All Girls Experience
For generations, girls' schools have served students of many abilities, interests, talents and backgrounds. What unites these schools is a long-standing commitment to learning environments that place girls first and foremost. What sets them apart from other educational settings is an in-depth understanding of how girls learn and succeed.
What are the advantages of single-sex education for girls?
- Girls in single-sex educational settings are more likely to take Math, Science and Information Technology courses
- Girls in single-sex educational settings will participate more readily in sports, music and the arts with less fear of being stereotyped
- Girls in single-sex educational settings see their grades improve
- Girls in single-sex educational settings see their scores on standardized tests improve
- Girls in single-sex educational settings experience fewer discipline problems
- Girls in single-sex educational settings gain a more positive attitude about learning and going to school
- Girls in single-sex educational settings have higher self-esteem and a stronger belief in their own ability to succeed
The differences between male and female learning styles:
Scientific evidence shows that females process information differently than males and these differences need to be taken into consideration when teaching. Navigational/ spatial tasks are handled in different areas of the brain in boys and girls: "These anatomical differences have major implications for teaching mathematical topics- with girls, you want to tie what you're teaching into the real world" (www.nasspe.org).
An all-girls school allows teachers to tailor lessons specifically oriented to maximize the potential of a girl's unique qualities. 
Context is more important for girls than for boys when making connections between what they know and what they are learning and it needs to be taken into consideration. In a co-ed classroom, the drive to "keep things moving" and "get on with it" neglects a girl's optimum learning style and deprives her of the best chance to succeed. "Girls tend to prefer books where they can be analytical about a character's motives and behaviours. Boys prefer action" (www.nasspe.org).
Girls learn through discussion, involvement, collaboration and context. When our Choir teacher begins a new song, he/she starts with a discussion on why the composer wrote that particular piece of music; whom they wrote the music for; where it was written and the emotions the music invokes. This "background" discussion would lose a classroom of boys who just want to get on with it and do the song; however, for a classroom of girls it is vital to their understanding and appreciation of the song.
Girls can be excessively critical of their own performance and their academic achievement in any one class is tied directly to more general notions of self-worth and self-esteem. Therefore, girls need to be encouraged and supported throughout their learning experience. The Faculty Advisor system at Queen Margaret's is designed specifically to foster the nurturing your daughter needs as she experiences the intellectual and affective challenges of progressing through the grades of the secondary school curriculum
Girls thrive in small group settings of 3-4 where boys will flounder. Girls will delegate tasks, communicate and co-operate on problem-solving in small groups and every opportunity to allow them to work together should be utilized.
The teachers, staff and administration at Queen Margaret's are passionately committed to the goals of a girls' school and specifically trained in methods that utilize techniques that provide and ensure a safe, secure and trustworthy learning environment where students are challenged to accomplish their highest goals and realize their farthest dreams.
As an all-girls school, Queen Margaret's can focus resources and attention on the developmental issues of girls in a way that co-educational schools cannot.
Schools like Queen Margaret's are empowering girls to be leaders now so they will be inspired to become the leaders of the future: lawyers, doctors, scientists, engineers, politicians, financial planners, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, actors and musicians all thrive in a multi-national environment that supports and challenges girls to achieve at the best of their ability. In a world of constant change, Queen Margaret's is dedicated to helping your daughter discover the core values that she will depend on to steer a course through all her challenges and transcend all her limits.
When girls are educated in an environment that maximizes their potential through recognizing and appreciating their own learning styles we realize some incredible results:
- They begin to speak out and express themselves more freely
- They begin to cross borders and move easily between cultures
- They begin to see Math, Science, and Info Tech as viable and attractive university and career goals
- They realize the strategies of effective communicators and mediators
- Improved self-esteem and independence
- They lose their fear of being ridiculed; they take risks and participate in more sports, drama and art
- They believe in their abilities to succeed at any task and gain the confidence to put their ideas in motion
- They build friendships with people from around the world
- They are motivated by their own desire for knowledge that will last a lifetime
For more information on the benefits of all-girls schools:
American Association of University Women Educational Foundation. How Schools Shortchange Girls: The AAUW Report. New York: Marlowe & Co. 1995.
Bryk, Anthony & Lee, Valerie. "Effect of Single-Sex Secondary Schools on Student Achievement and Attitudes". Journal of Educational Psychology 78 (5), 1986.
DeBare, Ilana. Where Girls Come First. New York: Penguin Group. 2004
Gilligan, Carol. In a Different Voice. Harvard University Press, 1990.
Pipher, Mary. Reviving Phelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls. New York: Ballantine, 1994.
Sadkers, David & Myra. Failing at Fairness: How Our Schools Cheat Girls. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1994.
www.nasspe.org
www.aauw.org
www.ncwge.org
www.ncgs.org
Photos courtesy of Orange Passion Photography
