It's OK to be Smart: A Fresh Look at the Education of Girls for a Changing World

It's O.K. to be smart. Just ask Ellen, a graduate of The Phoenix School, who raised her hand in her high school science class one morning. Her lab partner promptly told her to stop asking questions. "You will draw attention to us," he hissed. Asking questions had been a way of life for Ellen at The Phoenix School and Ellen wanted to know more. She could not understand why asking questions was considered 'uncool.' Ellen knew 'cool' was being smart, assertive, and eager to be challenged, no matter what others said. The North Shore Women's Journal, December issue at - http://www.NSWJ.com

Salem, MA (PRWEB) December 19, 2005 -- The North Shore Women's Journal, http://www.NSWJ.com.

It's O.K. to be smart. Just ask Ellen, a graduate of The Phoenix School, who raised her hand in her high school science class one morning. Her lab partner promptly told her to stop asking questions. "You will draw attention to us," he hissed. Asking questions had been a way of life for Ellen at The Phoenix School and Ellen wanted to know more. She could not understand why asking questions was considered 'uncool.' Ellen knew 'cool' was being smart, assertive, and eager to be challenged, no matter what others said.

Ellen became Valedictorian, graduated from Wesleyan University and is now a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology. She never stopped asking questions. Her story is not unusual for female students of The Phoenix School. Zoe immediately joined her high school Debate Team, Emma is starting a Kids on the Block Puppeteer troupe to teach about disabilities for North Shore Arc, Carolina teaches Saturday courses at Phoenix, and Sarah completed three majors at Brown while teaching drama in a women's prison and caring for abandoned animals one summer in Wyoming. Dominica is a marine biology researcher at Northeastern University, Roxanne is on the Headmaster's List and varsity soccer team at Phillips Andover, Leslie is head EMT and volunteer firefighter in Vermont and Heather is Director of Admissions and Marketing at The Phoenix School. These Phoenix graduates are making a difference. They were not content to stand in the shadows, but stepped right to the front having learned at The Phoenix how to be independent, assertive, and committed as well as to think outside the box, to work productively and to care about the world in which they live.

As reported in the North Shore Women's Journal, http://www.NSWJ.com, December issue, it is vitally important for young women to believe in themselves, to be challenged and invested in their power to shape their futures. For twenty-five years, The Phoenix School's curriculum and philosophy has engaged students, building self-esteem, going beyond simply teaching basic skills to teaching life skills, emphasizing leadership, teamwork, collaboration and academic excellence.

What is different about the education of Phoenix girls? It begins with something as simple as girls wearing pants and sneakers instead of skirts to a school where learning is an adventure. It's not literally the sneakers and pants but what they represent figuratively -- the freedom to explore, both individually and hand-in-hand with teachers.

At The Phoenix, the relationship between teachers and students is an on-going dialogue. Phoenix teachers open doors for students, helping them to reach beyond what they already know they can do, to seek multiple solutions, to work individually or in collaboration with others, to make mistakes and learn from them. Teachers help students learn how to learn, how to care about each another, how to be 'smart.'

Phoenix girls find their voices and are not afraid to use them leading tours for prospective families, mentoring younger children, and organizing teams with confidence. They work together to achieve ownership and cooperation that is vital for daily and future success. Taking advantage of opportunities for leadership and collaboration at all levels, confident and engaged girls grow more naturally into confident and successful women who become leaders in their families, schools, communities, and at work.

The Phoenix EarlyAct Club, a community service club sponsored by Salem Rotary, provides multiple opportunities for leadership. This year's president, a young woman, will lead Phoenix students to choose, plan, organize and carry out community service projects and, in June, decide to which charities to donate monies earned. Through such "real world" activities, skills that are essential in developing future leaders are honed and academic skills are woven into the tapestry that is a "living" education.

Think back to our own school experience. Were we actively involved in our learning? How many questions did we ask? Could we ask for help? Were we comfortable showing our intelligence? Did we dare to be different? Were we excited about learning? At The Phoenix School students are actively involved, collaborate with teachers, ask questions, seek out help, enjoy being smart, dare to be different, and get excited about school. They reach for individual challenge and reach out to help others.

Students are encouraged to question, to develop answers, opinions and goals enabling our young women to grow into confident leaders and contributors for today's world. Encouraging adolescents, especially our girls, to believe that it's OK to be smart, committed, and to be heard is a most important mission.

As Julie said in her graduation speech, "When I came to Phoenix, I didn't have any dreams, smiles, or a voice. Now I have all three and I leave with new sense of awareness and understanding." If our young women are going to take their rightful place in the world of tomorrow, we need to nurture and support their promise today.

The Phoenix School, celebrating 25 years of commitment to academic excellence and community service, is an independent day school, grades K-8, located in the heart of downtown Salem.

The School is accepting applications for the 2006-2007 school year and is open for informational tours by appointment. To learn more about the School's mission and philosophy, visit:
www.phoenixschool.org

Barbara McFall is co-founding Head of School, full-time teacher and mother of an adolescent girl. Betsye Sargent is co-founding Head of School, full-time teacher, and mother of a former Phoenix student and teacher.

The Phoenix School
Salem, MA
978-741-0870
www.pheonixschool.org

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