The Bishop Strachan School in Toronto has a big slogan to live up to. It says that 'girls can do anything'. Principal Kim Gordon said there were several strategies to ensure girls believed this. From as young as four, they were exposed to science and design technology as well as spacial activities such as construction. Sport was also encouraged. 'Girls have great fine motor skills, but the large motor skills need to be developed,' Ms Gordon said. 'You need to get them into sport early in life. 'Also I've looked into research into girls and sport and those who have successful university and postgraduate careers were all sportswomen. 'Not every girl is a soccer player so we have a wide variety of sports on offer - this year we introduced archery.' Girls thrived in a warm learning environment. 'Girls attach more emotion to learning than boys,' she said. 'They need to like the teacher and love the subject.' The school has also adapted its own curriculum. 'We have written our own textbooks for grades seven and eight in maths to be girl friendly,' she said. There were more group problem-solving activities. 'One of the things we do is take them on a maths trail in the city, so you look at the architecture of buildings or a sculpture on the corner of one of the city streets and you take in the mathematics of it.' As in Hong Kong girls' schools, female students are encouraged to take up leadership roles and take risks, preparing them for competition in society.
