Introduction

This text for preservice and in-service teacher education courses shows how schools can educate girls and promote their positive self-esteem at the same time. Its purpose is to help teachers facilitate the development of gender-equitable schools and classrooms. Taking a feminist developmental approach, the text draws on an interdisciplinary knowledge base, synthesizing research from psychology, anthropology, sociology, and education. While it is rooted in scholarly research, the focus is on clarifying the connection between theory and practice, with an emphasis on practical applications.

Organization and Features

The text is organized in two sections--"Growth and Development" and "Teaching and Learning"--and includes a variety of engaging pedagogical features. Underscoring the need for teachers, school administrators, and parents to become aware of the intersection of development and education, Educating Young Adolescent Girls:

• combines gender, growth, and development;
• demonstrates how schooling can facilitate the total development of young adolescent girls; and
• addresses a multiplicity of issues, including adolescent girls of color and young adolescents girls' sexuality.