All girls are born great at Maths!

Rebecca Brown, Maths Teacher at Wimbledon High School, explores the benefits of creating a positive stereotype.

“I’m great at Maths”

A statement seldom heard. In fact, quite the opposite, particularly when introducing yourself as a Maths Teacher!

Unfortunately, many people hold strong negative beliefs about maths that they do not hold about other subjects. I often hear intelligent, highly educated adults state (almost with pride) “I was never any good at maths”. Many people seem to have been traumatised by maths, further fuelled by misguided beliefs about mathematics and intelligence. Their experience of learning Maths varied drastically from the dynamic, exciting and personalised maths teaching of today. Researchers found that when mothers told their daughters “I was no good at Maths in school” their daughters’ achievement immediately went down (Eccles and Jacobs, 1986[1]). But why is it considered socially acceptable to be bad at Maths? And more importantly what message does it give the women of the future if their own parents, teachers and influencers unashamedly comment on how bad they were at Maths at school – or still are?

Fifteen is the exact age a girl loses her interest in Maths (Jones, 2018[2]). I am not referring to Maths anxiety, that Ashcroft (2002) defined as a ‘feeling of tension, apprehension or fear that interferes with maths performance’, but to the time girls decide that Maths is just ‘not for them’. Recent figures show that after GCSE, 20% fewer girls than boys continue studying Maths. Yet in junior schools, Maths is often cited as a favourite subject for many girls. So why are girls not continuing with maths and what can we do about it?

 

Why is Maths so important?

Maths is all around us. It is in everything we do and everywhere we go. From Music to Sport, from Geography to Biology. Coding, Algorithms, Programming, Problem-solving. It is our future. It is in the technology in our hands, on our laps and on our screens. It is shaping our world and is the beauty that surrounds us.

When it comes to Maths at A Level, girls account for just 39% of the national cohort. (Although at Wimbledon High School we’re proud that over 55% of the sixth form opt to continue with Maths after GCSE). 

A female underrepresentation as a nation at A Level means an underrepresentation of women in careers that involve Maths. By not taking Maths, girls limit their access to some of the more challenging, interesting and lucrative careers. For example, recent IFS research[3] suggests that, compared to the average female graduate, five years after graduation women with a Maths degree earn 13.4% more; those with an engineering degree earn 9.7% more, and those with an economics degree – another subject in which girls are significantly underrepresented and for which Maths is often a gateway subject – earn 19.5% more. Research has also shown that students taking advanced Maths classes learn ways of working and thinking – especially learning to reason and be logical – that make them more productive in their jobs (Rose and Betts 2004[4]).

Engineering jobs are predicted to grow at double the rate of other occupations, but there is currently a crisis of female underrepresentation in STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths careers; women comprise up only 14.4% of the total STEM population (WISE[5] ). This means that potential female candidates will have not only limited their own life chances, but also deprived the STEM disciplines of the thinking and perspectives that girls and women can bring. (Boaler, 2014a[6]). The current UK goal is for at least 30 % of people working in STEM careers to be women.

It is not just the raw state of Maths that is useful for the future, it is the skills that develop as part of learning the wonders of Maths; problem-solving, critical and lateral thinking, quantitative and analytical reasoning to name a few, that are part of the attraction. After all, we are preparing our children for jobs that do not yet exist!

The negative connotations that prevail about Maths seldom come from harmful teaching practices; they come from one idea, which is very strong, permeates many societies (although notably absent in countries such as China and Japan) and is at the root of maths failure and underachievement: that only some people can be good at Maths (Boaler, 2016 [7])

Growth Mindset in Maths

A ‘Growth Mindset’ in Maths is crucial. Perseverance, grit and resilience, are common skills identified in successful students in any field, made widely known by the work of Duckworth et al. (2007[8]).  ‘Economists refer to them as non-cognitive skills, psychologists call them personality traits and the rest of us sometimes think of them as character’ (Tough, 2013[9]). In Maths these skills are even more fundamental.

In her 2006 book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck summarised her evidence from decades of research with differently-aged subjects, showing that when students develop what she has called a ‘growth mindset’ then they believe that intelligence and ‘smartness’ can be learned and that the brain can grow from exercise.

