So why the gap?

The gap was not explained, this article is about refuting a recent, popular, and reasonably widely accepted theory.

Its time to stop this nonsense and start looking at the teachers. First of all, I am a woman. I was never aware of the gender issue in math until I hit high school, by which time I was already taking advance mathematics. My teacher was the reason that almost every student in my class passed their AP CALC tests, I am willing to bet on it. I specifically remember the harder to learn Calc chapters being covered in depth, our teacher made herself available to us all the time. I am now 23, the school I went to in High school closed down the math program when she left. It’s a lack of good teachers that cause math problems in all our children.

It seems to me that there were way to may factors overlooked here. Did they take into account student interest? Curriculum? I have always disagreed with the gender theory but now at least they will take another look. I always had trouble in Geometry although I was very gifted with calculus, maybe that is where the gender differences are.. in spacial math.

Address the PROBLEM, what problem? An observation that males and females have different reactions to human structures is just that, an observation of differences. Where’s the PROBLEM. If 100,000 years of evolution has made males generally more adept at spatial problems is just that, the forces of nature at work. Where’s the PROBLEM. The problem is academics being funded for ridiculous hypotheses.

This article and these researchers are really wrong about stereotype threat theory. Stereotype threat theory does not suggest that girls develop poor self-image. Instead, the theory says that it is stressful to know that people are judging you based on a stereotype, and that affects people’s performances on tests, etc.

It is very easy for the people who created the rules to say ” I am a winner.” This kind of thinking shaped many oppressive regimes and foolish theories like phrenology and segregation. Mathematics was shaped by MEN. Thus, the thought process of math will be male centric, possibly using a part or portion of brain function exclusive to males. The truth will be hidden till we cease to repeat the untruths and discourage proper progress of the species.

What we are not asking is what society calls “stereotypes” MAY just be aspects of that particular species of Homo Sapiens Sapiens. We would LIKE to say for civility and sake of “rights” that we are all equal but we aren’t as nature proves. Yet, there is nothing wrong with differences. We do not condemn the lion for not being like the tiger. Neither should we condemn a woman for not being like a man and vice versa.

However, we won’t BE anything or reach our evolutionary potential if we continue to pollute our societal and biological progress with degradation and assumption based on inabilities to perform under standards derived by a single concept. Life started singular but should not progress as such.

“Address the PROBLEM, what problem?”

Science and engineering and math-heavy topics that are prestigious and pay well. Teaching, nursing and dental assisting pay much less. This is a huge part of the gender-gap in pay. That’s the problem.

Math heavy, prestigious, occupations pay well because there are very, very few candidates able to carry these out. If more males than females can do this where is a “problem”. It could simply be the result of centuries of evolution, so why is it a “problem”. More blacks get paid millions of dollars for dunking basketballs than whites, so is that a “problem”, or is it simply the result of evolution at work.

Hi Donde – even if there were just as many women or even more – the pay would just change – haven’t you noticed? ex. many university graduates now get lower pay -as of 2007 “25% of university-degree holders earned salaries that were lower than those of the average high school graduate” http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-595-m/81-595-m2010081-eng.htm This at a time when number of female university graduates is about 150,000 compared to 94,000 men. Correlation vs causation? http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/2009005/chrt-graph/desc/desc-1-eng.htm

To Mick Alonso
Recent studies have shown that the sides of the brain primarily used by men and women may be considerably different than previously thought. Possibly, since it is looking like men are considerably more “right brain” than previously thought, and women are more “left brain” this would help explain gender differences in spatial types of math. Might explain a few other things as well…

Dial back the politics and the “my theory is better than your theory” rhetoric! This article is joining the discussion about why girls continue to do worse in math at school, which in my view is a worthwhile discussion.
Whatever the reason for gender differences in math learning is found to be, rather than trying to find a new theory to explain it we would be better off working at improving how all teachers teach math to all their students – both male and female.
The biggest problem in school math at the moment is not the gender gap – it’s the low achievement, motivation and interest in math among far too many of our students, male and female. THAT problem is far more pressing than any gender gap.

We are looking at this article now with an open class participant, discussing gender issues. We both agree with Peter – it should be focused more on teaching, rather than the theory. Because the need is great.