Dr. Ring and Upper School Girls Discuss the Importance of Practicing How to Have Challenging Conversations

Through R.E.A.L. discussions and civil discourse, we guide girls in grades 3-12 to build resilience, navigate challenges, and engage in meaningful conversations with others who may have different perspectives. Head of School Dr. Kristen Ring, Hailey Litzsey ’25, and Malie Youngblood ’28 appeared on Live at 9 to discuss how building these skills benefits our girls.

“It is critically important that part of our mission is ensuring that our girls have a voice and they use it effectively… but that has to be taught and it has to be taught with great intentionality,” Dr. Ring said. “We want our girls to go off into the world and be able to engage in challenging discussions that are nuanced and can involve folks with different perspectives and viewpoints, and be able to confidently engage in that conversation.”

In grades 3-8, girls begin leading R.E.A.L. discussions (an acronym for four key discussion skills—relate, excerpt, ask, and listen), which allows girls to share and hear diverse viewpoints in class discussions. When they reach upper school, students attend civil discourse seminars focusing on key conversational skills like extending empathy, cultivating curiosity, and braving controversy. A key aspect of these seminars is that the girls get to actively practice having these conversations with their peers in a safe and supportive environment.

These experiences equip our girls with critical thinking and communication skills, preparing them for respectful and thoughtful dialogue both within their community and in future settings like college and beyond.

The reality is, tough conversations are an important part of growth and development. By offering a nurturing environment for this, our girls will be able to engage in these discussions with kindness and care.

“This is something that happens in everyday life. You have conversations with people every day, and you’re going to need these skills. Why not learn early?” Malie said.

You can watch the full interview below.