Everyone has a mindset, a core belief about how they learn (Dweck, 2006b[10]). People with a ‘growth mindset’ are those who believe that smartness increases with hard work, whereas those with a ‘fixed mindset’ believe you can learn things, but you can’t change your basic level of intelligence.

The fixed mindset thinking that is so damaging, cuts across the achievement spectrum, and some of the students most damaged by these beliefs are high-achieving girls (Dweck, 2006a). General mindset interventions can be helpful, but if students return to approaching maths in the same way they always have then the growth mindset about maths erodes away (Boaler, 2016[11]).

So, our focus should be on developing strong Mathematical mindsets within the classroom and at home.

What holds girls back from Maths?

Confidence, self-belief and mindset. It is lack of confidence and not lack of ability that deters girls from taking Maths after GCSE. Lack of self-confidence can limit a girl’s learning and her potential. We need to develop their confidence and self-esteem and teach them to not be perfect! Getting an answer incorrect does not mean failure. A mistake is a portal to better understanding, discovery and part of an important learning journey. Mistakes are invaluable lessons and help up us to develop. Generation Z is under pressure to look and act a certain way, a problem amplified by social media.  Role models are extremely important to young people and girls are often more influenced, judging themselves by more restrictive standards reinforced by the media and society at large, further reducing their confidence in the classroom.

When it comes to Maths, girls rate their abilities markedly lower than boys, even when there is no observable difference between them, according to Florida State University researchers.[12] The authors note boys are encouraged from a young age to pursue challenge, including the risk of failure, while girls tend to pursue perfection.

‘Sticking with it’ is something girls need to be encouraged to learn, says Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, whose mission is to close the gender gap in technology. “We have to rethink the way we raise our girls. We have to teach girls to be imperfect. Teach them to be brave and not perfect” (Saujani, R 2016[13] ).

As leaders in educating girls, at the GDST, we focus on developing the skills and character to prepare them for the future. As teachers, we are dedicated to inspiring every one of our girls and trained to unleash their potential. Especially in Maths.

At GDST Schools, girls can learn without limits. We can influence the next generation of women to have a positive view of maths.  We can all create and believe in a new stereotype– All girls are born great at Maths.

 


 

References: 

[1] Eccles, J. & Jacobs, J (1986) Social forces shape math attitudes and performance.

[2] Jones, P. (December, 2018). Phylecia Jones: All Girls Are Great at Math [Video File] Retrieved from https://www.phyleciajones.com/tedx/

[3] https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/13036

[4] Rose, H., & Betts, J.R (2004). The effect of high school courses on earnings. Review of Economics and Statistics, 86 (2), 497-513

[5] https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/statistics/women-in-the-uk-stem-workforce/

[6] Boaler, J. (2014a). Changing the conversation about girls and STEM. Washington DC:The White House.

[7] Boaler, J (2016). Mathematical Mindsets. Unleashing Students’ Potential Through Creative Maths, Inspiring Messages and Innovative teaching.

[8] Duckworth AL, Peterson C, Matthews MD, Kelly DR. Pers Soc Psychol. 2007. Grit, perseverance, and passion for long term goals.

[9] Tough, Paul. 2013. How Children Succeed.

[10] Dweck, C.S (2006b). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballantine Books.

[11] Boaler, J (2016). Mathematical Mindsets.

[12] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170406121532.htm Florida State University. “Under challenge: Girls’ confidence level, not math ability hinders path to science degrees.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 April 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170406121532.htm>.

[13] Sujani – Teach girls bravery not perfection. https://www.ted.com/talks/reshma_saujani_teach_girls_bravery_not_perfection?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

What’s next? Moving on from ‘Growth Mindset’ – 19/10/18

I am sure we all have engraved in our minds the excitingly named Strategic Objective 3.1? It’s ok, this isn’t a test, and I will not be asking for answers on a GROW card… Mr Ben Turner, Assistant Head Pastoral, looks at the next steps in our pastoral programme here at WHS.

