The consensus that African American girls are inferior in mathematics has been persistent in our society. This internalized conception has conditioned them to believe they are not built to be math literate and are lacking the ability to enter fields and careers that are math based (Leonard 2010). There have been various explanations including a history of race issues, uneven parental influence, intellectual differences, or shortage of high-quality teachers and schools (Oakes 1990).
We have witnessed girls tracked into the lower, less challenging math classes early on thereby diminishing their access to higher level classes in high school. As we continue to move toward greater and greater computer literacy, we also must require high level of critical thinking skills to fill the future needs of technology and science (Oakes 1990). Critical thinking skills can be taught and in our experience, math is one subject that does that very well.
Between the ages of 10 and 18, adolescence males and females move through cycles of change. As they are working on differentiation of their in and out groups they are also working on their self-identity (Tajfel 1982) and place in the social order (Evans 2010) . During this time adolescence girls have an even harder time maintaining their self-esteem (Kusimo 1997). When you add on the challenge of identity creation to the minefield of the teenage years, its’ no wonder there are challenges. Girls have been led to believe that males are better than girls in math and have verbalized this belief in a study of girls in transition (Kusimo 1997).
Evans, A. B., Rowley, S. J., Copping, K. E., & Kurtz-Costes, B. (April 01, 2011). Academic self-concept in Black adolescents: Do race and gender stereotypes matter?. Self and Identity, 10, 2, 263-277.
Kusimo, P. S., & Appalachia Educational Lab., Charleston, WV. (1997). Sleeping Beauty Redefined: African American Girls in Transition.
Leonard, J., Brooks, W., Barnes-Johnson, J., & Berry, I. I. I. R. Q. (May 01, 2010). The nuances and complexities of teaching mathematics for cultural relevance and social justice. Journal of Teacher Education, 61, 3, 261-270.
Oakes, J. (1990) Multiplying inequities: The effects of race, social class, and tracking on opportunities to learn mathematics and science. Santa Monica, CA: The RAND Corporation.
Tajfel, H. (1982). Social identity and intergroup relations. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press.
We have witnessed girls tracked into the lower, less challenging math classes early on thereby diminishing their access to higher level classes in high school. As we continue to move toward greater and greater computer literacy, we also must require high level of critical thinking skills to fill the future needs of technology and science (Oakes 1990). Critical thinking skills can be taught and in our experience, math is one subject that does that very well.
Between the ages of 10 and 18, adolescence males and females move through cycles of change. As they are working on differentiation of their in and out groups they are also working on their self-identity (Tajfel 1982) and place in the social order (Evans 2010) . During this time adolescence girls have an even harder time maintaining their self-esteem (Kusimo 1997). When you add on the challenge of identity creation to the minefield of the teenage years, its’ no wonder there are challenges. Girls have been led to believe that males are better than girls in math and have verbalized this belief in a study of girls in transition (Kusimo 1997).
Reference
Evans, A. B., Rowley, S. J., Copping, K. E., & Kurtz-Costes, B. (April 01, 2011). Academic self-concept in Black adolescents: Do race and gender stereotypes matter?. Self and Identity, 10, 2, 263-277.
Kusimo, P. S., & Appalachia Educational Lab., Charleston, WV. (1997). Sleeping Beauty Redefined: African American Girls in Transition.
Leonard, J., Brooks, W., Barnes-Johnson, J., & Berry, I. I. I. R. Q. (May 01, 2010). The nuances and complexities of teaching mathematics for cultural relevance and social justice. Journal of Teacher Education, 61, 3, 261-270.
Oakes, J. (1990) Multiplying inequities: The effects of race, social class, and tracking on opportunities to learn mathematics and science. Santa Monica, CA: The RAND Corporation.
Tajfel, H. (1982). Social identity and intergroup relations. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press.
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