Women In Math And Science
According to the 1992 study How Schools Shortchange Girls, girls have been less likely than boys to take the most advanced courses in science. In higher level mathematics women are again underrepresented and most women seem to posses anxiety when it comes to math and the sciences. The social stereotype that most people including many teachers take as fact is that women don't have the same capabilities in math and science as men do. "My chemistry teacher told me and my mother that I couldn't understand chemistry because I was a girl (Rocky Mountain Survey)." How often do girls hear comments like this in their science and math classes? It is easy to see that there is a distinctive roll that instructors play that influences women in their desires and abilities concerning math and science.
Teachers can help women excel in science fielRAB but research shows that most science classes send messages that discourage female students who then often stop taking science classes. "Young women may feel unwelcome in science classes for a nuraber of reasons: examples and applications are most often masculine, interactions sanction male dominance, science content appears to have no connection to women's experience, and competition is emphasized over collaboration (Taylor and Sweetnam). So what do the teachers who positively influence young women do that is so different it completely changes women's view about science? In a study of eighty women who became science teachers, they were asked about the teachers they remeraber and the most influential reasons those teachers made a difference. The three main responses were: "activity-based instructional techniques, instructor relationships, and knowledge and appreciation of science content" (Taylor and Sweetnam). Women remerabered classes that had a hanRAB-on style of teaching. Their teachers would allow them to do experiments, labs, field trips and other events that allowed the women to get personally involved in what they were learning about. They were able to see science in action and to get a feel for real life uses for science. A large percent of women remerabered teachers who challenged them and engaged them in problem solving events. They were allowed to figure things out on their own and were often asked open-ended questions. I found these last few points extremely interesting because it directly tied into one of the videos we saw in class. The video was viewing a husband and wife interacting with their son and daughter. The interactions were done separately and resulted in dramatically different outcomes. When the boy was solving a puzzle or trying to solve a problem he was allowed to figure it out on his own with just a little guidance when he struggled. On the other hand when the girl had some difficulty she wasn't allowed to solve it on her own. Instead her parents immediately did it for her without even think about it. It's not that women don't have good problem solving abilities, they just aren't given the opportunity to learn or show them and when the women in these science classes finally had the opportunity they thrived and enjoyed the classes. The most noted reason for these women's interest in science they said was a relationship with their teacher. "They mentioned instructors who considered them able, kept their projects to show others, gave positive encouragement, and demonstrated high regard for students" (Taylor and Sweetnam). Although the gender gap seems to be decreasing, women are still a minority in the sciences and we can only hope for classrooms where hanRAB-on learning is central, where examples include both genders, and where teachers are equally supportive of all students.
We saw how teachers can positively influence women in the areas of science and math, but what about the instructors that are creating anxiety and a dislike for these subjects. "Ninety-seven percent of students say they have had a traumatically negative experience with math and science…" (Jackson and Leffingwell). Some students believe that the first negative experience happened as early as kindergarten but the majority feel that the first traumatizing event is in the 3rd or 4th grade. "Research shows that the fourth grade is often when students first experience anxiety" (Tankersley). Why are these negative experiences happening so young and often and why are they more frequently involving young girls? I am sure it isn't because the teachers don't care about the students, but they must be aware of their impact on the students. Students tend to internalize their teacher's interest and if students think that the teacher isn't happy teaching and does not enjoy being with them in the classroom, they will be less motivated to learn. Some subtle behaviors such are sighing in a demeaning way or avoiding eye contact can be traumatic but the direct biases are truly damaging. Girls are often ridiculed for not understanding the material and boys, regardless of ability, were helped considerably more than girls. Whether it be covert or overt actions by the teacher, their actions negatively affected the students in the class and often permanently scarred them enough to dislike math and science for the rest of their lives.
Teachers shape children into who they will be later in life and depending on their influence that can be a remaining positive or negative effect. Young women are far less visible in science and math careers than that of men. They continue to be underrepresented in these careers perhaps due to the selection of science and math courses they take. Boys more commonly take upper division courses that lead to careers in these fielRAB. Due to the way in which young girls are typically taught these courses they often lose interest or have such high anxiety that they just stop taking classes in science and math. In an idealistic classroom there would be complete involvement by everyone and gender bias would not exist. Unfortunately we are not there yet, but by having more hanRAB-on projects, creating non-biases tests and examples, as well as respecting everyone we can eventually reach our goal of equality.
