Orlando, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Who invents tomorrow’s future is being decided in today’s classrooms. But after the pandemic, major tests show girls’ scores slipped more in eighth grade math and science, reopening a gap that had narrowed. The gender gap in STEM classes is happening as early as middle school, with girls’ math and science scores sliding faster than boys on major tests. By high school, girls make up just 34 percent of AP computer science classes feeding a workforce where women hold just 35 percent of U.S. STEM jobs.
Weekend robotics, science fairs, coding clubs, the talent is there …
“Science is so exciting because it’s on the edge of what we know, and scientists work on the edge of what we know, and children are really good at being on the edge of what they know because they’re learning so much so fast,” said Sara Sweetman, PhD, Education Scientist, University of Rhode Island.
The pullback starts early. Asked to depict scientists in first grade, kids mostly draw chemists. Boys will draw superhero scientists, while girls prefer lab coats instead of capes. But by middle school, 40 percent of boys don’t draw women scientists at all. Confidence, not ability separates. And hearing the “girls aren’t good at math” cliché dings performance. But smart classroom moves can flip the script.
“What’s even more important is that you understand pedagogy, understand how children learn that specific content,” said Sweetman.
Sarah Sweetman says the fix starts early and hands-on: build classrooms where kids ask questions, observe, run simple investigations, and record what they find. Teach confidence as deliberately as content with lots of low-stakes practice. Put girls in the room by recruiting them into robotics, coding, and AP dual-enrollment courses. And show women doing the work, bring in mentors and make real stem careers visible.
“We want them to feel empowered, we want them to feel like collectively they can do things,” explained Sweetman.
When girls see themselves in STEM and get the time, tools, and trust they stay.
Want to spark stem at home? Check out PBS KIDS Play & Learn Science, Tinybop’s Explorer apps, Thinkrolls for physics puzzles, ScratchJr or Hopscotch for coding, swift playgrounds, the NASA app and SkyView are also good for older kids. Most of these are free and are a great way for parents and kids to connect and talk about science.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor.
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