The sign-up sheet for after-school activities came home with both of my kids today. I’m very pleased that my schools even have enrichment programs – I know many around the country that don’t – but I am not all that pleased with the offerings:
- Chess Club
- Yoga
- Cheer & Dance
- Writing
- French
- Spanish
- GASP – Girls Accessing Science Program
The description for the GASP program: The Girls Accessing Science Program is a wonderful chance for young women to explore the world of math and science. Discover the importance of science, from day to day activities, to careers that can span a lifetime as you work with fellow students and positive role models from the local community.
I am not unaware of the issues in education over the past, oh, 300 years regarding girls and science. My very own mother was discouraged from pursuing a college degree in anything even though she had a keen interest and high marks in science in high school. She graduated high school in 1961.
And yes, there are still idiot marketing stunts like this one from JC Penney, which lets the wearer claim that she is "too pretty" to do homework. Oh, how I wish I had a boy brave enough to wear that shirt to school. Sorry, teachers, he's too pretty!
My concern as the mother of two children who have keen interests in science, is that the school system has made some sort of assumption about Ben -- that he has great "access" to science and is, because he is a boy, well served by the regular science curriculum. He doesn't need increased "access" to science or increased contact with male role models in science because they are readily available to him. Simply because he is a boy.
According to many, the gender gap in schools has swung the other way. Nicholas Kristoff cites these sobering statistics from the book, “Why Boys Fail,” by Richard Whitmire:
- ¶The average high school grade point average is 3.09 for girls and 2.86 for boys. Boys are almost twice as likely as girls to repeat a grade.
- ¶Boys are twice as likely to get suspended as girls, and three times as likely to be expelled. Estimates of dropouts vary, but it seems that about one-quarter more boys drop out than girls.
- ¶Among whites, women earn 57 percent of bachelor’s degrees and 62 percent of master’s degrees. Among blacks, the figures are 66 percent and 72 percent.
- ¶In federal writing tests, 32 percent of girls are considered “proficient” or better. For boys, the figure is 16 percent.
- There is one important exception: Boys still beat out girls at the very top of the curve, especially in math. [Author's note: It's this exception that seems to be making the rules.]
More girls are pursuing higher education than boys, and within a decade, colleges will graduate two young women for every young man. All of us girls who felt that we were shunned from pursuing math and science careers might ant to stand up and cheer, "You go, girls!" but at what cost?
And this is how the conversation developed on Facebook:
ReplyDeletelexis Soffler Well, it's a statement that its about girls "accessing" science. I must ask- WTF does that *mean*? I know the concept is to make science more relevant to girls, but there is a big body of research that shows that changing THE WAY we teach science in class is better for EVERYONE. How about a group that's called "Kick Ass Science Raises Quality and Access For All Groups Including Girls, Minorities, and Low Resource Children, So Let's Do Kick Ass Science... And Math"
David Rogala just tell him that if can figure out how to re-animate dead tissue he can build a monster that will do his chores for him. Of course those late night runs to the cemetery with a shovel will make shuttling the kids back and forth to school/soccer/band/whatever seem like a picnic.
Alexis Soffler Nice! Yes, the gender divide in education is changing. However, its pretty complex. I just recently read a study saying that by second grade, children think that "math is for boys". However, this does not effect their grades (at this point?). Women also have a HUGE drop off in going from closing the gender divide in math and science to actually making the career leap. They do well in the subjects in school, but don't see themselves in a science or math career and don't choose them. So, I can see why "Girls access to science" is on the radar, but what is it supposed to do? And again, as you stated, what are boys supposed to think/do? We should leave good enough alone, I guess (kinda reminds me of the attitude toward gifted education)? It always gets me... How come one groups raise of access and status have to come at the explicit cost of another? Is the group *really* not big enough to have boys? Shouldn't BOYS be learning about women in science and participate in girls ways of learning and interest too?
Susan Siegal Schaibly Not to mention the fact that Ben also puts yoga and dance & cheer squarely in the 'girl' category already. Sorry, @ian!
Susan Siegal Schaibly @alexis -- I'm worried that the end result is that more girls go into science and more boys get ignored, but people think it's ok.
Alexis Soffler I don't think we're looking at that yet. Like I said, there is a HUGE chasm between success in classes and women entering (and staying in) science fields. If you are really interested, I could probably dig up some articles I am thinking of. And, the trend is a movement away from the more gender polarizing methods of teaching in science classrooms, which is great. What more disturbs me is that we (educators, parents, adults, etc.) think in binary terms of identity- boy/girl, pass/fail, minority/white, etc. Instead of shaping classrooms to reflect diversity in all forms and develop and use more educational research into learning how our brains work and the many ways we can learn, we "target" stuff. This is also the result of a cultural lack of respect for teachers and education as a profession. There is kind of an idea out there that anyone can just walk into a classroom with a smile and be a good teacher. That really hinders getting professional development funds to help teachers learn, hiring more experienced but expensive teachers, supporting teachers learning content in continuing education, hiring math and science education specialists (!!), etc. To get classrooms stocked with super smart science teachers who can *really* balance these issues in the classroom takes money and an American investment in the time it takes to really know your stuff. People don't like to invest in that. They would rather get together a "booster club" and buy a smartboard hope for the best.
I know this is mainly about preferential education for girls vs. boys, and that is an important topic. But the percipitating event - the list of available after school activities, may be due to totally different considerations - available resources (e.g., money), available teachers, plan for whole year, etc. Maybe a discussion with the after school planners would clarify, and maybe even influence future choices.
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