Rosalind Wiseman Connects with STS Students
Recently, STS welcomed Ms. Rosalind Wiseman as one of this year’s Experts in Education speakers. Ms. Wiseman is a teacher, thought leader, author, and media spokesperson on bullying, ethical leadership, the use of social media, and media literacy. She is a highly sought after speaker and is in constant dialogue and collaboration with educators, parents, children, and teens.
Ms. Wiseman is the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World, the best-selling book that was the basis for the movie Mean Girls. Ms. Wiseman’s other book is the New York Times best seller, Masterminds & Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World, which addresses the social lives of boys and was awarded Best Parenting Book by Books for a Better Life in 2014.
During the school day on Tuesday, September 26 and Wednesday, September 27, Ms. Wiseman presented to three separate student audiences: upper Elementary School, Middle School and Senior School. She spoke to students about their relationships with one another, and how we interact and communicate with the people in our lives. She provided practical advice on dealing with conflict and conveyed a deep understanding of the pressures and challenges facing young people, particularly in light of the pervasive use of social media in our society today. Our students found Ms. Wiseman’s honest and caring approach both refreshing and engaging. Students across all three divisions commented that Ms. Wiseman genuinely understands the social dynamics of their age group, which gave her presentations an authenticity that students very much respected.
Prior to her student presentations, Ms. Wiseman also took the time to meet with small groups of students to listen to their observations and experiences with respect to their social world at school and the relationships they engage in. Students immediately felt a sense of connection to and respect for Ms. Wiseman because of her genuine concern for young people. It was clear to our students that Ms. Wiseman was not going to make assumptions about them or their experiences, but rather was prepared to listen and learn from them in order to better understand and serve their needs as well as the needs of our student body as a whole.
On the evening of Tuesday, September 26, Ms. Wiseman spoke to a large group of parents and educators and she was similarly well received. Parents found her to be upfront and realistic in her characterization of teen behaviour and relationships. She offered practical advice to parents in order to help them better support their children in navigating their complex and high pressure social worlds.