This intriguing report and companion video show how adolescent girls, regardless of their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or region of the country, use a common set of behavioral strategies to meet the challenges of middle school. Girls try out these behaviors in a vital but often-misunderstood identity-making process, shifting strategies to fit changing circumstances. No single strategy works all the time, and all have risks.

Enter the world of middle school and see how girls use different strategies to meet the competing demands of school, community, and peers. Learn how parents, administrators, and teachers can foster girls' growth by encouraging them to experiment with the full range of strategies.

Girls in the Middle links girls' success to school reforms like team teaching and cooperative learning, especially where these are used to address gender issues.
Reforms that match students with caring adults and confront such real student concerns as violence, pregnancy, and social norms benefit boys as well as girls.
 
This qualitative study, commissioned by the AAUW Educational Foundation, was conducted by Research for Action and written by Jody Cohen and Sukey Blanc, with Jolley Christman, Diane Brown, and Michelle Sims.

Report Summary (PDF)

Full Report (PDF)

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Questions? Comments? Please contact AAUW Research at foundation@aauw.org with any feedback or questions.

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