PREMIERE ISSUE
Global Girls
EXPE RIENCING THE WORLD窶認ROM THE LOCAL STAGE TO GLOBAL DESTINATIONS
90 NEARLY
SPOTLIGHT
Good sports Numerous studies show that girls who participate in sports have higher grades, better school attendance, and greater self-assurance. Nearly 90% of AGS students play at least one sport. With our no-cut policy in middle school, every girl can test herself and benefit from the enduring lessons of athletic competition. For many students, their athletic activity extends beyond the walls of AGS . From pre-professional dancers to competitive gymnasts and yoga enthusiasts, AGS is proud to be a community of active girls who play to win with a commitment to sportsmanship, health, and wellness.
PERCENT OF AGS STUDENTS PLAY AT LEAST ONE SPORT
Sports offered at AGS: volleyball, cross country, dance, swimming, basketball, golf, tennis, soccer, and track & ďŹ eld.
CLASSROOM INSIDER
Girls are great at math. But do they know it?
Functions. Slope. Rate of change. Limits. These are common concepts Dyanne Baptiste teaches each year, but as words alone they do nothing to help most girls master what they actually mean. “Girls love stories,” she says, “and believe it or not, math is full of stories.” “This year I am drawing our AGS Strong figure—cape and all—climbing up a mountain with a ‘positive’ smile on her face, and the girls can remember this visual as ‘positive’ slope,” says Dyanne. “This type of visual makes lasting impressions in girls’ brains, which show up not only a week later for a test, but a year later in calculus or on the SAT.” AGS math teachers have classrooms designed specifically for girls and are continually researching how a girl’s brain processes mathematical reasoning. Faculty members can put these new techniques to work instantaneously in their classes, giving girls an edge in their math classes—at all levels. “In classes this year we are also breaking down every concept and discussing the what, the why, and even how we feel about it,” continues Dyanne. “My Algebra III students journal about their work. When students can write and explain their work, they will articulate abstract concepts in words and master the content.” Those stories and journals also help AGS math teachers understand each girl’s strengths and weaknesses. Research shows that even the smallest gaps in a girl’s math knowledge can make her feel that she can’t do math at all. Teachers work to bridge these gaps and build a student’s confidence in math. The math department at AGS knows that when a girl is confident in her math ability, she can master it beyond her own beliefs. And a student who masters concepts year after year will understand where she has been, know where she is going, and know she is great at math. Visit atlantagirlsschool.org/math to watch Dyanne speak about her recent experience at the Klingenstein Summer Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University and how she is using what she learned in her math classes this year.
HOW WE TEACH MATH
It all adds up Girls who attend all-girls’ high schools consider majoring in math, science, or technology fields six times more than girls who attend coed schools. The pedagogical approach to math at AGS is student-driven. Teachers practice differentiated instruction to teach concepts in a number of different ways in order for all types of learners to master the concepts. Current research shows that meditating about math and problem-solving can help girls focus and better understand what they’re learning in any given math class. Brain-based learning for girls teaches them to start with the concepts they know, break them down, and build on the past to master new ideas. AGS partners with Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University students to staff the school’s Learning Lab, which provides free additional challenge or support for our students, from the Honors level to those who need extra help.
“ Because we teach math the way a girl learns best, the mathematical instruction and classroom environment at AGS is unmatched in Atlanta. The small class sizes and after-school tutorials held by every teacher form a foundation of support that builds competence and confidence at all levels.” CORINNE DEDINI
Academic Dean, Atlanta Girls’ School