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Girls and Parents' Expectations

Europeans have a long tradition of sending their children away to school. In the Middle Ages, for example, the only people who could read and write lived in monasteries where all the books were kept. For this reason, children went away to live at monasteries or “convent schools” to get their education.

Americans boarding schools are sometimes called “prep schools,” or schools where students “prep” for college. Traditionally in our country only the very wealthy could send their children to prep schools and give them every advantage when they apply to selective colleges. Prep schools were traditionally all-boys or all-girls schools, but in the past few decades most have become co-ed (Ref 1).

Today boarding schools in America are becoming more popular. More American parents are deciding that boarding school will give their children an advantage not only when they apply to colleges but also as a life enhancing experience. They figure that spending money at the pre-college level becomes a long-term investment (Ref 1). Applications are up more than 40%, and many new schools are being opened every year (Ref 4). Many of these new schools are opening as single-sex institutions, because the latest research shows that both boys and girls achieve more if they are separated.

According to an article in Education Week, boarding schools are experiencing a revival, not only in their traditional role as prep schools but also as places where “underachievers may do better as negative pressures are eased and ambition is restored” (Ref 5). Author David Hill writes, “A 24-hour, seven day a week learning environment gives … an edge against failure.” He notes that in non-residential schools, home and community climate is beyond teacher control, and yet can contribute to student failure (Ref 3).

An all-girls boarding school should be a total, 24-hour environment set up especially for the needs of adolescent girls. It should be a place where girls can be totally themselves. They won’t have to live up to media stereotypes of how they should look and how they should behave toward boys. They won’t have to put up with sexual harassment. Girls take over all the leadership positions in drama, newspapers and other extra-curricular activities. They will not have to defer to boys in the classroom. Learning will be set up according to the female ways of thinking and absorbing knowledge.

A good boarding school should be run with a lot of latitude. The principal should be free to hire the best teachers and to start great new programs, with parents providing a lot of input. A boarding school should be free from political pressures and ruling boards that restrain public schools with any number of rules about curriculum, hiring practices, discipline procedures and so forth (Ref 1).

A boarding school should have a friendly feel about it, since the boarding school experience is about becoming part of a close-knit community of students, teachers and staff. Students should be learning in small classes where they receive a lot of individual attention and encouragement from their teachers.

The library, science laboratories, computer rooms and other facilities should be up-to-date and readily available to students. Teachers should be encouraging girls away from the Barbie doll mentality of “Math is hard!” to “I can do this!” By the way, girls are more likely to major in math and science at all-girls schools.

There should be an active staff of counselors available to help students (and their parents) adjust to their new separation. Counselors should be there to help students who are experiencing any kind of personal problem. There should be a lot of communication between the school and parents about the student’s academic and psychological progress.

A good boarding school should have a lot of structure. There will be regular hours for study and recreation. In their spare time, students will be expected and encouraged to take an active part in extracurricular activities such as drama, newspaper, sports and clubs instead of watching television and playing video games.

Millions of American children are reading the Harry Potter books and picturing themselves as a Hogwarts, and this may be adding to the popularity of boarding schools. In any event, they see going away to school as fun and adventurous, and a chance to become independent and self-reliant.

References

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