The Young Women’s Leadership School Model
What I learned as a student in single-sex schools • Connections matter Supportive teachers and staff Strong family ties Powerful alumnae network • Pride breeds confidence Powerful sense of legacy Deeply valued and unique traditions • Access Highest quality of instruction and curriculum Opportunities to travel Early professional networking Personalized College and Career advising
What I learned when I left • Other girls did not raise their hands as often Numerous factors impact girls’ participation in the classroom, including teachers’ gender bias, girls being socialized to “be nice”, and issues of self-esteem. The pay gap between men and women has in part been attributed to the “ask gap”. • Other girls were not as supported in the fields of Math, Science, Technology, and Engineering National Girls Collaborative Project states that in k-12, males were 6 times more likely to have taken engineering and boys, and although girls are taking high level math and science courses at a similar rate as boys, the gap is much wider for low-income and minority girls. • Other girls had not had the same personalized support networks Fewer high-poverty schools have access to college counseling
All-girls schools work!
Single-Sex schools are a choice • The number one reason for having single sex schools in the public sector is choice of a personalized educational model. • Parents and students deserve the same educational opportunities as their peers in wealthy private and parochial schools. • Many students and parents want the choice to attend a single sex school.
What is YWLN? Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN) is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 by Ann and Andrew Tisch to provide high-quality educational options for low-income students who are the first in their families to attend college. Two life-changing programs:
high(est. 1996).
school(est. 2001).
The Young Women’s Leadership Schools (TYWLS), a performing network of all girls' public secondary schools
CollegeBound Initiative (CBI), a comprehensive based college guidance program for young women and men
What is TYWLS? Our “whole girl” approach personalizes education and targets female adolescent development in a holistic way The Model • • • • • • • •
6th – 12th grade Single-sex educational choice College preparatory focus Open to girls of all academic abilities Serving predominantly low-income students First-generation college students High-quality learning opportunities in and out of school Focused support in 4 core areas: Leadership, Early College/Career Awareness, Health & Wellness, STEM
Single-Sex Education and our Network • • • •
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1996 – TYWLS of East Harlem is the first single-sex public school to open in the US in nearly 40 years The TYWLS opening was challenged by the ACLU and NOW Senator John Danforth (R, Missouri) proposed in 1994 that single-sex public schools should be legal in the US October 25, 2006: US DOE published the final amendments, permitting school districts to provide a single-sex school to students of one sex if it provided a “substantially equal singlesex OR co-ed school” to the other sex There are now more than 100 single-sex schools in the US Our (growing!) network alone includes 17 schools
The Impact In the United States, only 8% of lowincome young adults achieve a college degree.
Alumnae from TYWLS of East Harlem achieve four-year college degrees at nearly triple the rate of their peers.
TYWLS of East Harlem
TYWLS of Queens
TYWLS of Astoria
TYWLS of Brooklyn
TYWLS of the Bronx
Est. 1996
Est. 2005
Est. 2006
Est. 2008
Est. 2012
Grades 6-12
Grades 6-12
Grades 6-12
Grades 6-12
Grades 6-9
Twenty years and growing!
YWLN Four Core Areas • Leadership • Early College / Career Awareness (ECCA) • Health and Wellness • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
YWLN Support of TYWLS Student Supports • CollegeBound Initiative • In-school academic programs in the four core areas • Out-of-school academic and enrichment programs • Partnerships with CBO’s, corporations, universities • Network-wide programming • Advisory Programs and Materials • Summer Programs • Special opportunities
CBI Components •
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Experienced, full-time Directors of College Counseling on-site Longstanding relationships with more than 100 colleges and universities CBI counselors work with every student Comprehensive, personalized college application and financial aid support in the 11th and 12th grades Early awareness through college trips, events, and lessons in the 6th – 10th grades Parent education and support
How do we develop Leadership in Girls? A young woman leader respects herself and others, strives for personal and academic excellence, and is committed to service that affects positive social change.
