 'paper' itself becomes digitized.
9.Attendance Offices
Bio scans. 'Nuff said.
10. Lockers.
A coat-check, maybe.
11.IT Departments
IT Departments as we currently know them. Cloud computing and a decade's worth of increased Wi-Fi and satellite access will make some of the traditional roles of IT -- software, security, and connectivity -- a thing of the past. Look to tech departments to instigate real change in the function of schools over the next twenty years.
12.Centralized Institutions
School buildings are going to become 'home bases' of learning, not the institutions where all learning happens. Buildings will get smaller and greener, student and teacher schedules will change to allow less people on campus at any one time, and more teachers and students will be going out into their communities to engage in experiential learning.
13.Organization of Educational Services by Grade
Education over the next ten years will become more individualized, leaving the bulk of grade-based learning in the past. Students will form peer groups by interest and these interest groups will petition for specialized learning. The structure of K-12 will be fundamentally altered.
14. Education School Classes that Fail to Integrate Social Technology
Education Schools have to realize that if they are to remain relevant, they are going to have to demand that 21st century tech integration be modeled by the very professors who are supposed to be preparing our teachers.
15.Paid/Outsourced Professional Development
No one knows your school as well as you. With the power of a PLN in their back pockets, teachers will rise up to replace peripatetic professional development gurus as the source of school-wide professional development programs. ISENnet.
16.Current Curricular Norms
There is no reason why every student needs to take however many credits in the same course of study as every other student. The root of curricular change will be the shift in middle schools to a role as foundational content providers and high schools as places for specialized learning.
17.Parent-Teacher Conference Night
Ongoing parent-teacher relations in virtual reality will make parent-teacher conference nights seem quaint. Over the next ten years, parents and teachers will become closer than ever as a result of virtual communication opportunities. And parents will drive schools to become ever more tech integrated.
18. Typical Cafeteria Food
Nutrition information + handhelds + cost comparison = the end of $3.00 bowls of microwaved mac and cheese. At least, I so hope so.
19. Outsourced Graphic Design and Webmastering
You need a website/brochure/promo/etc.? Well, for goodness sake just let your kids do it. By the end of the decade -- in the best of schools -- they will be.
20. High School Algebra I
Within the decade, it will either become the norm to teach this course in middle school or we'll have finally awakened to the fact that there's no reason to give algebra weight over statistics and IT in high school for non-math majors (and they will have all taken it in middle school anyway).
21. Paper
In ten years' time, schools will de
1.Desks
The 21st century does not fit neatly into rows. Neither should your students. Allow the network-based concepts of flow, collaboration, and dynamism help you rearrange your room for authentic 21st century learning.
2.Language Labs
Foreign language acquisition is only a smartphone away. Get rid of those clunky desktops and monitors and do something fun with that room.
3.Computers
More precisely this one should read: “Our concept of what a computer is.” Because computing is going mobile and over the next decade we're going to see the full fury of individualized computing via handhelds come to the fore. Can't wait.
4.Homework
The 21st century is a 24/7 environment. And the next decade is going to see the traditional temporal boundaries between home and school disappear. And despite whatever Secretary Duncan might say, we don't need kids to 'go to school' more; we need them to 'learn' more. And this will be done 24/7 and on the move (see #3).
5.The Role of Standardized Tests in College Admissions
The AP Exam is on its last legs. The SAT isn't far behind. Over the next ten years, we will see Digital Portfolios replace test scores as the #1 factor in college admissions.
6.Differentiated Instruction as the Sign of a Distinguished Teacher
The 21st century is customizable. In ten years, the teacher who hasn't yet figured out how to use tech to personalize learning will be the teacher out of a job. Differentiation won't make you 'distinguished'; it'll just be a natural part of your work.
7.Fear of Wikipedia
Wikipedia is the greatest democratizing force in the world right now. If you are afraid of letting your students peruse it, it's time you get over yourself.
8.Paperbacks
Books were nice. In ten years' time, all reading will be via digital means. And yes, I know, you like the 'feel' of paper. Well, in ten years' time you'll hardly tell the difference as 'paper' itself becomes digitized.
9.Attendance Offices
Bio scans. 'Nuff said.
10. Lockers.
A coat-check, maybe.
