Open AccessPerceptions of Girls’ Math Abilities
Author(s) -
Barb Cameron,
Mary Jane Harkins,
Stephanie Mason
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
teaching and learning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1703-2598
DOI - 10.26522/tl.v13i0.455
Subject(s) - perspective (graphical) , perception , affect (linguistics) , curriculum , mathematics education , gender gap , psychology , inequality , developmental psychology , pedagogy , mathematics , mathematical analysis , geometry , communication , neuroscience , economics , demographic economics
Teaching mathematics to young girls often invokes perceptions around inherent ability, gender, and influences that contribute to a gap between boys and girls with regard to math achievement. Moreover, lived teaching experiences indicate that there is a strong affective component to students’ encounters in schools, which may affect children’s perceptions of their capabilities. The authors address intersecting issues that interact with gender inequalities surrounding girls and mathematics: math self-concepts, gender stereotypes, parental involvement, and influences from teachers and curriculum. In this paper, stories about teaching girls from a mathematics teacher’s perspective are interwoven with research literature to strengthen recommendations for change in the areas of gender, teacher education, STEM careers, and intersectional understanding.