Facilitating Smart-Girl: Feminist Pedagogy in Service Learning in Action

by Rhonda Williams and Abby L. Ferber

This article describes a service learning program, employed at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, which is a replicable model of feminist pedagogy in action. This unique program was specifi- cally developed to increase self-esteem in adolescent girls and involves mentor-led, small-group, activity-based curriculum covering such topics as media and body image, self-confidence, coping with girl bullying, problem solving, refusal skills, sexual harassment, and multicultural competency. College women serve as mentors for groups of middle school girls. The Smart-Girl program incorporates an interactive pedagogy instructing mentors in facilitating adolescent girl groups in real-life issues. The program has a significant impact on both the participants as well as the college guides. This program provides a replicable model of feminist pedagogy in action, where girls and young adult women are empowered to learn from each other.