Series: Hear from the Experts
Early Math Experiences May Deter Women from Pursuing Jobs in Math and Science
How Elementary School Teachers’ Biases Can Discourage Girls From Math and Science
The New York Times
"Parents and toy-makers discourage girls from studying math and science. Girls lack role models in those fields, and grow up believing they wouldn’t do well in them. A new study points to the influence of teachers’ unconscious biases, but it also highlights how powerful a little encouragement can be."
Go to linkA recent study shows that children’s early math experiences may impact their future decisions regarding educational and career paths. In particular, preconceived expectations about girls’ math performance may deter them from pursuing jobs in math and science later on.
This study, which began in 2002, followed three groups of young students. Throughout the study the students were given math tests that were graded twice—once anonymously, and once by a familiar teacher. Across the board, girls received higher grades on the anonymous tests than on the tests in which their identities were known.
Later in the study, researchers noted that the female participants took fewer advanced courses in math and science than their male counterparts and generally performed worse in these subjects than they had in the past. While many factors may have played a role in this, the researchers suspect that their discouraging experiences early on may have set the tone for their future education.
This has potentially serious implications for women who, due to these factors, might be less likely to pursue jobs in math and science.