Girls Preparatory School announces nationally renowned speaker and multiple New York Times best-selling author, Rosalind Wiseman, is coming to their campus as part of the GPS Presents Speaker Series.
"As a teacher, thought leader and founder of Cultures of Dignity, Ms. Wiseman encourages real dialogue in times of conflict—a tall order in our often polarized culture," officials said. "Working with tens of thousands of students, educators, parents, counselors, coaches and administrators across the country, Ms. Wiseman offers proven tactics on how to best navigate civil discourse. She notes the ill-advised handling of confrontation through snarky comments online rather than face-to-face; or the idea that our right to express ourselves—often anonymously—is more important than our right to treat others with consideration. In doing so, Ms. Wiseman addresses some of the most pressing issues facing adolescents, such as cyberbullying and alarming rates of anxiety and depression, and offers suggestions on how adults who know and love teens can create a culture that best supports and uplifts them, while modeling that behavior themselves."
“We are thrilled to welcome a speaker of Ms. Wiseman’s caliber to our campus,” says Dr. Autumn A. Graves, GPS head of school. “We are optimistic that her insights will foster meaningful dialogue not only on our campus but also throughout the Chattanooga community.”
Ms. Wiseman’s presentation, which is free and open to the public, will be held Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m. in GPS Frierson Theatre. She will explore topics such as creating cultures of dignity, encouraging bystander courage and fostering community. Due to anticipated large crowds, guests are encouraged to register here.
On Friday, March 8, at 7:30 a.m., Ms. Wiseman will again present in Frierson Theatre to GPS faculty and invited area educators on how to help students in moments of discomfort, while not shutting down discourse or the exchange of ideas. Ms. Wiseman will then give a special presentation to GPS students, tailoring her presentation specifically to topics most relevant to middle and upper school girls.
A trusted resource on ethical leadership, media literacy, bullying prevention and more, Ms. Wiseman is a frequent guest on the Today show, Anderson Cooper 360, CNN, Good Morning America and NPR affiliates throughout the country, and is often published in The New York Times, TIME and The Washington Post.
Ms. Wiseman is the author of the flexible, dynamic curriculum Owning Up: Empowering Adolescents to Confront Social Cruelty, Bullying and Injustice, which she and her team teach in schools across the country. She is also well known for her The New York Times best-selling book Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends and the New Realities of Girl World, which was the basis for the movie and Broadway musical Mean Girls. For the boys, she wrote Masterminds & Wingmen, and also penned The Guide, with the help of teen boys around the country.