The Problem With Girls In Math And Science

My daughter is 11 years old and started intermediate school in February. She is having a lot of maths homework every and she’s struggling. I think more with the ‘having to do homework every day’ after 2 terms of no homework (thanks year 6 teacher!) than with the actual maths part. Because I *know* she is good at maths. I can’t wait for her to go to the robotics lab at her school and hear what she gets up to!

Let’s not compartimentalise our children! KIDS are good at science and maths and technology!

Drifting Through

 

Last year I went to a Parent-Teacher conference with my daughter’s G.T. (Gifted and Talented) teacher. She sang my daughter’s praises. I basked in her glowing words and swelled with pride. Until she said this:

“She’s really good in math. Probably one of my best math students. Even better than the boys in the class.” – said by a real, live teacher. One that teaches kids.

Cue record screech. I immediately snapped to. I wish I could tell you that I questioned this teacher’s perceptions. I wish I could tell you that I pointed out to her that the very statement she meant as a huge compliment was in itself sexist. But I didn’t. I muttered something along the lines of “She’s always been a natural at math,” and something about “number sense.”

My daughter doesn’t think she’s good at math. She thinks it’s her worst subject.

We’ve tried…

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