Gender Gap

by rrusczyk, Apr 9, 2010, 4:27 PM

I can't access the paper, but the abstract on this paper looks interesting. Basically, it argues that there is not a gender gap in math performance when American students enter school, but that it develops during early schooling. This alone doesn't argue that something is happening in school that causes the gap -- it could be a natural result of aging. But then the paper's suggestion that the gap doesn't appear in Muslim countries seems to discount the "natural result" suggestion, and does support the theory that the gender gap may have a lot to do with young women having more social options than young men (of course, this probably wouldn't explain the gap at age 8, but it could well be a contributor to the gap at 13 or 14). I also wonder what elementary school is like in those countries -- do their elementary school teachers fear math as much as ours do. (Another recent study suggested that girls soak up these fears from their teachers more than boys do.)

Not that I really want to wade into this debate, but I think results like these show how really complicated the issue is.

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Being a girl who has a obsession with math (and having faced some comments involving that fact ). I think I can explain the gap in most age groups, some teachers and peers think the following statement is true (which is sooooo stereotypical ):
Girls are creative, and like ELA, Social Studies, and stuff like that
Guys are into science and math.
And the Social Pressures of math is for guys not girls, and girls who like math can't be popular or whatever create the gap in 5th grade and up.

Honestly people have proven there is not that much difference in girls vs guys scores on tests in all subjects. Because of the false statement mentioned above, in some cases girls that happen to be advanced in math (or science) feel that no girls really share there interest in these subjects so they stay quiet.

by monkeygirl13, Apr 9, 2010, 9:49 PM

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I have always thought that the kids will rise or fall to the level of expectation of their parents and teachers.

Sometimes they rise or fall to the level of their boy friends. I have seem a lot of smart girls dumb themselves down because of who they are dating. Itinfuriates me every time I see it!

by JBoyd, Apr 11, 2010, 1:07 AM