[adrotate group="2"]
STEM CRISIS! GIRLS FALLING BEHIND POST-COVID!
In a shocking turn of events, the battle for equality in STEM education is taking a nosedive! At de Zavala Middle School in Dallas, four eager girls found themselves stumped while trying to make their Lego machine work. As their excitement fizzled, the clock ticked ominously on the progress girls once wielded in science, technology, engineering, and math!
ARE WE LOSING A GENERATION OF GIRL SCIENTISTS?
With the school pushing for a diverse sixth-grade class — half girls, mind you — hopes soared. But reality bites! While these girls are stepping up to the plate, many upper-grade students are left in the dust with scarce female representation in STEM classes, some even having just ONE girl enrolled!
The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the strides toward leveling the playing field. Girls have lost ground they fought hard for in math and science — slipping into obscurity while boys race ahead!
COVID: THE CULPRIT BEHIND THE CHAOS!
Reports reveal that pre-pandemic, the gender gap in math was nearly nonexistent with girls often outperforming boys. Fast forward to 2023, and boys are crushing girls in nearly 90% of districts nationwide! Talk about a regression!
Strikingly, during Zoom classes that should have been opening doors, girls were left behind, with remote learning favoring rote memorization over creative problem-solving. Biases resurfaced, dragging girls back into outdated stereotypes.
TEACHERS SOUND THE ALARM: “SOCIETY ROLLS BACK TO BAD HABITS!”
Michelle Stie from the National Math and Science Initiative didn’t hold back: “When society is disrupted, you fall back into bad patterns!” Fasten your seat belts; this is a crisis we can’t ignore!
THE WARNING SIGNS WERE THERE!
Surveys reveal girls are suffering higher rates of anxiety and depression during these challenging times. While academics took a hit, their reading skills remained intact, but the math scores? A different story! Girls reported feeling the weight of caretaking duties heavier than boys.
In classes, the bias runs rampant, with girls already self-describing as “not a math person” by age eight—an unsettling echo of societal biases!
SCHOOL DISTRICTS SCRAMBLE TO REBUILD!
But wait! Not every school is sitting back. At de Zavala, a renewed PUSH has ignited! With investments in teacher training and innovative programs, the science curriculum is being revamped! From kinetic energy Lego lessons to dinosaur creations — this isn’t just about science; it’s about REBUILDING the future!
A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!
Teachers are stepping up to the plate, helping students tweak their problem-solving skills rather than letting them throw in the towel! “Sometimes we can’t give up,” insists one determined educator, encouraging young minds to adjust rather than abandon their creations.
Is this the moment we rally to close the gender gap in STEM once and for all? The future is bright for girls in STEM — if we can keep the momentum going! Let’s turn the tide before it’s too late!
photo credit: fortune.com
[adrotate group="2"]
