On Educating Girls: Creating a World of Possibilities

Home is the first place a child learns how to be in the world. It is where we help shape their values and their outlook on life. But have you ever wondered what roles we unknowingly ask our daughters to play at home - and how those patterns stay with them long after they grow up?



While different cultures have varying practices, studies shows that girls are usually socialized to be more polite, responsible and hardworking than boys, and to listen to authority, no matter what. They don't learn how to say no or set boundaries at a young age. And so, when molded as peacemakers, high achievers, and rule followers, how do they find their voices and show up authentically as themselves when they reach adulthood?



Our guest for this episode provides some answers. Dr Katie Hurley is the Vice President of Community Initiatives for The Jed Foundation, a leading nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults in the USA and further afield. She is the author of five books at the intersection of youth, parenting, and mental health, including the award-winning No More Mean Girls.

In this conversation with host Trudy Hall, Katie shares how to encourage girls to take up space, even if it’s messy—sharing practical examples and great advice on how to create safe spaces at home for girls to grow and take risks.

The Connected Girl is a podcast series produced by the International Coalition of Girls' Schools. In this season, we’re looking at how the adults in girls' lives can nurture agency – the confidence and capacity to act – while allowing girls to evolve, experiment, tolerate discomfort, and sometimes fail. Listen to this empowering episode so you can help the girl in your life navigate her world with both strength and softness. International Coalition for Girls Schools · Dr Katie Hurley’s website · The Happy Kid Handbook: How to Raise Joyful Children in a Stressful World · No More Mean Girls · Types of Parenting Styles and Effects on Children · Education at a Glance 2025 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Adolescent girls face an impossible situation. Be confident, but not conceited. Be smart, but don't be too much of a know-it-all. Be ambitious, but without trying too hard. And most of all, be bold – but only if that doesn't upset anyone else, of course. In summary: tick the boxes of beautiful, caring and successful, but never show any effort.

This episode’s guest literally wrote the book on this phenomenon, which he dubbed the Triple Bind. Dr Stephen P. Hinshaw is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California Berkeley and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California San Francisco. An award-winning teacher, author and mentor, Stephen uses his decades of pioneering research to advance the fields of child development and neurodevelopment, especially for girls.

In this conversation with host Trudy Hall, Stephen helps us understand the impact of societal pressures on young girls, and gives guidance on how we can support them in forging their own paths.

The Connected Girl is a podcast series produced by the International Coalition of Girls' Schools. In this season, we’re looking at how the adults in girls' lives can nurture agency – the confidence and capacity to act – while allowing girls to evolve, experiment, tolerate discomfort, and sometimes fail. Listen to this compelling episode so you can guide your girl into the future, ready to tackle society’s expectations without losing herself along the way. International Coalition for Girls Schools · Dr Hinshaw’s profile in the psychology department at Berkeley · Why Girls Apologise Too Much (Child Mind Institute) · Books by Stephen P. Hinshaw (Goodreads)  · The Triple Bind: Moms Who Work (Psychology Today)   · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Navigating the ups and downs of friendships is one of life’s constants. No matter our age or life stage, humans need to feel connected to people who allow us to be ourselves.

For girls at school, who often feel shame and self-blame as a result of their unrealistic beliefs about friendship, this can be a challenge. Add social media to the mix, and pressures are taken to a whole new level.

Our guest for this episode of The Connected Girl is a friendship guru for girls (and their parents) who is convinced that friendship can be taught. Rebecca (Bec) Sparrow shares with host Trudy Hall how to sustain friendships with clear communication, mutual respect, and healthy boundaries. The good news is that tips for building better friendships are proven to work – and it’s never too late for the girls in your life to try them.

Acclaimed writer, speaker and podcaster Bec Sparrow is a passionate advocate for prioritizing connection and belonging in an increasingly lonely world. Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, Bec is known as “the friendship whisperer”. Through her extensive library of resources for girls, parents, and schools, she helps tweens and teens make friends.

The Connected Girl is a podcast series produced by the International Coalition of Girls' Schools. In this season, we’re looking more closely at agency. How can adults nurture confidence in girls about their own actions and decisions, while allowing them to experiment, evolve, and sometimes fail? Take a listen to find out. International Coalition for Girls Schools · https://rebeccasparrow.com/about/ · https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-sparrow-writer/?originalSubdomain=au · https://girlsleadership.org/about/ · National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Participating in school sports and physical activities is proven to boost confidence, resilience, and the ability to work as part of a team. These benefits extend beyond childhood into adults’ professions and relationships, making a positive difference in almost every aspect of life.



But the UN reports that girls drop out of sports in adolescence at twice the rate of boys. There are a multitude of reasons for this, including social expectations, stereotypes, and a lack of investment in quality athletic programmes. We know that the biggest predictor of sport participation for a girl is her own perceived competence. So what can adults do with this knowledge, to give girls a fair chance?

This episode’s guest, Dr. Nicole LaVoi, offers hope. She shares research-driven strategies to improve access and opportunity for girls. Girls love sport – and if you give them the opportunity, they will play.



Dr. Nicole LaVoi is the Director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, and a faculty member in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota in the US. She has co-produced three Emmy-nominated documentaries on female athletes, hosts a podcast, regularly conducts workshops and talks, publishes prolifically, and was a student athlete herself.

The Connected Girl is a podcast series produced by the International Coalition of Girls' Schools and hosted by Trudy Hall. In this season, we’re looking at how the adults in girls' lives can nurture agency – the confidence and capacity to act – while allowing girls to evolve, experiment, tolerate discomfort, and sometimes fail. The sporting realm is a perfect place to flex these muscles. Listen to find out why. International Coalition for Girls Schools · Coaching Her · Dr Nicole LaVoi’s website  · Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport  Developing Physically Active Girls: An Evidence-Based Multidisciplinary Approach  · Five things to know about women and sport (UN) · Why being a female athlete sucks (Youtube interview)  · Facts and figures: Women in Sport (UN) · World’s Highest Paid Athletes (Forbes) · UNESCO Report: Women and girls’ access to sport still lagging far behind  · Women’s sports media coverage is booming. Here’s how it can grow even faster (Parity)  · Physical activity key facts (WHO)  · Science says when kids participate in team-based extracurricular activities, they have better mental health (University of British Columbia)   · Salugenology: Why humans require hobbies with Julia Hotz (Ologies Podcast)

In this new season of The Connected Girl, a podcast series curated by the International Coalition of Girls Schools, we’re exploring agency. The idea that girls have the ability to own their own decisions and their own directions in life.

Why does this matter? And how can the adults around girls help them build confidence while giving them space to experiment, evolve, and sometimes fail?

Exploring 4 key spaces where girls show up – sport, community and family, school and home, expert guests Dr Nicole LaVoi, Rebecca Sparrow, Dr Stephen P Hinshaw and Dr Katie Hurley help us unpack the dynamics and nuances impacting girls most deeply today.

Subscribe now so you don’t miss this season. National Coalition of Girls' Schools