As a woman, I find it difficult to see girls my age struggling with mathematics, because math has also come so easy to me. I always think to myself, Why can they not understand it? What is the problem? I think you have to be a mathematically inclined learner, and at a young age in school, teachers need to encourage students. Into teenage years, it is apparent that girls need extra encouragement to enjoy mathematics, because males seem to like mathematics as it gets higher. I have listed a few strategies in my research of how to get females more involved in mathematics.
It is proven by many sources that girls in high school struggle in mathematics more than boys. According to the book What Successful Math Teachers Do, Grades 6-12, written by Alfred Posamentier, "Girls tend to attribute failure in mathematics to low ability and bad luck, and they tend to attribute success in mathematics to high ability. Also, girls are more than likely to hide their papers after failure and to have less pride in their successes." In order to counterstrike this generalization, teachers need to teach the girls how to analyze their failures, or incorrect answers, by comparing a successful test to an unsuccessful test. What strategies made the girls do well on the first test, but not as well on the second? Then, have the girls practice successful strategies to overcome the failing strategies, so they are more confident about upcoming math tests. For example, if a girl is taking a test in mathematics, on two separate topics, three weeks apart, then as a teacher I will analyze the conditions of each test. Some factors I would consider would be time of tests, seating of tests, neighbors during tests, distractions during test, grades, and amount of time/homework done before tests. Then, I will sit down with the girl, and tell her how to have more successful tests, such as sitting in the middle of the room, around girls, taking the test on a Thursday, instead of a Monday, complete quiet, and make sure there are homework checks to have all homework done.
Beyond self confidence, boys play a huge role in affect girls' confidence in mathematics. Girls tend to be interested in more than one subject, such as all school subjects, whereas boys are more narrow minded and focus on one, such as history or mathematics.Also, boys in grades 6-12 show greater confidence in their ability to do mathematics than females. However, how can we as teachers get girls to focus on mathematics? Should we split the classes, girls from boys, and promote gender differences? Or should teachers promote mixed genders and teach girls how to learn along with boys, without feeling lesser of a student. As a teacher, I will mix my students, but however, pay special attention to girls who may be struggling. Let me be a bit more specific, I will not baby the girls, and spoon feed them mathematics, I will give them opportunities to be more confident in their abilities. For example, if students from younger grades are struggling in math classes and they need a tutor, I will give the opportunity for a girl to take on the leadership role. Teachers need to make special efforts to encourage girls to study mathematics.
Teachers also need to use different motivational strategies for girls and boys. Boys become much more easily motivated in mathematics because of their narrow minded interest. However, girls need help relating math to other areas of study, in order to see the wide range of topics. To teach girls math, teachers should be able to relate equations to areas where they are used, for example, the quadratic equation to the golden section, or other parts of art or architecture. Teachers could connect mathematical structures to music, such as Bach's music, or even a contemporary style. It is also important to relate famous mathematicians to philosophy and history, in order to see that all people that are good at mathematics have other interests as well.
References from :
What successful Math Teachers Do, Grades 6-12 by Alfred Posamentier, Daniel Jaye
Tips for the Mathematics Teacher, by Alfred Posamentier, Hope Hartman, Constanze Kaiser
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07329/836652-53.stm
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