The Center for the Study of Boys’ and Girls’ Lives is devoted to understanding and improving the lives of young people. We know that it takes more than a strong academic curriculum to produce fulfilled, enriched and happy young men and women. We can help to optimize your students’ experiences to make your school a more attractive option for both students and parents.
Request an Audit for an objective, outside inquiry to help you identify the elements in your school and curriculum that are working well — and turn them into best practices — as well as the opportunities for improvement.
What is an Audit?
Benefiting from the experience of our founding schools, CSBGL has created a consultative process for other schools wishing to gain more insight into their programming for boys and girls. The Audit consists of a menu of services designed to mobilize a school's self-awareness and enhance its practice. Each school works with a customized protocol that serves to guide an examination of practices that, altogether, constitute a barometer of its impact on the lives of its boys and/or girls.
The goal of the Audit is to observe where in a school’s life students flourish, learn and grow, finding freedom, challenge, inspiration and relationship. Long-time observers of boys and girls in schools, Audit staff will also help schools notice where boys and girls find themselves constrained or subjected to distorting pressures. Upon completion of the Audit, it is hoped that many schools will choose to join with other CSBGL schools for an ongoing conversation about best practices in boys’ and girls’ education.
What does an Audit include?
- Student surveys to gauge boys’ and/or girls’ attitudes and well-being on standardized scales
- Faculty Surveys to elicit shared perceptions and beliefs
- Presentations and Workshops to orient and motivate staff, as well as other constituencies
- A Self-Study Protocol to guide an internal team in their articulation of current gender curricula
- Interviews with individual students to deepen understanding of particular students’ experiences
- Focus Groups and Observations to offer an independent opportunity for feedback from students, faculty or parents
- Outcome Audit to create a statistical portrait of educational and behavioral outcomes
- Summary Report to provide overall commendations and recommendations
- Follow-Up Opportunities include participation in the CSBGL network, including participation in ongoing services such as website resources, workshops and conferences
What participating schools have said about the Audit
“Without question, this year-long exercise has had a positive impact on the ways we reach and teach the boys in our care.” Christopher Brueningsen, Headmaster, The Kiski School, Saltzburg, PA
“Our work with CSBGL has prompted us to ask the questions and do the things necessary to better understand our boys and our girls and the context of their impact on each other. As a result, more of our students are thriving." Steven S. Piltch, Ed.D., Head, The Shipley School, Bryn Mawr, PA
Audit costs and time
Recognizing that each school has its own particular balance of needs, resources and priorities, the Audit is customized in negotiation with the school. Generally, schools should expect to commit to a year-long process, support of an internal leadership team and several visits by Audit staff. Costs include data collection, analysis, consultation visits and report writing, depending upon the comprehensiveness of the particular protocol selected.
Contact CSBGL For More Information
Michael Reichert, Executive Director (610) 667-9503 e-mail: mreichert@csbgl.org