11.IT Departments
IT Departments as we currently know them. Cloud computing and a decade's worth of increased Wi-Fi and satellite access will make some of the traditional roles of IT -- software, security, and connectivity -- a thing of the past. Look to tech departments to instigate real change in the function of schools over the next twenty years.
12.Centralized Institutions
School buildings are going to become 'home bases' of learning, not the institutions where all learning happens. Buildings will get smaller and greener, student and teacher schedules will change to allow less people on campus at any one time, and more teachers and students will be going out into their communities to engage in experiential learning.
13.Organization of Educational Services by Grade
Education over the next ten years will become more individualized, leaving the bulk of grade-based learning in the past. Students will form peer groups by interest and these interest groups will petition for specialized learning. The structure of K-12 will be fundamentally altered.
14. Education School Classes that Fail to Integrate Social Technology
Education Schools have to realize that if they are to remain relevant, they are going to have to demand that 21st century tech integration be modeled by the very professors who are supposed to be preparing our teachers.
15.Paid/Outsourced Professional Development
No one knows your school as well as you. With the power of a PLN in their back pockets, teachers will rise up to replace peripatetic professional development gurus as the source of school-wide professional development programs. ISENnet.
16.Current Curricular Norms
There is no reason why every student needs to take however many credits in the same course of study as every other student. The root of curricular change will be the shift in middle schools to a role as foundational content providers and high schools as places for specialized learning.
17.Parent-Teacher Conference Night
Ongoing parent-teacher relations in virtual reality will make parent-teacher conference nights seem quaint. Over the next ten years, parents and teachers will become closer than ever as a result of virtual communication opportunities. And parents will drive schools to become ever more tech integrated.
18. Typical Cafeteria Food
Nutrition information + handhelds + cost comparison = the end of $3.00 bowls of microwaved mac and cheese. At least, I so hope so.
19. Outsourced Graphic Design and Webmastering
You need a website/brochure/promo/etc.? Well, for goodness sake just let your kids do it. By the end of the decade -- in the best of schools -- they will be.
20. High School Algebra I
Within the decade, it will either become the norm to teach this course in middle school or we'll have finally awakened to the fact that there's no reason to give algebra weight over statistics and IT in high school for non-math majors (and they will have all taken it in middle school anyway).
21. Paper
In ten years' time, schools will de
Connect to TeachPaperless
... this is a blog that seeks "social solutions to the mysteries of 21st century teaching and learning." One of the latest posts discusses the role of parents as partners and advocates:
Link to post
http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/2011/04/meeting-parents-half-way.html
Soon, we will be reaching out to our parent community via the annual Parent/Guardian Survey to see where we have excelled and where we can potentially do better.
Link to post
http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/2011/04/meeting-parents-half-way.html
Soon, we will be reaching out to our parent community via the annual Parent/Guardian Survey to see where we have excelled and where we can potentially do better.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Not pregnant after all ...
A young woman conducts a social experiment at her school. She fakes her own pregnancy in order to gauge stereotypes and bias. Thoughts?
Link to article
Link to article
Friday, April 15, 2011
Join in the discussion ... Race to Nowhere
Seattle Girls' School and Hamlin Robinson School will host a screening of Race to Nowhere on the evening of May 17th.
Purchase tickets at:
http://www.racetonowhere.com/screenings/sponsored-seattle-girls-school-hosted-hamlin-robinson-school
Purchase tickets at:
http://www.racetonowhere.com/screenings/sponsored-seattle-girls-school-hosted-hamlin-robinson-school
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Math Stereotype Born in Grade 2?
Worrisome study suggests that girls may receive stereotype messages about math as early as grade 2. How are you fostering your daughter's interest in math?
Link to Article
Link to Article
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Is teaching going exponential?
Khan academy states that they are delivering over 42,000,000 lessons for free! How can independent schools turn the educational model upside down? Harnessing tools like these while maintaining human learning communities that will always provide the best environment for developing those 21st century skills like collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving, and finding strategies, together, for deciphering and prioritizing those 42,000,000 lessons - part of the deluge of information that grows bigger every day. There was a time when lack of knowledge limited what students could learn. Today, making complex decisions on what to learn, when, and how are becoming more and more critical.
