Teen girls from urban backgrounds often display challenging attitudes as defense mechanisms to hide the pain or trauma that has impacted their lives. Girls in pain are often misunderstood as simply “troublemakers,” without unpacking the root causes of the behaviors.

Objectives:

• To define attitude and how it relates to teen girls from urban backgrounds To explore how self-esteem impacts teen girl
• To explore the correlation of stress and poverty affects teen girls
• To explore negative self-talk and negative thinking of teen girls
• To examine internal and external factors in today’s society
• To explore the attitudes of professionals and how they could impact teen girls
• To discuss strategies that administrators, social workers, and counselors can use to help teen girls

Presenter:

Angela Gray, MSW, EDs

I am a School Social Worker of seventeen years for the Alton School District at Alton High School. I am also the Executive Director of Empowered 2b Me, an educational consulting organization. I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social work with a Specialization in School Social work. In 2014, I obtained a Specialist degree in Education Administration. I have extensive knowledge of working with students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. In addition, I have knowledge of working with at-risk students, especially female students.

I am an author of two books to help teen girls overcome negative attitudes, “Help! I Have an Attitude Problem! A Self-Help Book and Journal to Help Teen Girls Overcome Negative Attitudes” and Check that Attitude!”, a book designed to provide strategies for educators when dealing with girls with negative attitudes.