Girls & Math

 

Why Is Mathematics Important?

Mathematics is important in its own right as a vital language for science. Unfortunately, mathematics courses also often serve as a filter, shunting students away from courses in science or engineering. Confidence built or lost in mathematics carries over to affect girls' attitudes in science and engineering as well.

 

Ideas For Teaching Mathematics To Girls

Many general ideas for teaching methods can be found on the Classroom Climate page. In addition, consider:
 

• Instead of moving from abstraction to application, begin with applications. COMAP (see below) is an excellent resource for mathematical applications in all fields.
   
• Collaboration. Allow girls to work together. By allowing them to share their ideas, they will cement their understanding of the material.
   
• Connection. Show the connections between different areas of mathematics, and also the connections between the mathematics and the girls' lives.
   
• Confidence and competence. Build students' confidence by showing where they have become competent. Don't rush on to the next topic. Let them experience success.

 

Resources
 

Books:

• Math Equals gives great biographies of women mathematicians and resources suggesting how to use them in your classroom.

 

• COMAP, the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications, has an excellent web site and is a fantastic publisher of books that show how mathematics connects to the real world.

 

• Mathematics: A Human Endeavor, by Harold Jacobs, shows how even the most abstract math can be made concrete and connected.

 

• Joann Deak has written a lot of wonderful stuff about girls in math (and in education in general).

 

On the Web:

• The Math Forum's site on equity and women is an excellent, but again somewhat out-of-date, collection of links. A good starting place.

 

• A great newspaper article illustrating connected learning shows that this technique developed with girls in mind can help boys too.
  

 

Activities:

• HiMCM mathematical modeling competition (encourages students to work together and shows them ways math can be useful in the real world).

   

• The Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival and Problem Solving Challenge are events designed to introduce students to deeper mathematics while emphasizing collaboration over competition, supporting multiple definitions of success.

   

• The Math Forum's tips for engaging girls by incorporating Problems of the Week in the math classroom.