Girls' Education: Teaching Strategies That Develop Confidence, Resilience and Collaboration

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The behaviours that the education system rewards – studying, careful preparation, patient climbing from one level to the next – seem to give women an advantage academically. Yet in the world of work, people hire and promote based on character as much as on formal qualifications.

Through examining what should be experienced by young women in the classroom this course aims to start a conversation between teachers about how to best help girls succeed in the classroom and beyond, as well as offering authoritative advice, guidance and practical solutions.

Understand the factors that affect girls at school

Before exploring teaching strategies that work in the classroom, we will first examine the significant factors that influence girls’ learning experiences. In particular we’ll look at the strategies that develop character in a way that supports academic success in school and professional success after school. We will also examine and discuss the factors that can inhibit girls reaching their full potential in school and in their future careers.

Get guidance on helping girls achieve their potential

This course will give you practical steps to enhance the quality of learning for girls; after all, how pupils learn is as important as what they learn. We will examine different aspects of pedagogy that are ‘girl-friendly’ according to research and experience, and that also develop and promote character traits such as independence, resilience, collaborative working, problem solving and confidence.

These approaches include: collaborative learning, challenge and problem solving, and ways of developing social interaction. You’ll then work on evaluating the impact of such approaches in your own school and identify any issues you might face.

Learn from the GDST

The GDST (Girls’ Day School Trust) is the leading group of independent girls’ schools in the UK, with nearly 4,000 staff, and 20,000 students between the ages of three and 18. Founded in 1872, the GDST has a long history of pioneering innovation in the education of girls - in fact this course coincides with a research project going on within our schools, and much of the course has been created using this cutting edge research.

This course has been created for those who shape the learning experiences of girls in schools - this might mean teachers, middle and senior leaders in schools, school governors and parents.