Press Releases

ASHEVILLE, NC – Middle school is a time of exciting new experiences and profound changes in the brains, bodies and emotions of children. It’s one of the most crucial periods in a human life, when one begins to develop a sense of self and to figure out how one relates to the world.

For a girl especially, those three to four short years are when she begins to find her voice and lay the foundation of self confidence that will help her create happiness and a quality of life throughout adulthood.

The new book, “A PRECIOUS WINDOW OF TIME: A MANUAL FOR TEACHING AND NURTURING MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS” (Lobster-Books, published 2008), focuses on the unique needs and gifts of middle school girls and ways to foster healthy development during those fertile years.

Written by educator Howard Hanger and developmental psychologist Vicki Garlock, the book combines theory with the real-life experiences of students and teachers at Hanger Hall School for Girls in Asheville, N.C., and other single-gender middle schools across the country. 

Rather than focus on the problems of this age, the book concentrates on the many gifts of girls this age and the unique place in life in which they find themselves. The book’s 10 chapters provide an animated discussion on a range of topics including creating community, thinking about thinking, the social scene and social skills, dealing with feelings, exploration and academics.

Though directed primarily at parents and teachers of middle school girls, the book is a valuable resource for anyone who is involved in group leadership, athletics, dance or music instruction with middle school girls. 

“A PRECIOUS WINDOW OF TIME” is available online at www.howardhanger.com and at bookstores everywhere.