Check out Khan Academy:
MSNBC Video
Khan Academy Website
Check out Khan Academy:
MSNBC Video
Khan Academy Website
Saturday, March 12, 2011
As Seattle transforms itself, how do we transform schools?
Edward Glaeser, author of Triumph of City, states that "smart cities like Seattle succeed by attracting smart people who educate and employ one another." The economies of scale that industrial cities exploited are being replaced by the interactive exchange of ideas as a company's most important asset.
My question - how have schools kept up with this shift? Are we preparing students for their future or our past?
Link to NYT Article
My question - how have schools kept up with this shift? Are we preparing students for their future or our past?
Link to NYT Article
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
9th Annual SGS Benefit Luncheon - Visionary Speech
I am honored to be serving with such remarkable student leaders at Seattle Girls’ School. Thank you for being here today, and thank you for your support of our school in the past, presently, and hopefully in the future.
At our Community Meetings throughout the year, these 7th grade ambassadors at your tables are asked to present a “Did you know?” on a topic of personal, pertinent interest. Well, today it’s my turn to do a “Did you know?” My topic: the unique educational experience that is Seattle Girls’ School.
Did you know that SGS has awarded over $4,000,000 in need-based financial aid? Let me repeat that, $4,000,000 in ten years. As a result, over 200 young women are in high schools and universities all over the country and beyond. They tell us that self-advocacy and critical thinking are among the most valuable tools they took away from SGS. Of course, they are also taking advanced math and science at rates well above the national average; but self-advocacy and critical thinking? How well prepared were you to stand up for yourself and think critically after middle school?
Did you know that SGS is not just about math, science and technology? We have a visual arts program that culminates with each and every student presenting her work in a public space. Our Adventure and Wellness program promotes healthy risk taking. SGS girls climb, bike, skate, ski, snowboard, compete, collaborate, and learn to be strong in both mind and body. Eighth grade writers win state recognition for their Letters About Literature. Many students culminate their three years of Spanish with an immersion trip to a Spanish-speaking country. This year they’ve just returned from Costa Rica. Our girl’s rock band, fully equipped with a generous donation from Pearl Jam, brings down the house at our annual talent showcase. Asking girls to stretch themselves beyond their comfort zone promotes resilience, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
Did you know that every SGS 5th grader not only learns her math facts, but also learns to steward our planet on our campus, in partnership with the aquarium, or on a 3-day sea voyage where she practices her data collecting skills in a real world experience?
Every 6th grader develops an understanding of the human body, not from a textbook, but from taking on the role of doctor, building a full-size human body from clay from the inside out, and presenting her knowledge to physicians from our community.
Every 7th grader not only begins a two-year algebra course, but also learns about her leadership style as well as her capacity to change the world around her.
Finally, did you know that our 8th graders co-create curriculum with their teachers and participate in a fully simulated, 3-hour mission, to Mars, the moon, or wherever else their imagination dictates because each year that mission is shaped by their interests and passions!
Some of you do know these things, and that’s why your daughter came to our school. All of you can imagine the kind of ignition that happens when students experience academic content in these ways. Whatever interest we spark here, it is our vision that these young women will go on to make the kind of impact that Judge Mary Yu and Dr. Yoki Matsuoka have made in their respective fields. As you hear from our alums today, you can see that they are well on their way! I believe this is the reason SGS has an influence and impact beyond our school walls. We are not “waiting for Superman” - to quote the recent thought-provoking documentary. Rather, we are developing these wonder women as the next generation of effective leaders.
Their full empowerment requires a more complex curriculum, one that highlights 21st century skills alongside reading, writing, and mathematics. We are, after all, preparing students for their future, not our past. As a middle school, of course, we are preparing students for high school. But we are also preparing them for present and future success - in life - in areas like:
· Critical thinking and problem solving
· Initiative and entrepreneurship
· The ability to access and analyze information
· Curiosity and imagination
· Collaboration and effective, creative leadership
A 21st century leader. How will she be different from, better than, a 20th century leader? Our outgoing Board Chair tell us that “Leaders take people through change to a new place and that you cannot take any group to a new place unless you understand the potential of a diverse community. Leadership without that appreciation can result in entitlement and oppression. Leaders must ask, “Who is missing at this table? Who might have the key to this complex problem?”