The answer –which of course we all knew – is: “Developing a growth mindset across the school”. Ever since Dr Carol Dweck published her paper about the underlying beliefs people have about learning and intelligence, the education community has been clamouring to implement her findings in schools across the globe. Another well-known theory, Everett Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations, depicts the process by which an idea is adopted over time within a community. As Everett’s ‘Laggards’ grapple with how to implement Growth Mindset in their schools is it time for us, as at least ‘early adopters’ if not ‘innovators’ ourselves, to move beyond Dweck’s original research and ask; what’s next?  

 

As we all know too well, the world is rapidly changing, and the landscape for which we are preparing our students is constantly shifting. A recent Oxford University study estimates that 47% of current jobs are “at risk” of being automated in the next 20 years.[1] The subjects we learn at school are mostly static, two plus two will always equal four and the Battle of Hastings will have always been fought in 1066. Complexity theorist Sam Arbesman[2] argues that facts like these have a ‘half-life’ of utility. Even coding, often touted as ‘the language of the 21st Century’, was first taught using the coding language of BASIC which is now defunct, and today Python is the most popular but will likely not be a decade from now. The challenge for students and educators is putting less value on what we know and more on adaption and improvisation.

Should the next focus then be on what we do with what we know, not what we have learnt or how we have learnt it? Laszlo Bock[3], formally the senior vice president of people operations at Google –  i.e. the guy in charge of hiring the talent for one of the world’s most influential and successful companies – notes that test scores are a worthless criteria for hiring and predict nothing. During Bock’s tenure, the percentage of Google employees without a college education rose to as high as 14% on some teams. What then did Bock value in a candidate? Of course, one cannot dismiss ‘good grades’, many jobs at Google require maths, computing and coding skills but the answer does not reside just in STEM and they certainly have their eyes on much, much more. The number one trait that Google looks for? Cognitive ability – the ability to ‘process on the fly’, to pull together disparate bits of information in order to work on and solve a problem.

Interestingly the other key skill sought by Google? Leadership. This is not the traditional leadership of captains and presidents. It is the leader, who when faced with a problem while a member of a team, at the appropriate time, steps in and leads. And, just as critically, steps back and stops leading and is able to relinquish power. This humility and ownership is an intrinsic part of leadership; to have stepped in with a sense of ownership while having the humility to step back and embrace the ideas of others in order to achieve your ultimate goal of problem solving, together. Perhaps the most telling of Bock’s lessons? The least important trait, so called ‘expertise’ – why would you hire someone that has done something ‘100 times’ before – what genuine innovation is there in repeating the past?

So, where then do these examples leave Strategic Objective 3.1?

I am sure that much of this will not be a surprise for most, but in evolving our thinking, it does raise pertinent questions.

  • What is the difference between embracing challenges and persevering through them and seeking out those challenges as opportunities?
  • When obstacles arise, our common response is grit and resilience but can we do more to shift our thinking to look for opportunities and possibilities; what do we do with what we know once they occur?
  • Innovation is not about ‘thinking outside the box’, it is about creating opportunities inside the box you already have; our hard work and effort are continuous, but as a school, how can we look to make time to create new solutions and ideas?

We proudly embrace failure but we cannot afford to be passive or linear in our thinking. Failures and challenges do not simply come in a procession, one by one; the most successful yet humble human beings are the ones that seek the highs and have experienced the lows and have come back for more regardless. Computers will never replace the agility of thought offered by people who can empathise, communicate and collaborate. It is that we want to engrave in our new Strategic Objectives but more importantly, instil into our girls so they can stride out and lead on the challenges facing us in the 21st century.

[1] http://www.eng.ox.ac.uk/about/news/new-study-shows-nearly-half-of-us-jobs-at-risk-of-computerisation

[2] The Half-Life of Facts: Why Everything We Know Has an Expiration Date, Samuel Arbesman, 2004

[3] Work rules! Insights from inside google that will transform how you live and lead, Laszlo Bock, 2015

Engineering – Take a closer look

Alex Farrer, one of our Scientists in Residence, looks at the value of science capital and the potential that this can have on future careers in the sciences.