ADVISORY
SCHOOL CULTURE
ACADEMIC PROGRAM and INSTRUCTION
Advisory • • • • •
Focus on the whole girl Focus on female adolescent development Focus on health and wellness Focus on academic advising Focus on parents as partners
Advisory The Advisory model (1 teacher:15 students) ensures that every student has an adult advocate. Advisory develops leadership through Explicit teaching of soft-skills such as respect and communication ● Respect 360 program teaches the pillars of respect for self and others ● Restorative Circles teach active listening and ensure all students have a voice Personal & Academic Excellence through goal-setting and action-planning ● Student-led conferences Fostering strong connections within the school and with home & family ● Advisors are the liaison between home and school, serve as student’s advocate ● The Big-Sis, Little-Sis program links younger students to older mentor students Early College & Career Awareness ● College trips beginning in Middle School ● Advisors assist in preparing students for events such as Cool Women, Hot Jobs!, TYWLS Works, Brag Day, and Jumpstart to College (all programs designed by YWLN)
Confident
I take positive risks and answer questions in a strong voice, even when I’m not sure. I’m proud of my achievements both in and out of the classroom.
Compassionate
I am an advocate for others and I am empathetic. This means that I consider more than just myself when interacting with others. I try to help those that I can - in my class and even around the world.
Open-Minded
I make myself open to learning and trying new and different things. I recognize that there is more than one possible resolution to any given situation.
Present
I make every effort to be in class each day and make every day count. I am mindful. This means that I leave unrelated issues outside of the classroom so I can be completely engaged in the moment.
Prompt
I arrive on-time. I turn my work in on-time. I respect other people’s time.
Prepared
I make myself ready to meet the expectations. This means I am in uniform and have my materials and assignments ready for each class. I prepare myself mentally for academic work each day.
Perseverant
I try my hardest and don’t give up. This means that when it gets hard, I engage in productive struggle. I know that better practice makes better performance. I seek opportunities to improve my own work and I ask for help when I need it. I am open to feedback from those who can help me.
Responsible
I take ownership for my mistakes and my triumphs. This means I take initiative by setting goals and following through with my action plan.
Respectful
I respect myself, my peers, adults, and my community. I take care of my mind and my body. I seek to understand before being understood, and make a conscious effort to make others feel valued. I understand that people work hard to make this an enjoyable space for me and I honor that work. I am aware of my tone when speaking with others.
Student is perseverant by exhibiting self-control in the face of challenge, asking for help, employing multiple strategies, and taking advantage of multiple opportunities for mastery. (Perseverent)
Student consistently demonstrates COPR by completing and turning in quality homework. (Prepared, perseverant, responsible)
Student consistently demonstrates COPR while learning individually, in partnerships, and in groups. (Confident, Compassionate, Open-minded, Present, Respectful)
Student consistently demonstrates COPR by arriving to class ontime and turing in assignments on time. (Prompt, Present, Prepared, Responsible)
Instruction ● Academic Program ● Assessments ● Academic Assistance ● Technology ● Communication ● Professional Development
What our students say about attending an all-girls school “Just because I attend an all girls school does not mean that all girls have the same ideas. I believe that has been the stereotype that all girls carry the same mindset… Some skills that I plan to use in college that I developed in my years of being a student at the Young Women's Leadership School of Brooklyn are being open minded and not being intimidated my grades/statistics while seeking guidance from any professor that extends extra help sessions/office hours, as well as still having a curious mind and asking questions to my professors ...I was able to be [run for student government] thanks to the faculty that embraced us students and always supporting us and hearing our ideas and learning from us as we are learning from them.” -- Diamante Ortiz, Class 0f 2016, Student Government President “At Tywls we hear that a leader grows at Tywls, and it's the truth. Everyone who enters Tywls leaves with this sense of purpose, this sense of wonder, and this sense of what can I do now that I learned how to be a leader.” -- Quyn Israel, Class of 2016, Senior Speech
Finally… • • • • • • • • • •
I can pay attention in class and not get made fun of by boys There are lots of opportunities My Computer Science class is all girls I love that everyone understands when I have my period Being with all girls makes me more confident We are a big family I have more rights here We make better role models for each other There are not only men I have to look up to When something needs to get done, we have to do it. We can’t wait for anyone else to do it
This makes me think… • They develop their voice and go out into the world having a lot to say! • They are empowered and believe they can change the world. • Everything from student government to the wrestling team, from community service projects to study groups is run by them! What an opportunity! • Providing the best education for girls to become leaders means individualized and intentional planning so each girl has the opportunities she needs to develop.
Young Women’s Leadership Network supports our school
For further information, please contact: Cristina Jacobs, Assistant Principal The Young Women’s Leadership School of Brooklyn cjacobs@twylsbrooklyn.org Kathleen Ponze, Director of New Initiatives kponze@ywln.org
Sources http://www.ngcproject.org/statistics http://www.wsj.com/articles/gender-wagegap-reflects-the-ask-gap-1412980899
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1000142405 2702303532704579483752909957472