How Ellis bridges the confidence gap
In their The Atlantic Magazine article, authors Katty Kay and Claire Shipman write that "a vast confidence gap separates the sexes". Study after study show that men consistently overestimate their abilities and performance while women underestimate both, even though men and women perform at equal levels. The authors assert that confidence matters as much as competence in workplace success. In my 33 years as an educator and leader at Ellis, I could not agree more. Here are ways Ellis builds girls' confidence and competence in equal measure:
1. Ellis girls are required to speak out. Participation is a key component of our classroom experience starting in the Lower School. By making participation and group work the norm, we've created a culture where girls have a great deal of practice developing ideas and advocating for them.
2. Ellis girls are encouraged to act: When our students describe an injustice or a concern, our faculty helps girls take a stand on that issue. With a 100-year tradition of community service, Ellis dedicates resources to helping girls to identify problems and take action.
3. Ellis teaches girls to try, try again. We teach iteration and make it clear that getting it "right" the first try is not the goal and can even stand in the way of truly great results in the humanities and in STEM subjects. This iterative approach is why Ellis was named by Stanford University's design school as one of the leading K-12 design thinking programs in the nation.
4. Ellis athletics encourage healthy competition: The Atlantic article notes that girls who play team sports are more likely to graduate from college, work in male-dominated industries, and earn higher salaries. At Ellis, 70% of our girls play a JV or Varsity sport as compared to the national average of 40% for co-ed schools. The exposure to team sports alone at Ellis is an extraordinary and distinct advantage to girls, conferring confidence for a lifetime.
5. Girls' school graduates report higher self-confidence: Research by UCLA's Dr. Linda Sax demonstrates that graduates of girls’ schools entering college report higher levels of confidence in their math and computer skills and intellectual self-confidence overall than their co-ed peers. Ellis girls graduate with a command of challenging material. The true Ellis difference is that our girls develop deep trust in themselves and real confidence their abilities.
We know our methods work. Ellis students consistently take top honors in science, arts, and robotics competitions, beating boys and co-ed teams alike. Recent examples include Pittsburgh Data Jam where our girls took first place, the Scholastic Arts Awards where Ellis girls took 12% of all awards given in our region, and in FIRST robotics where Ellis girls have qualified for world championships every single year they've competed.
Kay and Shipman write that inaction is the natural result of low confidence. The actions our girls take every day at school and in the community demonstrate the transformative power and confidence that an all-girls education at Ellis provides to girls and young women.
Look out world: here they come!
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2. Ellis girls are encouraged to act: When our students describe an injustice or a concern, our faculty helps girls take a stand on that issue. With a 100-year tradition of community service, Ellis dedicates resources to helping girls to identify problems and take action.
3. Ellis teaches girls to try, try again. We teach iteration and make it clear that getting it "right" the first try is not the goal and can even stand in the way of truly great results in the humanities and in STEM subjects. This iterative approach is why Ellis was named by Stanford University's design school as one of the leading K-12 design thinking programs in the nation.
4. Ellis athletics encourage healthy competition: The Atlantic article notes that girls who play team sports are more likely to graduate from college, work in male-dominated industries, and earn higher salaries. At Ellis, 70% of our girls play a JV or Varsity sport as compared to the national average of 40% for co-ed schools. The exposure to team sports alone at Ellis is an extraordinary and distinct advantage to girls, conferring confidence for a lifetime.
5. Girls' school graduates report higher self-confidence: Research by UCLA's Dr. Linda Sax demonstrates that graduates of girls’ schools entering college report higher levels of confidence in their math and computer skills and intellectual self-confidence overall than their co-ed peers. Ellis girls graduate with a command of challenging material. The true Ellis difference is that our girls develop deep trust in themselves and real confidence their abilities.
We know our methods work. Ellis students consistently take top honors in science, arts, and robotics competitions, beating boys and co-ed teams alike. Recent examples include Pittsburgh Data Jam where our girls took first place, the Scholastic Arts Awards where Ellis girls took 12% of all awards given in our region, and in FIRST robotics where Ellis girls have qualified for world championships every single year they've competed.
Kay and Shipman write that inaction is the natural result of low confidence. The actions our girls take every day at school and in the community demonstrate the transformative power and confidence that an all-girls education at Ellis provides to girls and young women.
Look out world: here they come!
Envision Her at Ellis
If you're interested in exploring Ellis for your daughter, let's connect! Request information about enrollment, attend one of our upcoming events, or hear about Ellis from those who know it best: our students.
