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

[ralgex]

Needless to say, she feels intimidated, and doesn't ask the questions she needs to. I feel she has to be given a chance to talk regularly to a teacher about how it affects her, and a chance to ask the questions she daren't raise in class. Anyone got any examples of support for female mathematicians in a co-ed school, please?

There's a thread in FWR (when women stopped coding) that talks about some of this from a workplace perspective. It is a real problem that talented women are pushed out of the sciences, and people are talking about it more and more. As someone working in a male dominated industry, I'd love to see more support for teenage girls

Aside from talking with the school - there are lots of organisations now working to get teenage girls into science and supporting women. E.g. Stemettes, science grrrl, lady geek. Maybe these are another avenue to explore?

i teach in a girls' school, and some girls are intimidated by the classroom environment in general, for a variety of reasons. (i imagine this is also true of boys.) These pupils dont ask questions to consolidate their understanding and so their learning definitely suffers.
my advice to these pupils and their parents is always the same: while it may be a difficult thing to do, you have to take matters into your own hands and open up a dialogue within the classroom. you have to open your mouth and speak. this can be at the end of the class to start with, since any decent teacher will be happy to go over any difficulties encountered, and hopefully this will build confidence so that they can eventually ask questions as the work is covered in class.
when you look at the other reasons for pupils being intimidated in class, it's really not reasonable to expect one-to-one sessions with the teacher for every pupil who feels this way. what is reasonable, and would also represent personal development, is to expect the pupil to overcome their feelings and realise that their progress depends on them doing so.

The post at 00.50 was in relation to a female mentor:

I am thinking along the lines of a female mentor, maybe a female mathmo in the Upper Sixth, if there are any, or a female maths teacher.

This specific teacher could be female and just not someone DD would like as a mentor as she doesn't like asking questions in her class. it does sound as if DD is unhappy in the class, whether because of the teacher, fellow pupils or struggling with the work - or even a combination of all three.

Without further info from OP we're never going to know.

Re girls and STEM subjects - equally more work with boys and "softer skills". There aren't many male teachers in primary schools, for example. Equality of opportunity for all - for boys who like arts and crafts and girls who like tree climbing and chess! Talents should not be equated to gender.

I did further maths as the only girl in a class. It was a boys' school with girls only in the sixth form. The class was split between the very nice but what I would have probably called back then 'geeks' and the loud, over confident popular boys. I was strong enough to take the comments they made about me and see them for what they were, intimidated by a girl who was cleverer than they were. I put my head down, ignored it and worked harder. Once I beat most of them in tests, I had their grudging intellectual respect even if they continued to make comments on appearance etc for the whole two years.

The experience, although unpleasant, taught me a very valuable lesson about how people can act when you challenge the status quo.

Yes, the main reason I raised my personal experience was that I don't think it's at all "needless to say" that a single girl should feel intimidated. I've been it and known a good few girls who were it and none of us felt intimidated. So there's no reason the teachers would assume in advance that there's a problem and put measures in place.

You'd hope that if she isn't speaking up they'd notice and check on her. Maybe they're just assuming she's understanding things and getting on quietly with her work. Most a-level maths classes will have students like that, male or female. How does she get on with homework? That should have flagged to them if she was having trouble understanding things.

And being intimidated to the degree of not asking the teacher a question in class is quite extreme. Even if she feels intimidated on the social side, she's used to interacting with teachers, why is that suddenly a problem? Is there something about the atmosphere in this particular group that makes asking for help difficult? I don't think it's that common for a child to go through 5 years of co-ed education and then not be able to speak in front of boys. Yes if that is happening she needs help, but she also needs helping to help herself.

always. That sounds like a horrid experience. Plain old bullying.

I was the only girl in my FM class with 5 boys. They were your stereotypical nerds and enjoyed having a girl in their class as I think I was the only girl they had the guts to talk to! I enjoyed the class as there was no bitchiness like you find with girls. If she is upset she should see her teacher whether it is due to boys or girls

Those that are saying that the school is doing something wrong if they only have one girl taking further maths should be aware that a mixed school who has a girl taking further maths is actually doing ok in the gender stakes. It's a national social and cultural problem. While single sex schools do do better at getting girls to progress to STEM subjects, it's still not that many, given the economic and academic benefits associated with those subjects.

While I agree with those who challenge the OP on the inevitability of a lone girl being intimidated in the classroom, I suspect much depends on the ability and confidence in their ability of the girl in question. I was not intimidated in my male-dominated a-level classes, but then, I was the best. No one was questioning my right to be in the class. A girl of more average ability in the group, who nonetheless has the ability to be there is more likely to feel like a fish out of water. Asking questions would be admitting that she doesn't understand something, and as she is a girl, would not just be that she doesn't understand something, but that the girl doesn't understand something. As there is a lack of role models who are successful, this would just underline her unsuitability for the subject, and is something that some boys could definitely pick up on; even if challenged by the teacher, it's then too late.