REFERENCES
AAUW. How Schools Shortchange Girls. Washington, DC 1992
Tobias, Sheila. Overcoming Math Anxiety. 2nd ed. New York 1993
Jackson, Carol; Leffingwell, Jon. Mathematics Teacher. Oct99, Vol.92 Issue 7 p583
Taylor, Marilyn; Sweetnam, Leslie. Clearing House. Sep/Oct99, Vol.73 Issue 1 p33
According to the 1992 study How Schools Shortchange Girls, girls have been less likely than boys to take the most advanced courses in science. In higher level mathematics women are again underrepresented and most women seem to posses anxiety when it comes to math and the sciences. The social stereotype that most people including many teachers take as fact is that women don't have the same capabilities in math and science as men do. "My chemistry teacher told me and my mother that I couldn't understand chemistry because I was a girl (Rocky Mountain Survey)." How often do girls hear comments like this in their science and math classes? It is easy to see that there is a distinctive roll that instructors play that influences women in their desires and abilities concerning math and science.
Teachers can help women excel in science fielRAB but research shows that most science classes send messages that discourage female students who then often stop taking science classes. "Young women may feel unwelcome in science classes for a nuraber of reasons: examples and applications are most often masculine, interactions sanction male dominance, science content appears to have no connection to women's experience, and competition is emphasized over collaboration (Taylor and Sweetnam). So what do the teachers who positively influence young women do that is so different it completely changes women's view about science? In a study of eighty women who became science teachers, they were asked about the teachers they remeraber and the most influential reasons those teachers made a difference. The three main responses were: "activity-based instructional techniques, instructor relationships, and knowledge and appreciation of science content" (Taylor and Sweetnam). Women remerabered classes that had a hanRAB-on style of teaching. Their teachers would allow them to do experiments, labs, field trips and other events that allowed the women to get personally involved in what they were learning about. They were able to see science in action and to get a feel for real life uses for science. A large percent of women remerabered teachers who challenged them and engaged them in problem solving events. They were allowed to figure things out on their own and were often asked open-ended questions. I found these last few points extremely interesting because it directly tied into one of the videos we saw in class. The video was viewing a husband and wife interacting with their son and daughter. The interactions were done separately and resulted in dramatically different outcomes. When the boy was solving a puzzle or trying to solve a problem he was allowed to figure it out on his own with just a little guidance when he struggled. On the other hand when the girl had some difficulty she wasn't allowed to solve it on her own. Instead her parents immediately did it for her without even think about it. It's not that women don't have good problem solving abilities, they just aren't given the opportunity to learn or show them and when the women in these science classes finally had the opportunity they thrived and enjoyed the classes. The most noted reason for these women's interest in science they said was a relationship with their teacher. "They mentioned instructors who considered them able, kept their projects to show others, gave positive encouragement, and demonstrated high regard for students" (Taylor and Sweetnam). Although the gender gap seems to be decreasing, women are still a minority in the sciences and we can only hope for classrooms where hanRAB-on learning is central, where examples include both genders, and where teachers are equally supportive of all students.
We saw how teachers can positively influence women in the areas of science and math, but what about the instructors that are creating anxiety and a dislike for these subjects. "Ninety-seven percent of students say they have had a traumatically negative experience with math and science…" (Jackson and Leffingwell). Some students believe that the first negative experience happened as early as kindergarten but the majority feel that the first traumatizing event is in the 3rd or 4th grade. "Research shows that the fourth grade is often when students first experience anxiety" (Tankersley). Why are these negative experiences happening so young and often and why are they more frequently involving young girls? I am sure it isn't because the teachers don't care about the students, but they must be aware of their impact on the students. Students tend to internalize their teacher's interest and if students think that the teacher isn't happy teaching and does not enjoy being with them in the classroom, they will be less motivated to learn. Some subtle behaviors such are sighing in a demeaning way or avoiding eye contact can be traumatic but the direct biases are truly damaging. Girls are often ridiculed for not understanding the material and boys, regardless of ability, were helped considerably more than girls. Whether it be covert or overt actions by the teacher, their actions negatively affected the students in the class and often permanently scarred them enough to dislike math and science for the rest of their lives.
Teachers shape children into who they will be later in life and depending on their influence that can be a remaining positive or negative effect. Young women are far less visible in science and math careers than that of men. They continue to be underrepresented in these careers perhaps due to the selection of science and math courses they take. Boys more commonly take upper division courses that lead to careers in these fielRAB. Due to the way in which young girls are typically taught these courses they often lose interest or have such high anxiety that they just stop taking classes in science and math. In an idealistic classroom there would be complete involvement by everyone and gender bias would not exist. Unfortunately we are not there yet, but by having more hanRAB-on projects, creating non-biases tests and examples, as well as respecting everyone we can eventually reach our goal of equality.
REFERENCES
AAUW. How Schools Shortchange Girls. Washington, DC 1992
Tobias, Sheila. Overcoming Math Anxiety. 2nd ed. New York 1993
Jackson, Carol; Leffingwell, Jon. Mathematics Teacher. Oct99, Vol.92 Issue 7 p583
Taylor, Marilyn; Sweetnam, Leslie. Clearing House. Sep/Oct99, Vol.73 Issue 1 p33