Let’s go back to “Did you know” for a moment. Did you know who Grace Hopper was, the namesake for our achievement and leadership awards?
Did you know she was an accomplished mathematician at Vassar who resigned her post to join the Navy WAVES in WWII? Did you know she became the first woman to rise to the rank of Rear Admiral? Did you know she was one of the first strategic "futurists" in the world of computing and is often referred to as the “mother of the computer?”
I’m guessing many of you did not know who Grace Hopper was when you arrived today; but now you do know that she was a woman who made a place for herself in spaces that most likely did not fully welcome her; and certainly did not do justice to her accomplishments.
In the future, these young women, all young people, will find those places that will make a space for their "whole selves.” They will open up the different compartments of their lives and engage the world on their own terms. We all have multiple identities. As a gay, Cuban-American, Roman-Catholic male Head of an independent middle school for girls, I can tell you a thing or two about multiple identities! And you know what? My experience resonates with our students’ experience. SGS is a place where I am free to share all of myself with our community. Families of all configurations, all faiths, and all value systems should feel welcome and safe at our school, welcome to add to the richness of our learning experience, which often occurs most, effectively when we disagree!
Today at SGS we find ourselves at a crossroads. In our first decade, we realized the vision, a vision based on the dreams of our founders as well as the courage of those first families who took a risk in order to see that their daughters embraced possibilities rather than status quo. Our second decade will see us build strong and durable foundations so that SGS becomes synonymous with excellence in all that we value: thoughtful stewardship, shared leadership, effective collaboration, critical and creative thinking, innovative academics – and not just in girls’ education, but in education period.
Each of these 7th grade ambassadors will soon be tasked to design and implement her own “Pay it Forward” Project that will address an issue she is particularly passionate about. The question foremost in her mind will be, “How will I change the world … by summer?” Following our students’ example, take a moment to ask yourself, “What have I done to change the world lately?” I invite each of you to become part of the SGS “Pay if Forward” movement, here, now, today.
Empowering just one girl changes the world. Just imagine what will happen when we have empowered 500 girls by the year 2020? When one of these graduates is the mayor of our great city, or governor of the state, or president? When women hold ½ the seats in the US Senate and serve as ½ the CEOs in America? When engineers and scientists like Dr. Matsuoka fill ½ the seats at the problem-solving tables? When ½ our judges are women, people, like Mary Yu.
At my core, I am and will always be a math teacher. So I like to view this as a lesson in mathematics. I would urge you to think in terms of multiplication as you are inspired by our final speakers as well as our video presentation - a video about girls who “find themselves” at age 12 and then go on to change the world, featuring lockers with no locks, a father’s dream for his daughter, last year’s Grace Hopper winner, Nan Stoops, and some of our outstanding teachers. Intrigued? I hope so! Because I smell an Oscar in the indie school promo video category next year ;-)
Thank you all for your presence today, for your tangible support of our school, and for your belief in the power of girls!!
At our Community Meetings throughout the year, these 7th grade ambassadors at your tables are asked to present a “Did you know?” on a topic of personal, pertinent interest. Well, today it’s my turn to do a “Did you know?” My topic: the unique educational experience that is Seattle Girls’ School.
Did you know that SGS has awarded over $4,000,000 in need-based financial aid? Let me repeat that, $4,000,000 in ten years. As a result, over 200 young women are in high schools and universities all over the country and beyond. They tell us that self-advocacy and critical thinking are among the most valuable tools they took away from SGS. Of course, they are also taking advanced math and science at rates well above the national average; but self-advocacy and critical thinking? How well prepared were you to stand up for yourself and think critically after middle school?
Did you know that SGS is not just about math, science and technology? We have a visual arts program that culminates with each and every student presenting her work in a public space. Our Adventure and Wellness program promotes healthy risk taking. SGS girls climb, bike, skate, ski, snowboard, compete, collaborate, and learn to be strong in both mind and body. Eighth grade writers win state recognition for their Letters About Literature. Many students culminate their three years of Spanish with an immersion trip to a Spanish-speaking country. This year they’ve just returned from Costa Rica. Our girl’s rock band, fully equipped with a generous donation from Pearl Jam, brings down the house at our annual talent showcase. Asking girls to stretch themselves beyond their comfort zone promotes resilience, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
Did you know that every SGS 5th grader not only learns her math facts, but also learns to steward our planet on our campus, in partnership with the aquarium, or on a 3-day sea voyage where she practices her data collecting skills in a real world experience?