If the OP's DD is feeling out of place as a girl, then there are some suggestions here www.furthermaths.org.uk/docs/1Girls%20in%20mathematics%20briefing%20document%20v7.pdf, perhaps this could be forwarded to the teacher?

That said, not wanting to ask questions in lessons is quite a common issue in maths, especially with introverted/shy students. The usual advice to the student would be to seek out the teacher after a lesson, or to email any questions. A note from a parent to the teacher saying that the student is reluctant to seek help and could the teacher make and effort check on them in the lesson is also useful.

Has Ralgex come back to further explain or not?

Not.

My experience matches Noble's. I didn't have a moment's uncertainty about my place in the further maths class even though my teacher was massively prejudiced about girls' ability to study maths, because it was obvious that I was breezing through the course (as were the two boys in the 3 person class). But if I'd experienced a normal level of difficulty with the work then I might well have wobbled in the face of a teacher who was always happy to look for confirmation of his prejudices. I might easily have assumed that struggling over a single piece of homework meant that I was totally worthless and might as well give up and switch to needlework.

I see the OP has gone. But I agree with others: I don't understand why she should automatically be intimidated. If she is intimidated because of a particular issue, then that should be raised and dealt with appropriately.

I teach a sixth form group of eleven girls and one boy. He is confident and articulate in lessons, expressing himself without any hesitation or discomfort. However, based on your comments, I should clearly have found him a male mentor for him to talk to about the intimidation he would, needless to say, have been feeling for the last year and a bit. Unless anyone has any other advice for how to support male English students in a co-ed school, please?

Oh Cripes. I just remembered. I had two physics teachers and one of them did have a huge problem with me. He really was a sexist pig.

LeBearPolar have you ever considered what your school is doing wrong that you only have one boy in a class of 12?

Boys performance in English is also a huge national problem. In 2014 53.8% of boys gained A*-C in English, whereas 69.7% of girls did. That's a huge difference. That would probably go a long way to explaining the gender split at A-level. However, given that English A-level take-up isn't a matter of economic importance, there isn't so much focus there. The main focus in the case of English is illiteracy in boys and that's why so much attention is given to encouraging boys to read further down the school - studying boy-heavy texts, pictures of male role-models reading, for example.

We, as a nation, need more people studying STEM in general. With girls, it's not that they don't get the grades so can't proceed to A-level, it's that even when they get the grades (and maths GCSE results are very close between the sexes) they choose not to continue. This is a huge waste of potential talent. Because confidence to continue is a major issue, that's why suggestions of female role models and special support for girls are important.

With boys and English, the GCSE gap needs to be tackled far more urgently.

In my current school our fm classes have about 10 students most years. Mostly tgere are roughly equal boys and girls but occasionally we have a yeargroup with only one girl choosing it.

If she is feeling intimidated about being the only girl she should definitely speak to the teacher about it. It may be that she seems as if she's just getting on and understanding quietly, so the teacher may be unaware of how she's feeling. Most teachers I know are happy to help at lunchtime if she would feel happier discussing issues without the others. In fact most teachers positively encourage students to come and ask for help.

I was the only girl in my maths A2 class, although other girls took it at AS level, then dropped it. I was actually good friends with two of the boys in the class anyway, and so in class I sat with them and their friends and we helped each other with areas we found difficult. Although I struggled with some aspects of A2 maths, I had strengths in other areas and was secure in my general intelligence, so I never really felt intimidated. I also had the advantage of both of my teachers being female.

I do think there are boys at that sort of age who feel they have to prove their superior cleverness to everyone, and some people of both genders can find that intimidating. Actually, some of the teachers colluded with him at times- for example when some of us brought up things we had learned in psychology when we were in biology he would always insist psychology "was not a real subject".

For OP's DD:
-If specific boys in the class make her feel intimidated in specific ways she can pinpoint, she should bring this up with the teacher, her form tutor, or the head of sixth.
-If she generally struggles with speaking up in class, she could ask the teacher(s) if she could meet them at break/lunchtime to ask any questions in private.
-Perhaps a few sessions with a (female?) tutor might benefit her, as if she feels confident in what she is doing, she may feel more able to speak up.

I do think the lack of uptake of STEM subjects by girls is a real problem, but I have no idea what the solutions are. Perhaps more education about STEM careers with an emphasis on female role models might help?

I think you've passed your bizarre attitude to BOYS on to your daughter.

I do think the lack of uptake of STEM subjects by girls is a real problem, but I have no idea what the solutions are.

