I just read this article What stops girls from learning math? and it gave me chills. I can remember being 1 of only 3 girls in my high school calculus class, always feeling like the boys were all that mattered, and never even considering a major in math. Don't get me wrong, my math teacher was a nice guy. But, when I earned the highest grade he complemented me by stating that he could not believe the highest score did not belong to John (guy in my class).
I do remember having female math teachers however, so I knew girls could be good at math. But, what I don't remember is ever being asked what I wanted to do or having someone say "Hey, you're really good at math. You should consider these careers." I never talked to a counselor at all.
As a teacher, I obviously try to be a good role model for my students. However, even that is not enough. I have to work hard to encourage all my students to persevere in mathematics. I get frustrated when parents tell their children they were bad at math- as if it is hereditary. The fact is, my parents were not good at math and never took Algebra. I had to work hard on my own. If I had struggled, I would have had no one to help me. That would have been an excuse I suppose. But now, there are classes to help "at-risk" students, mentor tutors, after school tutors, and help via the Internet. Finally, I believe that most teachers are better trained to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of most students.
So, while the opportunities are growing for all students, I really hope that the perspectives are changing fast enough to reflect the need for women in math and science fields. We must give young ladies the opportunity to know how math and science are used in today's jobs so they do not just envision a lab coat and thick glasses. We need role models in math and science careers to come speak at schools. Educators need to be careful to avoid gender stereotyping and recognize that was is good for the goose is equally as good for the gander!
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