Dd is the only girl in her AS Further Maths class - what could the school do to support her?

To me this a simple matter of classroom management, if the boys are behaving inapproriatley then the teacher needs to deal with it. If the boys behaviour is not the issue then the teacher should be adjusting their teaching to accomadate your daughter.(not because she is a girl but because she is nervous/uncomfortable and therefore may need a different approach.)

I was the only girl in my French class, I felt uncomfortable and intimidated but I was a very shy teenager. I dreaded going tbf the boys didn't actually cause much trouble I just felt very out of place. As an adult I do reliase this is silly. My teacher was great as was the year head. I vividly remember the teacher checking my understanding whilst crouched at my desk as if she asked me from the front I would always reply yes regardless. or at the end of the class. After a while I got use to the class and by the end of the course I was happy to talk in class answer/ask questions. A little support goes a long way. If it was my DD I would chat to the teacher and explain that your DD feels uncomfortable and I would hope that would be enough for the teacher to implement a few tweaks.

Yes and you also need to illustrate what behaviour is making her feel intimidated. Nobody can advise without that information really.

Ralgex - there hasn't been any unpleasantness on this thread. I don't know where you are "reading" that.

The thing is, you've come on and suggested that any girl would 'automatically' be intimidated. People are pointing out that's not the case.

If you wanted specific advice about an issue for your dd, then ask about that issue rather than trying to generalise it to all girls. That way, people will try to help. Of course, it helps if you answer questions so people can offer better advice.

A lot might depend on the school though Cerisier.

I teach FM and each year there are only one or two girls in the class. They have always done extremely well and have never flagged any issues up.

SIL is a female mathematician, and there are very few of them in the UK, so I do know from her that we have a big problem here. If the OP's DD is feeling intimidated - especially to the degree where it's come to seem almost inevitable to the OP - surely there is a problem?!

I think there needs to be a clear message to all students that they must follow standards of behaviour: intimidating other classmates for any reason, gender, race, whatever, is not acceptable. Even if it's not entirely deliberate: part of growing up is noticing when your behaviour has silenced someone else.

OP, is she applying to university for maths? I wonder if she could get any mentoring from previous female students who've gone on to do maths - I know some schools set up informal arrangements where older students will help younger ones through applying to university, but here of course the same sort of mentoring might give her an outlet to discuss what it's like doing a male-dominated subject, too.

Ralgex no offence but if you can repeatedly respond briefly to posters then why don't you answer the questions of people trying to find out what is actually OCCURRING to make DD uncomfortable?

Most people here are supporting you.

Can your DD identify why she feels intimidated -
is it
because some of the boys are unpleasant,
because they are competitive,
because the are very good at maths,
because the are unfriendly
Because they are loud

Going on my kids experiences I think that it is unusual to feel intimidated because you are the only girl or boy in a class. My DS was the only boy in his sixth form maths and sciences courses. He would have preferred more mixed classes but it was ok for him.

zzzz. Did you study computer science by any chance. There are lots of females in most STEM subjects but comp sci is still very male dominated which is a bit odd as it's basically mathematics.

Ralgex, do you think you or your DD would be able to speak to her teacher to make it clear how she is feeling in her lessons? The teacher needs to be made aware (if they haven't noticed already) as it is their responsibility to develop a classroom atmosphere that is conducive to everyone being able to contribute.

Zzz in fairness you don't know that the problem is within the OPs DD! OP has not given ANY extra info despite being asked repeatedly.

It might be worth her speaking to the teacher and explaining why she feels unable to ask questions. If it's her own shyness then the teacher may be able to come up with a system of communication which demonstrates her understanding / need for help without drawing everyone's attention to her ( I've done this before when teaching A-level, though it was a boy in this case).

If boys are behaving in a deliberately intimidating manner that needs to be dealt with by the teacher .

Why don't you get dd to arrange a meeting with the maths teacher.?
If your dd feels she wants you there, then go in with her.

Talk about the issues and how they can be resolved.

What unpleasantness OP?

Have you or your DD explained to her teacher that she feels intimidated out of asking the questions she would like to? That would be the first step to solving it I think.

Another one asking why "needless to say" ?

My Mum was the only girl doing maths A-level back in the 1940s, but wasn't intimidated.
My niece (much more recently) ended up being the only girl in her physics class, but again, felt no need to be intimidated.
My dd is about to choose maths and further maths amongst her A-levels, and would not in any way feel intimidated just because classmates were boys - why would you ?
Surely every pupil is equal in an A-level class.

What is the actual problem OP? Is she being bullied?

In my school there was a culture of boys intimidating and sexually harassing girls. We were all terrified.

Is that going on in DDs school OP? Because if it is...I'd be in there speaking very seriously to the HT>