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Five tips for getting girls into STEM for good
The gender imbalance in STEM fields is well documented. The need for more women in physics, engineering and computer science-related professions – for example – is being pushed by universities, industry and, in this election cycle at least, politicians.
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Okay, I’m not a teacher, just a parent who works in a school, but a couple of these points were spoketo me.
Not in numerical order but…No. 5 – Very valid and have seen it and experienced it. Boys and girls act differently with boys more vocally dominant with their opinions and girls working more as a group. While I don’t think that they should be educated separately, I think it is important to somehow enable those girls to participate without being talked down. I don’t know what that looks like, though.
With regard to Nos. 1 & 3 – there’s nothing wrong with making spaces more appealing to girls just don’t “dumb it down”. For example, as a parent, I was thrilled when Lego started marketing to girls then appalled when I examined the products. Rather than encouraging thought and creativity, it was just prefab pieces following the old line of girls toys.