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.
Math achievement is important, but task values are critical, too: examining the intellectual and motivational factors leading to gender disparities in STEM careers
