Ninety-one years of tradition cannot be ignored — but neither can new,
progressive approaches to education.
Although Bay Area students might be tempted to classify all-girls schools as one
category, the eras when such schools were founded fundamentally affect the
schools' philosophies.
Two all-girls schools in the Bay Area, Castilleja School
and The Girls' Middle School, are examples of these differences. Castilleja
School, in Palo Alto, was established in 1907. By contrast, The Girls' Middle
School (GMS), established in 1998 in Mountain View, has only an eight-year
history. The difference of 91 years creates a vast disparity between the two
schools in their educational philosophies, approaches to learning and values of
tradition.
In both schools, the concept of single-sex education allows young women to
discover themselves and mature without some of the distractions of co-ed
schools. Both schools aim to provide an atmosphere in which girls can take risks
intellectually in a small setting. "The small size of all-girls schools
increases personal attention, which is mostly a good thing," said Anne Cameron,
head of the middle school at Castilleja. Her former colleague at Castilleja
agreed.
"The all-girls atmosphere allows girls to ask questions that they can't ask in
co-ed schools," said Deb Hof, former dean of students at Castilleja and current
head of school at GMS. But the similarities end there.
Castilleja was founded during the Progressive Era, while GMS was founded during
the dot-com boom in Silicon Valley. As a result, Castilleja takes a more
traditional approach to education, while GMS approaches education in a more
experimental way. According to Heather Allen Pang, coordinator of the Castilleja
archives, more private schools were established during the Progressive Era in
order to bolster West Coast education. David Starr Jordan, the first president
of Stanford University, urged Mary Ishbel Lockey, the founder of Castilleja, to
establish an all-girls school in order to prepare young women for Stanford
University. Castilleja's motto, "Women Learning, Women Leading," demonstrates
that the school is dedicated to developing all aspects of young women.
Castilleja's nearly 100-year history has led to the many traditions for which
the school is famous. An opening tie ceremony begins each school year, the
rivalry between the juniors and seniors is a highlight every spring, and "Cookie
Days" are synonymous with Thursdays. "Traditions allow students to feel the
rhythm of the school year," Cameron said.
Castilleja honors its history of tradition so much that it has to be considered
before any change can be instituted within the school.
"We always have to ask ourselves, 'We have a really good program here. How can
it be even better? And if it is better, will it change?'" Cameron said.
Castilleja blends tradition with innovation. "When something has been done for a
long and successful time, it's hard to change. But sometimes a change could
make for a really good thing. Some schools can be stuck in their ways, but I
don't think Castilleja is," Cameron said. Castilleja gradually changes the
school curriculum to reflect the changes in society.
Some traditions, such as the Maypole dance – a traditional folk dance where girls dance with ribbons
around a pole during May Day celebrations – have been abandoned as society has
changed. Cameron cites the school's recent shift in focus to global awareness as
an example of its progressiveness. Two years ago, Castilleja began holding a
Global Week each January to educate students on global warming. At GMS, however,
the lack of tradition has benefits and drawbacks.
"The lack of tradition can cause a lack of feeling of camaraderie within the
school," Hof said.
Though traditions provide a sense of comfort in the school, Hof said, not having
them allows for more freedom and experimental learning. The school is slowly
building traditions, such as the eighth-grade graduation during which each class
member speaks, and the annual sixth-grade camping trip. Moreover, the GMS
student population is a reflection of the cultural and socioeconomic diversity
of Silicon Valley. Forty-six percent of GMS students are people of color, and
20 percent of those students are on full scholarship. "We want to meet the needs
of kids who are the first generation of their families to receive an education,"
Hof said.
The structures of the two schools affect their atmospheres and philosophies as
well. Castilleja offers education to sixth through 12th grades, while GMS
concentrates solely on the middle school years. For GMS, the narrower focus
allows more freedom for their curriculum.
"These three years are when girls really grow from little girls to young women,"
Hof said. "The fact that we are a stand-alone middle school shows that we are
not a feeder into a high school." Hof said the lack of influence from
high-schoolers on the same campus allows the middle-schoolers not to be "taught
down."
For Castilleja, however, the mix of high schoolers and middle-schoolers at the
same campus allows the older students to mentor their younger counterparts.
Programs such as Teaching Assistants and Peer Tutoring allow high-schoolers to
impart their knowledge to others. Not only do students from a wider range of
ages learn from one another, they also create long-lasting friendships.
Courtney Yin, a Castilleja 2003 alumna, said, "My seven years at an all-girls school have
left me with friendships that will last a lifetime. I can safely say that the
bond we formed at Castilleja is more enduring than any of the friendships I have
made in college and will probably ever make. For that reason alone, I wouldn't
trade my experience for anything."
The schools' different curricula also lead to differences between the schools. Castilleja requires its students to take
classes in English, history, mathematics, visual and performing arts, modern and
classical language, science, physical education, and health and wellness.
"We require a lot from students at Castilleja, and they learn from every venue.
The girl who has never danced before has a chance. Some girls discover that
they can draw really well; others discover that they can sing," Cameron said.
In contrast, GMS allows for more experimental, hands-on learning with a less
traditional approach to education. "We are different because we were never a
finishing school," Hof said. The GMS curriculum reflects the culture of Silicon
Valley. Students learn to run a business and build a bridge during their
seventh-grade year.
The school also focuses on group work: Students work in pods throughout their
time at GMS. There are no letter grades, a policy that school officials say
allows for more risk-taking from the students and more personal attention from
the school. There is no uniform. Students call their teachers by their first
names. "Our field trips are curricular," Hof said. "We let kids learn by
doing."
Many GMS alumni appreciate the hands-on opportunities the school offers,
especially its unique entrepreneurial program. The seventh-graders essentially
run a real business. They write a business plan, pitch it to a venture
capitalist, and find ways to fund and manufacture their product. In the process,
they experience the frustrations – and rewards – of running a business.
"The entrepreneurial program was very educational. I cannot believe that
seventh-graders were allowed to run a company. That was really cool," said
Kersten Schnurle, 18, a 2003 GMS graduate and a 2007 Castilleja graduate. "The
entrepreneurial program was really creative – now I want to start my own
business," said Monica Chen, a 2004 GMS graduate.
So how is the typical Castilleja student different from the typical GMS student?
According to Schnurle, the Castilleja student is generally more confident and
more leadership-oriented. But that can also create more stress on the
Castilleja campus. "In general, Castilleja students seem a lot more stressed-out
than GMS students. There isn't that, 'Oh man, I only got five hours of sleep'
mentality at GMS that there is at Castilleja," Schnurle said. But that may have
more to do with the age of students at GMS. "You can jump into stress when
you're older," Hof said. "The kids here are in eighth grade – they don't need
to worry about college yet." That's not to say GMS students are Castilleja
rejects.
"A different type of girl chooses us," Hof said. "GMS girls are more
intrinsically motivated. They want to learn but they want to get their hands
dirty as well." The students' young age also proves to be an advantage at times.
The school does not need to overcome the stereotype of all-girls schools as
"finishing schools." "Other schools have to break away from the white dresses
and white-gloves image of all-girls schools," Hof said.
For GMS, time may provide more resources. There is a possibility that the
school will move to a larger campus.
"Maybe I'm a perennial optimist, but I hope that someone will come along and
offer us what Castilleja girls have now," Hof said. "But the school is still so
young. You never know."