Every 6th grader develops an understanding of the human body, not from a textbook, but from taking on the role of doctor, building a full-size human body from clay from the inside out, and presenting her knowledge to physicians from our community.
Every 7th grader not only begins a two-year algebra course, but also learns about her leadership style as well as her capacity to change the world around her.
Finally, did you know that our 8th graders co-create curriculum with their teachers and participate in a fully simulated, 3-hour mission, to Mars, the moon, or wherever else their imagination dictates because each year that mission is shaped by their interests and passions!
Some of you do know these things, and that’s why your daughter came to our school. All of you can imagine the kind of ignition that happens when students experience academic content in these ways. Whatever interest we spark here, it is our vision that these young women will go on to make the kind of impact that Judge Mary Yu and Dr. Yoki Matsuoka have made in their respective fields. As you hear from our alums today, you can see that they are well on their way! I believe this is the reason SGS has an influence and impact beyond our school walls. We are not “waiting for Superman” - to quote the recent thought-provoking documentary. Rather, we are developing these wonder women as the next generation of effective leaders.
Their full empowerment requires a more complex curriculum, one that highlights 21st century skills alongside reading, writing, and mathematics. We are, after all, preparing students for their future, not our past. As a middle school, of course, we are preparing students for high school. But we are also preparing them for present and future success - in life - in areas like:
· Critical thinking and problem solving
· Initiative and entrepreneurship
· The ability to access and analyze information
· Curiosity and imagination
· Collaboration and effective, creative leadership
A 21st century leader. How will she be different from, better than, a 20th century leader? Our outgoing Board Chair tell us that “Leaders take people through change to a new place and that you cannot take any group to a new place unless you understand the potential of a diverse community. Leadership without that appreciation can result in entitlement and oppression. Leaders must ask, “Who is missing at this table? Who might have the key to this complex problem?”
Let’s go back to “Did you know” for a moment. Did you know who Grace Hopper was, the namesake for our achievement and leadership awards?
Did you know she was an accomplished mathematician at Vassar who resigned her post to join the Navy WAVES in WWII? Did you know she became the first woman to rise to the rank of Rear Admiral? Did you know she was one of the first strategic "futurists" in the world of computing and is often referred to as the “mother of the computer?”
I’m guessing many of you did not know who Grace Hopper was when you arrived today; but now you do know that she was a woman who made a place for herself in spaces that most likely did not fully welcome her; and certainly did not do justice to her accomplishments.
In the future, these young women, all young people, will find those places that will make a space for their "whole selves.” They will open up the different compartments of their lives and engage the world on their own terms. We all have multiple identities. As a gay, Cuban-American, Roman-Catholic male Head of an independent middle school for girls, I can tell you a thing or two about multiple identities! And you know what? My experience resonates with our students’ experience. SGS is a place where I am free to share all of myself with our community. Families of all configurations, all faiths, and all value systems should feel welcome and safe at our school, welcome to add to the richness of our learning experience, which often occurs most, effectively when we disagree!
Today at SGS we find ourselves at a crossroads. In our first decade, we realized the vision, a vision based on the dreams of our founders as well as the courage of those first families who took a risk in order to see that their daughters embraced possibilities rather than status quo. Our second decade will see us build strong and durable foundations so that SGS becomes synonymous with excellence in all that we value: thoughtful stewardship, shared leadership, effective collaboration, critical and creative thinking, innovative academics – and not just in girls’ education, but in education period.
Each of these 7th grade ambassadors will soon be tasked to design and implement her own “Pay it Forward” Project that will address an issue she is particularly passionate about. The question foremost in her mind will be, “How will I change the world … by summer?” Following our students’ example, take a moment to ask yourself, “What have I done to change the world lately?” I invite each of you to become part of the SGS “Pay if Forward” movement, here, now, today.
Empowering just one girl changes the world. Just imagine what will happen when we have empowered 500 girls by the year 2020? When one of these graduates is the mayor of our great city, or governor of the state, or president? When women hold ½ the seats in the US Senate and serve as ½ the CEOs in America? When engineers and scientists like Dr. Matsuoka fill ½ the seats at the problem-solving tables? When ½ our judges are women, people, like Mary Yu.
