Our general takeaway from countless discussions with colleagues in the field is that girls sometimes have less interest and focus in mathematics as they progress in school, especially when moving to middle and high school. We see assessment data at local levels concluding that girls’ achievement in mathematics is not what is desired and is not on the same level of achievement as boys. Colleen M. Ganley and Sarah Theule Lubienski (2016b) shed light on the importance of this matter:
Given that achievement is a consistent predictor of girls’ later interest and confidence in math, even after conditioning on current interest and confidence, [their] study suggests that small gender differences in early achievement could exacerbate later differences in interest and confidence. Thus, increasing girls’ achievement is critical for later achievement and math attitudes, and early math confidence and interest are also important. (p. 190)
This book is a response to teachers, coaches, supervisors, and administrators who seek support for addressing the needs of girls in the mathematics classroom in grades K–5. Our intent is to confront the challenge at the elementary level to serve as a stopgap for issues in the later grades and beyond.
Guiding Principles
We used several guiding principles to write this book. First, in no way do we support separating mathematics content by gender. Good mathematics is good mathematics. Good teaching of mathematics is good teaching of mathematics. A learner of mathematics is a learner of mathematics. There is not a body of mathematics for boys and a different set of mathematics for girls. Mathematics, in its entirety, is for everyone, and we believe that a deep understanding of mathematics is a valuable asset. If you desire an opportunity to make sense of mathematics for teaching, we refer you to the Making Sense of Mathematics for Teaching grade-band books (Dixon, Nolan, Adams, Brooks, & Howse, 2016; Dixon, Nolan, Adams, Tobias, & Barmoha, 2016; Nolan, Dixon, Roy, & Andreasen, 2016; Nolan, Dixon, Safi, & Haciomeroglu, 2016) of interest, in which the authors address mathematics content and mathematical pedagogy in great detail. Our aim in Making Sense of Mathematics for Teaching Girls in Grades K–5 is to follow up the series with a spotlight on particular perspectives and instructional moves that give space to girls to support their learning and achievement of mathematics.
Secondly, in the course of applying the ideas we present, we encourage you to include all students in your classroom. In no way do we want to say that our ideas are for girls only! By all means, apply any ideas from this book with any students you teach. Our greatest reward is for all students to succeed in mathematics. However, in sharing this book and its focus with you, we are only asking that you take the time to think about the ways you can make engaging girls in mathematics a better and more positive experience. We want girls to have an opportunity to overcome challenges to learning mathematics that are often present when gender (among other considerations) is a factor.
Finally, while we want to inform you about the mathematics gender achievement gap data on the variable of gender, we also want to position you to think deeply about your own and others’ perceptions about girls in mathematics. We follow this course because so much of what transpires for girls in mathematics is not data-driven but perception-driven. We hope this book will be a catalyst for how we think about girls in mathematics, because how we think influences how we behave and how we interact with others.
Mathematics Gender Achievement Gap
The foundation for our discussion is the gender achievement gap because this is a construct that most often drives discourse about girls and boys in mathematics. Here are two important questions: (1) Does there presently exist a mathematics achievement gap between girls and boys? and (2) If so, which gender has the highest achievement? Well, it depends! It depends on other variables (for instance, race, socioeconomics, and so on) and the subsequent data that are under consideration. We will revisit this topic more carefully in chapter 1.
We approach the focus on the mathematics gender achievement gap by using three lenses: (1) perceptions, (2) possibilities, and (3) priorities. We now offer clarity on these terms and how we will use them throughout the book.
Perceptions
Perceptions refer to beliefs, biases, and stereotypes that individuals hold. You will read about perceptions in terms of how girls perceive themselves as learners of mathematics, and you will also read about the perceptions of others, such as teachers. We encourage you to consider the important role that perceptions play in impacting girls and their relationship with mathematics. Our position is that perceptions play a key role in girls’ experiences in mathematics because teachers’ and girls’ attitudes, perspectives, and thoughts about and toward one another are present during these interactions.
Possibilities
We use the term possibilities to describe actionable activities and behaviors that educators can implement to have a potentially positive impact on girls as learners of mathematics. For example, possibilities in classrooms and schools will involve instructional activities that teachers and coaches can immediately put into action with the students in their classrooms. In many cases, the possibilities this book offers also have an impact on the perceptions of and about girls in mathematics. For specific mathematics tasks and lessons, we refer you to the Making Sense of Mathematics for Teaching grade-band books or mathematics subject of interest. For this book, our focus is on how to ensure girls receive the attention they need to support their engagement in mathematics. Another reason we use possibilities is that we do not want to limit you in the strategies and mindsets you might apply to support girls in mathematics. We realize there may be many factors that you must consider given your local context. We simply ask that you join us in thinking about and doing what’s possible to help girls succeed in mathematics.
Priorities
We propose that there are priorities around such matters as structures, policies, and systems that impact the access to and quality of mathematical learning experiences for girls. We suggest several priorities that should be present in decision making regarding teaching and learning mathematics that influence the mathematics experiences of girls. These priorities are intended to support classroom experiences that empower students to learn mathematics. Priorities could be relevant to teachers, coaches, school leaders, and district leaders as they make decisions that impact students’ learning of mathematics. It is our hope that the discussion of priorities will have an impact on what’s possible and the perceptions that relate to mathematics experiences for girls.
Audience
We wrote this book particularly for teachers, coaches, supervisors, and administrators who regularly influence the mathematics learning experiences of girls in grades K–5, either directly or indirectly. If you are a teacher who is preparing to teach or currently teaching mathematics, we hope that you will read this book with your students in mind and look for opportunities to expand your own teaching practices to strengthen the mathematics experiences