I can (and have) banged on about this endlessly, including on several MN threads. I think you're right about the education bit, as there are a lot of stereotyped images around what STEM careers involved, and they just don't cover the huge range of roles which are actually available.

Nearly every country (including the UK) has government-sponsored organisations to help promote STEM and forge links between educational institutions and industry. And women currently working in STEM careers are more likely to be aware of all the issues than their male colleagues. There's a limit to what anyone can fit in on top of your day job, though, and STEM promotion is usually extra to the job.

In any case, none of this helps the OP's daughter. I think it is worth asking why she's feeling intimidated, because there might be particular things going on which can be dealt with, such as bullying behaviour. I'd be wanting to know whether she was the only girl who was really interested in doing FM this year, or whether she was the only girl who felt strongly enough and was strong enough to sign up for it, when it's generally a negative environment for girls.

Some schools are better than others; some do have sexist teachers who still have a problem with girls doing STEM subjects. Some schools are far better at promoting STEM subjects to girls and supporting girls - it's not a coincidence that girls in single-sex schools have a greater take-up of subjects like physics and maths at A-level than girls in mixed schools, but even in mixed schools, teachers can help create an environment which is more encouraging to girls. I'm assuming that changing schools isn't really an option, except as a very last resort, but it may be worth asking the school how they deal with stereotype threat and implicit bias and so on. The very fact she is the only girl will be giving her the message that girls don't do this, and that in itself can cause her to doubt herself and affect her confidence.

I think support in terms of a mentor if you can find one is good. It's hard enough to find one at work, so I'm really not sure how you'd go about it in terms of a teenager at school; however, I am sure that there will be people out there willing to assist once you've found them. If you're in a university town, I'd try to make enquiries there, to see if they might have any support - even just an hour's talk could help reenthuse her. It might be worth asking your local Stemnet coordinator.

If it's just about her confidence, then maybe look at whether there's any assertiveness training available anywhere. Amy Cuddy's TED talk on body language could help, so she can learn to sit up straight, hold her head up, sit with her arms wider, so she's physically taking up more space. Learn to project her voice more. There's also loads written online about men talking over women in meetings in the workplace, and it's this sort of classroom where they learn to get away with this, and girls learn that it will happen. If you google subjects like "how to get your voice heard in meetings", there could be some useful tips there, too. Also, something I find useful to remember is that if I need to ask a question, I'm probably not the only one in the room who needs it; however, it will sometimes be difficult to believe that in a room full of boys who are full of bluster and not prepared to admit to not knowing. It will help if you've got the teacher onside.

I doubt any one of these things in themselves will fix it - but a combination of some of them will have a cumulative effect, plus if she finds her confidence growing, that in itself will help her even more.

Good luck to her - it can be hard work being the only woman in the room, but it's worth sticking at it.

The STEMettes do mentoring for female sixth formers.

www.stemettes.org/girls

Bonsoir
It's extremely unpleasant to be the lone girl or lone boy in a class or an office or anything really.
Nope.
I was always much happier working in all male teams - much less bitching.

OP
In DDs biology A level classes there are far more girls than boys.
In Further maths there are more boys than girls
in Chemistry its about equal.

If the boys are being a PITA the teacher needs to stamp on it
if she is feeling intimidated SHE needs to deal with it

Nah. Men can be just as bitchy, and the women in my workplace are mostly far more supportive.

And yes, if she's feeling intimidated, she does need to deal with it, but not in isolation and without support. She needs to build her confidence before she's able to deal with it entirely by herself. I know most of us may have thought we knew everything at 16 or 17, but most of us didn't, and it's perfectly fine to get advice and support. Please stop being so hard on her!

"LeBearPolar have you ever considered what your school is doing wrong that you only have one boy in a class of 12?"

Nothing at all, noblegiraffe - although thanks for your concern. Our school offers both A Level and IB, and every IB student - male and female - has to do English at either Higher or Standard level. So I guess that in terms of the national average, we're actually doing better than quite a lot of schools in terms of how many boys we have taking English beyond GCSE.

If they all have to do it, how come there's only one boy in a class of twelve?

Dd was the only female in her Further Maths group. The boys she went to school with for the previous five years were her friends, the ones who joined the school for sixth form were initially dismissive of dd probably because she didn't fit their idea of a serious maths student (her other subjects were Art, History and Philosophy) but she soon proved she was more than able to hold her own.
Is dd new to the school/college? Is there no one in the class at all who she would feel comfortable making a friendship with? If the boys are being openly intimidating then the teacher should be dealing with it IMO.

If they all have to do it, how come there's only one boy in a class of twelve?
Because some of them will be doing A-levels (where they don't have to do it) rather than IB, because the school offers both.