Gender Equity in Math and Science Essay - 2572 Words

Gender Equity in Math and Science From the research I have read while there is a disagreement on when and how much of a gender gap exists in math and science, there is definitely an equity issue that needs addressing. There seems to be an abundance of information about equity issues and as a future teacher I feel that it is important to examine these issues. If gender equity issues exist in todays’ classrooms why do they and what can be done to help correct it. Everything Ive read so far states that a gender gap exists in science, while opinions about math vary. I found a paper on the Internet from the National Center for Education Statistics called â€Å"Trends In Educational Equity of Girls Women.† Using information†¦show more content†¦However, the National Center for Education Statistics (2000) reports that females are now doing as well or better than males in school and college and the gender gaps that have existed in most cases have been eliminated. From looking at the graphs p resented in the NCES report if there is a differences in males and females scores the difference was very slight. This leads me to question how big a gender gap actually exists. The NCES report (2000) on science is a little different. It reports that between 1973 and 1994 nine to thirteen year old females were more likely to score lower than males and that seventeen year old females always scored lower. In the early grades girls and boys are equally as interested in science and math as boys and their achievement is comparable, it is in middle school when girls begin to fall behind (M. Sadker, D. Sadker, and Stulberg, 1999). In every article I read there is agreement that there is a gender gap in science and I am convinced that one exists. Why do these gender gaps exist? Researchers believe that cultural and social factors, as well as educational, and attitudinal factors contribute to this gap. Cultural beliefs that boys excel in math and science and that girls excel in the arts can be passed down through generations and adults who may not even realize it are acting on these beliefs (Sanders, 1997). â€Å"Subtle and unintended messages can create the idea among girls and boys that there are fieldsShow MoreRelatedEssay on Gender Equity in Education1632 Words   |  7 PagesGender Equity in Education Gender equity issues in mathematics and science have been the focus of many educators and researchers for years. Women have often been denied an equal education in math and science for many reasons. Parents and teachers must realize this fact and change their habits wherever necessary. Girls must be given the same opportunity as boys from the beginning, particularly in math and science where girls tend to lag behind. First of all, the term gender equityRead More Reflective Research Paper1619 Words   |  7 Pages Gender biases are a problem in many schools and gender equity has been used to help remove those biases. Equity refers to having equal expectations and treating students of different sexes and cultural backgrounds equally. Gender biases have been a problem in education for years. In the past boys and girls have had different expectations when it comes to education. Boys have generally been taught to take leadership roles and girls to take more passive roles. In recent years gender equityRead More Reflective Research Paper1164 Words   |  5 Pagesreflective research paper to objective # 1 because it made me examine my personal belief and attitude on gender equity issues. I did not realize that gender equity existed at the level that it does until researching the topic. Doing the research made me realize that the way we teach directly affects how children learn in every aspect. Gender inequities in the fields of math and science are well researched and the results are shocking. Women compromise 45% of the work force, they hold jobsRead More Gender Equity Essay1321 Words   |  6 PagesGender Equity Are male students and female student’s receiving the same opportunities when it comes to Math and Science in the schools? I don’t believe they are. This is why gender equity is a major problem facing our schools today. Many girls are having very negative attitudes towards Math and Science. Through doing research on this topic I found out why. In the article How Research Helps Address Gender Equity, a very shocking and eye opening thing was written. I learnedRead MoreEssay about Encouraging Girls in Math and Science1599 Words   |  7 PagesEncouraging Girls in Math and Science An ideal classroom in an elementary school would allow both boys and girls to learn fairly, equally, and also be encouraged to be involved in the classroom. The teacher would expect the same effort from the boys as well as the girls. The teacher would implement a respectful atmosphere where the teacher as well as the students would respect one another. The reality is that girls quickly become discouraged to pursue math and/or science related careersRead MoreEssay on Gender Bias in the Classroom1589 Words   |  7 PagesGender Bias in the Classroom RESEARCH IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND THEORIES OF LEARNING Gender inequity is not only learned and accepted in the socialization process that starts at home, but is also present in the school environment form the very early years. Parents and teachers consciously or unconsciously reinforce sex stereotypes. In 1992 Olivares and Rosenthals research findings examined three areas: Read MoreThe Issues Within Public Education Essay1393 Words   |  6 Pagesunequal gender bias. Gender bias in education is typically thought of the fact that girls are pushed toward classes that are humanities based, while the boys are pushed to take classes that are science and math driven. This then leads into the fact that women make less money than men, so something must be unequal, whether it is education or gender rights, or both. This paper will examine the gender gap in K-12 education, which includes stereotyping and the unequal representation of boys in math and scienceRead More Equity in the Classroom Essay821 Words   |  4 PagesEquity in the Classroom The concerns regarding equity issues in math and science may seem minimal, but in reality are very large. Usually unintentionally, teachers pay more attention, and give more positive attention to boys in their classrooms. This is especially noticed in the areas of math and science. â€Å"Girls are equal to or ahead of boys in achievement† (Sadker, 1993, p. 67) in the early stages of schooling. So why do boys seem to do so much better in math and science in the later schoolRead MoreEssay about Gender Equity in Education3139 Words   |  13 Pages Gender equity in terms of education is about the socialization of men and women and the results of this process on the life outcomes of the two genders (Husen Postlethwaite, 1994). In the United States, the education system is required to treat males and females equally. There has been much research done to compare the genders in all areas. In the past, research has found that women fall far behind men in many areas such as math, and science, but men lag behind women in certain areas as wellRead MoreEffectiveness Of Experiential Learning Using The Workshop Activity For Gender Equity Simulation1008 Words   |  5 PagesActivity for Gender Equity Simulation – Academic version (WAGES-Academic) to deliver gender inequity information† (Zawadzki, Danube, Shields, 2012, P.605). Researchers formed a quantitative study by comparing the â€Å"WAGES-Academic to an Information Only condition (knowledge without experiential learning) and a Group Activity control condition† (Zawadzki et al., 2012, P.605). For the methods of the research, â€Å"at baseline, 1249 undergraduates from the pool (705 women, 529 men, 15 gender unspecified)