Where The Girls Aren T Analysis

Many feminists in the United States believe that gender-based discrimination and inequality exist in schools, homes, and workplaces. Studies in the late twentieth century showed that teachers from kindergarten to college level often treated boys and girls differently, steering boys toward mathematics and science and girls toward the humanities and social sciences. However, another study conducted in Denmark suggests that female students are less inclined to pursue the sciences,

In Jacoby’s essay, one of her main points is that girls and parents stereotype masculine and feminine knowledge. High school girls may believe that science and math is for boys, while English and the arts is for females. Math is seen as “too hard” and a “waste of time” to young girls, ultimately resulting in them announcing to their parents that they will not be taking math or science for their last years of high school. Jacoby argues that if girls were to say they will not be taking English anymore, parents would be horrified and that parents would be less sanguine about the decision if the girls were boys. She also believes adolescent girls fear unattractiveness and avoid being typed as “brains.”

Women have always been viewed as the weaker sex, and society will continue to view them that way unless they do something about it. In the essay “When Bright Girls Decide that Math is a Waste of time”, the author Susan Jacoby discusses the problems women steering clear of math and science subjects because of the traditional view of a woman. She focused on what causes high school girls to focus on arts courses instead of STEM courses and what are the effects of it on themselves. The underlying discrimination amongst boys and girls, stereotypical thinking of parents and teachers that girls are not good at math eventually decreases the self-confidence among girls to solve science and math problems.

When you send your children off in the morning to go to school, no matter what grade they are in whither it be elementary, junior high, or senior high, you expect that they will receive the best education that they can get. They should be asked challenging questions, encouraged and called upon to participate in class, they should also be given as much help as they need to secede by the teacher. However, this is most commonly not the case. Parents and the children themselves are unaware of what is going on because gender bias is not a noisy problem. Most people are unaware of the secret sexist lessons that occur every day in classrooms across the country. In this essay I will use two essay's from the reader:

51 percent of the United States is female but only 34.4 percent of doctors are women. While 90.4 percent of nurses are female (“Women in Medicine”; “Male Nurses Becoming”), the women who do become doctors earn an astounding 25 percent less than their male counterparts (Groves). These staggering figures are only a single piece in the larger overall lack of women in STEM, or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which has remained prevalent since the beginning of these fields. Although women are underrepresented in these STEM fields, this is not due to ineptitude, but instead it is a result of the force of societal stereotypes coupled with their wider range of abilities. The recent increase in women’s association with STEM seems

“It is early indeed that children show an awareness of the message that… females are generally less interesting and important than males are… The (often inadvertent) bearers of this message include parents, peers, and teachers.” (Lips, 1979, p. 128.) The absence of gender equity can be damaging to both males and females. Surprisingly most of the teachers and administrators are unaware of this problem. Organizations such as the American Association of University Women (“Gender equity,” 2003.) strive to create programs that will improve equality within schools. The purpose of this research paper is to identify gender equity issues in the classroom and explore strategies for teachers to incorporate equitable

While this bill undoubtedly aligned with the mission and purpose of women’s colleges, there remains an unbalanced amount of representation of women in STEM programs and careers. “Globally, women remain particularly behind in participation at elite institutions and in traditional ‘male’ fields of study including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM” (Renn, 2014, p. 3). While the very existence of women’s colleges asserts their right to belong within realms of higher education, the work towards equity and inclusion must take place in all facets of life. “Even where women outnumber men in undergraduate enrollments and enjoy full access to higher education, women’s institutions act symbolically to remind society that in many other domains of public and private life, gender equality remains elusive” (Renn, 2014, p. 125).

This report navigates the current state of STEM demographic in the country. It examines the reasons why there are less females undertaking STEM majors and gives recommendations on the problems. A brief history on STEM is outlined and the discussion follows with in depth analysis on the subject. STEM is a very critical education discipline with an importance in the economy of the country. Much as it is important, few students choose a career path in STEM. Although, there are more than 50% female students in Colleges and Universities, 12% take STEM related course. Why is this? This report is a compilation of empirical data collected in journals on the same subject explaining

There is empirical evidence to show that males do not like females to be clever in areas considered male. They think there is something strange about females who want to be scientists. (Fensham 2005. p.224). Keller (2002) postulates that maintaining gender differences may not be primarily due to teacher interactions but due to the behaviour of the schoolchildren themselves. This then reinforces the argument students themselves are forcing themselves into gender roles. Tobin (cited in Kahle 2005) states there is hidden invisibility of masculinity and dominance in science, in the masculine verbal bravado present and evident in science classrooms. By contrast, females lack science

The discovery of interests in school begins at a young age, “career aspirations based on individual aptitudes, interests, and values are formulated during adolescence and shape the academic choices that lead to the STEM career pipeline” (Wang 771). Girls may discover that they are interested in science or mathematics at an early age, but they are generally compared to their male counterparts, who are given more attention at a younger age to pursue careers in this field. This time frame is critical, if attention is not given and more concentration is placed, girls may lose interest or consideration in the subject, seeing that it has nothing to offer for them. Jill Bystydzienski asserts, “little attention is paid, however to girls’ engagements with engineering during early stages of decision making” (1-2). If young females were given personal interactions with a field, they can then decide if they have a further interest in the subject. With no introduction to the field in middle school or even high school, the girls do not really understand what they can do with the profession. Some may explore options on their own, and others may just bypass the opportunities that could await them, “young girls cannot possibly consider opportunities they do not know exist” (“Why STEM”). Even when interest is expressed by girls at a young age they still do not have as many resources to opportunities to learn more about the

Interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is thinning for women as they progress into higher levels. Women in grades 7-12 were surveyed to see if their interest in STEM fields were diminishing. According to Van Leuvan, this survey showed that there was a decline in interest as these girls progress through high school. Throughout middle school and junior high a love for mathematics can be developed. However, a loss of interest is present as soon as girls hit more demanding classes like calculus. Grades will highly diminished and a fear for comprehension of mathematics in the future will develope. According to the article “Women and Minorities in Engineering” a major outlook on success from students is their ability to understand calculus.

Men are led to think they need to have a career field in math and science making these subjects known as masculine. “In STEM fields, a masculine culture is a social and structural environment that confers a greater sense of belonging and ability to succeed to men than women” (Jiang). This quote is a notable example of how society just assumes that men belong and succeed more in STEM fields. “Fields are embedded within a larger societal system of gendered beliefs and values that encourage and reward masculine characteristics in men and feminine characteristics in women” (Eagly). Society has already planted the thought in our minds that STEM fields are macho.

From the research I have read while there is a disagreement on when and how much of a gender gap exists in math and science, there is definitely an equity issue that needs addressing. There seems to be an abundance of information about equity issues and as a future teacher I feel that it is important to examine these issues. If gender equity issues exist in today's’ classrooms why do they and what can be done to help correct it.

In comparison to other fields of study in education, the scope of gender in education can be classified as a relatively new domain to be explored in educational research, Hillary stated that “gender equality in

Riegle-Crumb and Moore (2013) found that females were underrepresented in the engineering course they studied. Although female students made up 50% of the enrollment at the high schools, they only comprised an average of 14% of course enrollees. Women in the classes shared similar academic backgrounds with their male classmates, but the women were more likely to have a parent who worked in engineering or a scientific field.