What Elementary School Administrators Can Do to Strengthen the Impact of Utah Girls

Utah is full of engaged, passionate individuals who frequently ask the question, “What can I personally and/ or professionally do to strengthen the impact of Utah girls and women?” To provide answers to that question, the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) hosted a series of “think tank” gatherings to collect best practices for various stakeholders interested in supporting and empowering Utah girls and women. This idea sheet is based on a 2019 gathering of 25 elementary school principals and other administrators who met to discuss ways they can support girls in Utah, both in educational success and in many other areas of life.

Culture and Awareness

Elementary administrators play an important role in influencing the overall culture in their schools, including educating stakeholders on the challenges and opportunities common among school girls in Utah. Administrators can recognize, evaluate, and even shape the cultural messages that affect female students by doing the following:

• Emphasize higher education and lifelong learning for all students from an early age (e.g., kindergartners could receive a bracelet showing their college graduation year; teachers and staff could wear/display their own college clothing and gear).
• Encourage girls to dream big while providing the information they need to begin planning for the future; help them develop both a vision and potential pathways for achieving their goals.
• Be deliberate in creating a culture of universal respect, regardless of gender or any other factor.

Programs & Activities

Elementary administrators can choose from a wide variety of programs and activities that complement classroom instruction. Through careful consideration, they can maximize the benefit of these programs for all students:

• Take advantage of existing community programs, both girl-only and mixed group (e.g., Girl Scouts, Girls on the Run, Expanding Your Horizons, Hope Squad, Lego League, STEAM fairs, robotics).
• Evaluate current extracurricular programs (including costs, gender balance, and variety) and see what adjustments could be beneficial; ensure certain groups aren’t being excluded; help all students recognize and see potential in the options available.
• Consider various types of student leadership, including traditional student councils, “house” system leadership, and leadership clubs; offer training and find ways to ensure opportunities for both girls and boys to lead.

Capacity Building

Girls start developing lifelong learning skills, as well as other core competencies, from very early ages. Elementary administrators can use the following strategies to facilitate capacity building in girls:

• Explicitly support the notion of a “growth” versus a “fixed” mindset, praising effort and risk-taking over perfect results. 
• Include instruction in emotional intelligence, communication skills, character education, social skills, and conflict resolution, in addition to the standard academic curriculum. 
• Give girls the opportunity to imagine, design, and build; facilitate the chance to learn the satisfaction that comes from hard work and delayed gratification.

Professional Development

One of the most influential roles played by administrators comes in mentoring and training teachers. Girls will benefit as teachers and other staff participate in targeted professional development:

• Ensure staff members receive training in unconscious bias, differences between girls’ and boys’ development and learning styles, and the negative effects of gender biases in language and other stereotypes.
• Make gender considerations an ongoing part of school improvement plans and examine key performance metrics by gender to identify and remedy gaps.
• Train teachers in the effective use of praise (e.g., praising effort and grit rather than outcome or appearances).

Community Outreach

Finally, elementary administrators know that their influence extends beyond the walls of their schools. Principals and other leaders can advocate for their female students by doing the following:

• Engage parents in critical conversations about their daughters’ academic success, future educational options, and potential career pathways. Recognizing that parents will vary widely in their level of engagement, find ways to partner and best meet girls’ needs.
• Gather and share resources to help bolster girls’ educational success; ensure students and parents have access to all available tools and support.
• Inform key stakeholders about existing education and achievement gaps between genders and enlist support in addressing these challenges from both school and community partners (e.g., higher education, business, nonprofit, and government).

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To learn more about What Elementary School Administrators Can Do to Strengthen the Impact of Utah Girls  read the entire brief.