There are so many examples of how females are not only breaking the gender gap issue when it comes to learning, but they are smashing it. For instance, in 2018, more women than men entered medical school.
However, many girls still struggle with factors that hold them back associated with the gender gap. These are more subtle than blatant discrimination. Yet, they also obscure some people’s perceptions of females’ abilities.
The result is that many girls still choose learning paths and careers that are not based in math or science. Or, if they do, those gender-related burdens hinder their career advancement.
What exactly are these subtle factors that continue to keep girls from advancing?
The Fear of Upholding Stereotypes
One issue that keeps girls from moving forward and meeting their full potential in the classroom is something called “stereotype threat.” This is when females are anxious about their performance, which in turn affects their academic outcomes.
Their fear is that they are somehow validating stereotypes about girls when it comes to math and science in general. That means that when a girl takes a math or science class, she may not only be wondering if she can do well; she may also be worried about how her performance affects others’ perceptions of the abilities of her entire gender.
When Worry Takes Up Energy
When it comes to anxiety in general, people know that it takes up more mental energy. For instance, someone who is fearful of getting sick is using a lot of extra mental energy to cope with that fear.
Many females also struggle with anxiety, especially when it comes to mathematics. That, in turn, takes a toll on their abilities to perform, especially on tests.
Research has found that anxiety derived from math impacts the brain’s working memory. Thus, when an anxious girl takes a math test, she becomes distracted and can’t focus on her work. In essence, her anxiety causes the distraction which, in turn, affects her performance. And that can become a perpetual cycle.
Research Into Single-Gender Learning for Math and Science
Some would say that the answer to this problem is to provide single-gender learning opportunities for girls and women. However, research has found that there’s little benefit in this approach for girls and women when it comes to math and science.
Janet Hyde, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studies both psychology and gender. She examined 184 research studies related to this issue, which included 1.6 million students. Her research found that single-gender learning did not provide any benefit for females when it came to higher outcomes in math or science.
How Parents Can Help Close the Gender Gap Issue
Parents are very influential when it comes to a child’s attitude about learning and their perception of their own abilities. Here are some ideas for how parents can help girls close the gender gap:
- Encourage your daughter to love learning and explore ideas
- Go to the museum, zoo, or aquarium
- Support your daughter participating in after-school activities that are math- and science-based, such as clubs or other extracurriculars
- Do simple, at-home science experiments with her
Perhaps the most important thing you can do is encourage your daughter to work hard and assure her that she is just as good as anyone else when it comes to math and science.
Professional Help for Dealing With the Gender Gap Issue
As adults, women may still carry with them negative messages they received during childhood about their academic performance. Does this apply to you? If so, those experiences would certainly have been an influence in your later career choices.
Being told repeatedly that you’re not capable of doing something when you are is so demoralizing. This is true for anyone, regardless of gender. That’s why it might be necessary to ask for professional support from a therapist to overcome deeply-ingrained beliefs that may be holding you back.
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There are so many examples, both big and small, of females breaking down the walls of the gender gap in education. Sadly, though, it remains an issue. Factors that can hold girls back affects our whole society. If you have been struggling with these issues, contact me for support.