Engineering 2018

2018 is the Year of Engineering – a government campaign to support the engineering profession in recruiting tomorrow’s engineers. Over the last 30 years efforts to attract girls and women into engineering have been unsuccessful. Currently less than 1 in 8 of the engineering workforce is female; boys are 3.5 times more likely to study A level Physics than girls; and boys are five times more likely to gain an engineering and technology degree (Engineering UK 2017).

Our STEAM focus at Wimbledon High provides insights into a variety of opportunities in engineering and in related areas such as design, sports, medicine and computer science. Through STEAM we strive to broaden what counts as science and help build the skills that future employers will value highly such as communication, problem solving and adaptability. We aim to encourage all pupils from Reception to Year 13 to think that STEAM is relevant and important to their lives, both now and in the future, and aim to build their science capital.

A national survey of young people aged between 11 and 15 found that 5% had a high level of science capital (ASPIRES projects).

Professor Louise Archer from UCL Institute of Education, directs the ASPIRES projects and has developed the concept of science capital which refers to someone’s science related qualifications, understanding, knowledge, interests, attitudes and contacts.

The Science Capital Teaching Approach aims to build on the existing science capital of pupils, encourage engagement with science and promote social justice.

If you have a high science capital you might:

  • watch scientific TV programmes
  • have science qualifications
  • enjoy reading popular science books
  • have friends and relatives that work in science and engineering professions
  • visit science museums and fairs
  • engage in science related hobbies or activities
  • talk about science and engineering news topics with people you know

The evidence from this research project shows that the more science capital a pupil has the more they will aspire to continue with sciences post-16 and see science and engineering as fulfilling roles.

Below are some suggestions that schools could consider to build the science capital of pupils and adults in their communities so that everyone sees science and engineering as something of value.

  1. Host a family STEAM challenge event. This will help to encourage science talk with family members and show that STEAM is for everyone in the school community.
  2. Encourage science and engineering activities to “pop up” in the playground. Pupils, parents or staff could run the activities and the high visibility will encourage all members of the school community to get involved.
  3. Celebrate interest in scientific TV programmes and films. For example show a screening of a film like Hidden Figures with scientists or historians on hand to answer any questions, or encourage staff and pupils to talk about the science on TV they have seen.
  4. Signpost STEAM books, magazines and events to staff and pupils. An example is Itch by Simon Mayo, which contains a great deal of chemistry, and there are also some excellent science magazines such as Whizz Pop Bang and BBC Focus that can be linked to lesson content.
  5. Think about ways to get families talking about STEAM homework that is set. Linking tasks to science or technology in the news will encourage talk as will setting tasks where help from adults is very much encouraged such as making a marble run, growing a mystery seed or taking a STEAM photograph.
  6. Find out the sorts of science interests, hobbies, and expertise pupils and their families have so that lessons and assemblies can be personalised. Setting a “Science and me” homework will heWHS Gymnasticlp to discover how many parents and pupils you have in your class with scientific interests and skills.
  7. Elicit and value the wider links that pupils have to science and engineering and draw upon them in lessons. For example using the experience of a gymnast in your class in a physics lesson will enable pupils to broaden what they thinks counts as science in their life.
  8.  Invite scientists and engineers that pupils will relate to into lessons and encourage them to talk about the skills and attributes they use. This could be a parent who uses STEAM skills in their job, a STEM Ambassador or someone who has relevant interest and knowledge. Even better if the scientist or engineer visits a lesson other than science! @STEMAmbassadors

Science lesson Wimbledon

If you are a primary teacher and would like to find out more about how you can build science capital in your school we will be hosting a Science Capital Workshop on February 7th 1.30-3.30pm. Please contact joanna.sandys@wim.gdst.net if you would like to come along.

If any parents with STEAM expertise would enjoy sharing some of their knowledge, skills and insights with our pupils please do let antonia.jolly@wim.gdst.net know and we will be in touch.

We look forward to enriching the science capital of our community in this exciting Year of Engineering as our STEAM journey continues.

Follow @STEAM_WHS on Twitter – #YoE