Post by orangeblossom on Jul 9, 2012 18:35:16 GMT -5
That's sad.
It does start young. Also, sometimes I think girls are interested, but those around them either consciously or unintentionally dissuade them from going to computer camps and the like, simply because they're girls and feel they would be better suited to another type of camp.
I went to the national science and engineering festival and they had a whole girl's zone that was dedicated to young girls and science. I believe PBS has a tween and teen site related to science to encourage girls to go into the sciences.
I discourage my 5 year old away from technology because she has cracked two of my smart phones and my laptop. I cringe in fear everytime she is near a screen.
Otherwise, I would love to send her to a science camp. She would LOVE it. She tells us regularly that she is going to view up and make electricity with her dad at work.
Post by cattledogkisses on Jul 9, 2012 19:26:47 GMT -5
A google search is turning up nothing for me, but when I was in elementary school I was part a program called SMaRT (Science, Math and Related Technologies) that was specifically targeted towards girls, and I remember loving it.
Now, as a grad student in a science field, I take on 2 or 3 HS-age girls for part of the summer to mentor/help me with research. This is the third summer I'm doing this, and I find it one of the more rewarding things that I do.
I work in the tech industry, it's a huge problem, and starts with children. The other issue is that the things that the camps focus on are typically more "boy focused." Not saying girls have to love playing with dolls and pink and such, but I loved my barbies and clothes and pink as a kid, and all of the cool computer stuff wasn't that at all.
I had so many friends' moms say how much they hated math, etc.
Post by cattledogkisses on Jul 9, 2012 21:32:44 GMT -5
I always wonder if part of the problem is the perceived (false) dichotomy between science/math and stereotypically "girlier" pursuits. As someone who loves both genetics and fashion, I try to point out that it is absolutely possible to be girly and still be a kick-ass scientist. It doesn't have to be one or the other.
Post by orangeblossom on Jul 10, 2012 8:33:58 GMT -5
I know some people don't like cheerleaders and what not, but there's a group called science cheerleaders and it's all adult women who are in the science field that cheer for professional teams as well as the science cheerleaders. I think it's kind of neat.
I know I thought it was interesting and grabbed my attention (although in the wrong way at first, until I realized who they were). I don't know what the solution is, but plenty of girls like the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math)
I will never forget a long-term sub math teacher who blatantly would call on boys, even if I or another girl had their hands raised. He also purposely marked math test wrong, and accused me of cheating when I pointed it out to him. I ended up in the principal's office that day. Guess he didn't like me speaking up for myself. He was subsequently let at the end of the school year for this and a whole bunch of other issues.
It's sad when the teachers sometimes are the ones holding you back.
I don't think there is a shortage of women in science per se--more physicians, pharmacists, biologists and chemists are women now. Even civil engineers have a good female presence.
I think it's just a matter of time before women break through everywhere. I know my dad wanted me to be an engineer so badly. It just isn't that interesting to me. I do find compelled to say I like math and have always been good at it though, especially around girls.
Post by mominatrix on Jul 10, 2012 12:08:14 GMT -5
One of the many many reasons we're sending DD to a STEM elementary school.
...but it's K-5, and I genuinely wish it was K-8
My understanding is that girls perform at least equally (if not better) than boys in math and science topics until around puberty, then they drop off. My understanding is that most experts attribute this drop not to girls/women not being as "good" at these subjects as their male contemporaries, but because they aren't societally supported in being good at math and science.
It's interesting, because my DS already is showing a lot of STEM based aptitude - loves to build stuff, engineer stuff, etc. DD is older, and that stuff doesn't appeal to her, but she's fascinated by plants and animals and nature.... and that's as much STEM as the other... one thing we're hoping is that the STEM school (which is brand new, so no track record) will honor her stuff as much as it would honor a love of Lego robotics, KWIM?
All of the gender crap starts young. Think of all the pink and blue stuff And, the princesses vs cowboys. Its obnoxious. I don't get why so many push gender stereotypes at such a young age. Dd loves to dress up like a constuction worker (we have a hard hat and a tool belt) and we get comments. So what? She's a girl. I realize. That doesn't mean she can't use tools. UGH
All of the gender crap starts young. Think of all the pink and blue stuff And, the princesses vs cowboys. Its obnoxious. I don't get why so many push gender stereotypes at such a young age. Dd loves to dress up like a constuction worker (we have a hard hat and a tool belt) and we get comments. So what? She's a girl. I realize. That doesn't mean she can't use tools. UGH
DD uses the hard hat and toolbelt as much as DS.
And DS has developed a new affinity for pink Hello Kitty band-aids on his boo-boos.
I don't think there is a shortage of women in science per se--more physicians, pharmacists, biologists and chemists are women now. Even civil engineers have a good female presence.
I think it's just a matter of time before women break through everywhere. I know my dad wanted me to be an engineer so badly. It just isn't that interesting to me. I do find compelled to say I like math and have always been good at it though, especially around girls.
we do indeed. My graduating class was 50/50 male female. But all of those women either went into transportation or environmental. (i.e. "softer" engineering specialties) None of them went into structural or construction management.
MechE's, ChemE's and ECE's were still mostly dudes.
It's definitely still a thing that hard math and science (i.e. physics, chem vs. biology) just aren't "girly" enough. I have no idea how you fix that.
Post by EllieArroway on Jul 10, 2012 14:45:35 GMT -5
The tech industry is losing women instead of gaining. In my field (computer science) there are fewer female grads every year. 20-30 years ago the female grad rate was probably 30-40% and now is around 10%. It's a big problem and I have no idea what the solution is. How do we convince young girls to get interested in computers? As it is, a lot of boys get interested through gaming and that is definitely seen as a 'boy' thing for kids and something not many girls do.