At my core, I am and will always be a math teacher. So I like to view this as a lesson in mathematics. I would urge you to think in terms of multiplication as you are inspired by our final speakers as well as our video presentation - a video about girls who “find themselves” at age 12 and then go on to change the world, featuring lockers with no locks, a father’s dream for his daughter, last year’s Grace Hopper winner, Nan Stoops, and some of our outstanding teachers. Intrigued? I hope so! Because I smell an Oscar in the indie school promo video category next year ;-)
Thank you all for your presence today, for your tangible support of our school, and for your belief in the power of girls!!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
9th Annual SGS Benefit Luncheon
Thank you to the over 500 guests who will join us at the 9th Annual SGS Benefit Luncheon.
We look forward to reaching our goal of $300,000. We are grateful to all our corporate sponsors who have already donated $34,000. Visit the luncheon website and help reach our target, even if you are not in attendance.
Thank you!!
SGS Luncheon Website
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Blast from the Past - Mexico Trips 2009 and 2010
Alumnae families, do want to re-live your Mexico adventure from 2009 or 2010? The blogs are archived for you to view :-)
2009 Mexico Trip
2010 Mexico Trip
2009 Mexico Trip
2010 Mexico Trip
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
SGS 8th Graders in Costa Rica
Follow our students on their Spanish immersion experience. The culmination of 3-years of language instruction at SGS that includes adventure, learning, and service.
SGS Facebook Page
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sexuality Education Resources for Parents
Link to Independent School Magazine (Summer 2010 Issue - on Sexuality Education Today, A New Look at Old Paradigms
Planned Parenthood Link to Parent Resources
... in Western Washington
Planned Parenthood Link to Teen Resources
A teen produced Web Site that answers the questions you'd only ask other teens. Topics include: Love, Sex, Abstinence, Contraceptives, AIDS, STD's, Drugs and Drinking, Violence and Health Topics, to name a few.
http://www.sexetc.org/
Planned Parenthood Link to Parent Resources
... in Western Washington
Planned Parenthood Link to Teen Resources
A teen produced Web Site that answers the questions you'd only ask other teens. Topics include: Love, Sex, Abstinence, Contraceptives, AIDS, STD's, Drugs and Drinking, Violence and Health Topics, to name a few.
http://www.sexetc.org/
Friday, January 14, 2011
Open Letter from Michelle Obama
This week's homework assignment is birthed from tragedy but provides a potential lesson on tolerance and non-violence. The timing of the MLK holiday could not be more appropriate. I share with you the open letter from first lady Michelle Obama regarding the tragic shooting in Tucson.
Link to Open Letter from Michelle Obama
If you have not done so already, please have a conversation with your daughter about what she may be feeling about such an event. Why? How? What does it mean? There will be no easy answers as the first lady tells us; but we must engage children during these times and not assume that they remain disconnected in today's connected world.
On Tuesday, Grace Hopper Award winner Judge Mary Yu will visit Community Meeting. This will provide an opportunity for the girls to hear from a remarkable role model who stands for justice and the rue of law every day. I expect that her impact will be great and could provide a hopeful component to the on-going conversation. I intend to follow-up on Thursday with a final check-in with the community on their thoughts and feelings.
Link to Open Letter from Michelle Obama
If you have not done so already, please have a conversation with your daughter about what she may be feeling about such an event. Why? How? What does it mean? There will be no easy answers as the first lady tells us; but we must engage children during these times and not assume that they remain disconnected in today's connected world.
On Tuesday, Grace Hopper Award winner Judge Mary Yu will visit Community Meeting. This will provide an opportunity for the girls to hear from a remarkable role model who stands for justice and the rue of law every day. I expect that her impact will be great and could provide a hopeful component to the on-going conversation. I intend to follow-up on Thursday with a final check-in with the community on their thoughts and feelings.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Primero Hay Que Aprender Español. Ranhou Zai Xue Zhongwen.
Primero Hay Que Aprender Español. Ranhou Zai Xue Zhongwen
David Kristof urges students to, "First learn Spanish. Then study Chinese."
David Kristof urges students to, "First learn Spanish. Then study Chinese."
Sunday, January 2, 2011
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