Many believe that the way to help girls become more interested in math and science is to “pinkify” them. They believe that girls are interested in fashion and boys and make-up and that is what program should relate math and science with, in order for girls to become interested in the topics. But what these people fail to take in account is that not all girls are interested in make-up or dating or even fashion. Girls have different interests and programs should take that into account when trying to help girls become more interested in math and science. Also, parents should encourage their children to take interest in the subjects.
“Concerned Parent” is worried that STEM field is not appealing to younger girls and that the people in the field …show more content…
In her books, McKellar tries to relate math to this things “girly-girls” are interested in. In the book, “Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape” one of the ways McKellar tries to relate math to girls interest is by using “hot guys” as one of her examples when discussing “if…then” problems. She writes, “Let’s say we’re given All hot guys wear smelly socks. We could rewrite this as “If a guy is hot, then he wears smelly socks,” (6). She uses hot guys in her “if..then” statements and explains that hot guys wear smelly socks. After she flips it around and says “if a guy wears smelly socks, then he’s hot,” (6) to explain “converse” problems. If the reader is interested in hot guys then this would her understand “if…then” and “converse” problems better, because it relates to them. McKellar’s goal is to make math fun, easier, and more relatable for these girls but it leaves the other girls in the dark. It does not help the girls who are not interested in boys and shopping because those things are not exciting for them, so McKellar’s books will not be exciting for them either. It will be just as their math class, neither make math fun for …show more content…
ME!” Kyle shouts again, and then before Dawn recovers herself he blurts, “It’s three times three times three!” (99).
The teacher lets Kyle’s behavior pass, not correcting him as to why what he did was inappropriate and does not apologize to Dawn. This discourages the girls from participating in class. The teacher does not make much effort to quiet down the boys and she does not do a good job of encouraging the girls in her class. This leaves the boys over confident in their abilities because and the girls become less interested in trying in the class.
There are programs that are set up to help girls become more interested in things like math and science or even coding but they do so without “pinkifying” their programs. Programs like “Girls Who Code” whose mission is to get more girls in the STEM fields, step up clubs and programs where girls learn to code. Their programs are not pinkified but they do a good job of recruiting girls to their programs and not just one type of girls. Their programs do not seem exclusive towards some girls, they are inclusive towards all girls. That is the type of programs that girls need, the ones that are for all types of girls, ones that any girl can fit and feel comfortable in. There should more STEM related programs like Girls Who Code because they do a good job of helping girls become interested in the
“Concerned Parent” is worried that STEM field is not appealing to younger girls and that the people in the field …show more content…
In her books, McKellar tries to relate math to this things “girly-girls” are interested in. In the book, “Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape” one of the ways McKellar tries to relate math to girls interest is by using “hot guys” as one of her examples when discussing “if…then” problems. She writes, “Let’s say we’re given All hot guys wear smelly socks. We could rewrite this as “If a guy is hot, then he wears smelly socks,” (6). She uses hot guys in her “if..then” statements and explains that hot guys wear smelly socks. After she flips it around and says “if a guy wears smelly socks, then he’s hot,” (6) to explain “converse” problems. If the reader is interested in hot guys then this would her understand “if…then” and “converse” problems better, because it relates to them. McKellar’s goal is to make math fun, easier, and more relatable for these girls but it leaves the other girls in the dark. It does not help the girls who are not interested in boys and shopping because those things are not exciting for them, so McKellar’s books will not be exciting for them either. It will be just as their math class, neither make math fun for …show more content…
ME!” Kyle shouts again, and then before Dawn recovers herself he blurts, “It’s three times three times three!” (99).
The teacher lets Kyle’s behavior pass, not correcting him as to why what he did was inappropriate and does not apologize to Dawn. This discourages the girls from participating in class. The teacher does not make much effort to quiet down the boys and she does not do a good job of encouraging the girls in her class. This leaves the boys over confident in their abilities because and the girls become less interested in trying in the class.
There are programs that are set up to help girls become more interested in things like math and science or even coding but they do so without “pinkifying” their programs. Programs like “Girls Who Code” whose mission is to get more girls in the STEM fields, step up clubs and programs where girls learn to code. Their programs are not pinkified but they do a good job of recruiting girls to their programs and not just one type of girls. Their programs do not seem exclusive towards some girls, they are inclusive towards all girls. That is the type of programs that girls need, the ones that are for all types of girls, ones that any girl can fit and feel comfortable in. There should more STEM related programs like Girls Who Code because they do a good job of helping girls become interested in the