A GUIDE toGENDER FAIR COUNSELINGfor SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, and MATHEMATICS

Carol J. BurgerMary L. Sandy

A GUIDE toGENDER FAIR COUNSELINGfor SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, and MATHEMATICS

Virginia Space Grant Consortium600 Butler Farm Road

Hampton, Virginia 23666

Phone 757.766.5210

Fax 757.766.5205

http://www.vsgc.odu.edu

http://genderequity.vsgc.odu.edu

Sponsored byThe National Science Foundationunder Grant No. HRD-9714637.

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A Guide to GENDER FAIR COUNSELING for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

TABLE OF CONTENTSiii Preface

iii Acknowledgements

iv Introduction

1 Strategies for Bias-free CounselingAcademic DevelopmentPersonal/Social DevelopmentCareer Development

4 Understanding the Importance of Technology

5 School ClimateEnvironmental Checklist

7 Preventing Harassment, Promoting RespectAction List for Counselors

12 Teachers as PartnersClassroom Methods in Mathematics and Science that Encourage Girls

14 The Role of ParentsTips for Parents - A Dozen Ideas for Encouraging Girls in Mathematics and Science

16 Gaining Support

17 Recommendations for Gender Equity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

18 Model Intervention and Support ProgramsPre-Program QuestionnairePost-Program Questionnaire

41 Resources for Change

42 References

44 About the Authors

PREFACEThis publication was developed through the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF)Program for Gender Equity in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering and is based on workundertaken by the authors as project directors of their NSF-sponsored Counseling for GenderEquity project. The project focused on equitable counseling practices for girls relating to thescience, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

The authors are Dr. Carol J. Burger, Coordinator, Science and Gender Equity Program andAssociate Professor, Center for Interdisciplinary Studies at Virginia Polytechnic Institute andState University (Virginia Tech); and Mary Sandy, Director, Virginia Space Grant Consortium(VSGC). The VSGC, part of the NASA Space Grant program, is a coalition of five Virginia SpaceGrant universities (including Virginia Tech), NASA Langley Research Center, the VirginiaDepartment of Education, and other education and technology organizations in Virginia. The coalition works together to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematicseducation, and to encourage females and members of under-represented minorities to pur-sue careers in related fields.

This guide is intended for K-12 school counselors, teachers, school administrators, pre-servicecounselors and their college instructors, and interested parents.

The information included in this publication has been gathered from research and from programs developed and refined by dedicated school counselors with a commitment to educational equity. What they found was that, depending on your gender, race, or ethnicity,there is a difference in the career counseling you receive.

The guide begins with background and strategies for gender equitable counseling. Subsequentchapters offer insights into the importance of technology in the current and future workforce,provide guidelines for assessing gender equity in your school climate, and highlight the importantroles that teachers and parents play. Following chapters provide advice on gaining support forgender equitable counseling and learning, and offer recommendations for gender equity inSTEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). If you want to establish a program atyour school, the Model Intervention and Support Programs chapter can help get you started.The counselors who participated in this project have agreed to act as resources for otherswanting to replicate or adapt their programs in other schools. Information is included so youcan contact the counselors for more information and helpful advice. The Resources forChange section includes advice from many sources including our counselor participants.

The authors encourage readers to use this guide as a starting point for their future growth inthe knowledge and practice of equitable counseling and career advising.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe authors are grateful to Sharon Campbell Waters for compiling the Model Intervention andSupport Program descriptions and to Brenda Neil and Judith McGhee for their contributions tothis publication. Our deep appreciation goes to the outstanding counselors who participatedin the Counseling for Gender Equity project. They gave so much good information and hadmany wonderful strategies to share. Several of the project participants served as reviewers forthis publication. They are: Gena Rhone, Rudy Escobar, David Adams, Dr. Norma Day-Vines, andJulie Chamberlain. We are most appreciative of their assistance. Photographs were generouslyprovided by the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper: front cover center, p. 23; and thePoquoson Post newspaper: front cover right, p. 35, 36.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under GrantNo. HRD-9714637. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed inthis material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NationalScience Foundation.

INTRODUCTIONOver the past 30 years, many programs have been implemented to recruit and retain women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)

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college majors, and careers. The targets of these programs were female students at all levels;teachers (both in-service training and pre-service); curricular changes to make course materialbias-free and teaching more inclusive; university faculty; parents; and community leaders,including Girl Scout leaders and members of Girls, Inc. One overlooked population of gate-keepers and school leaders was K-12 school counselors. School counselors can facilitate studentparticipation in elementary science and technology activities and in upper-level advancedcourses. They are an important source of information about careers, scholarships, and intern-ships. Sometimes counselors, like the rest of us, miss opportunities to motivate girls and otherunder-represented students in STEM areas where they are needed the most.

In 1997, authors Mary Sandy and Carol Burger initiated a four-year project under the sponsorshipof the National Science Foundation (NSF) to present a professional development opportunityfor school counselors on gender-balanced education. The project sought to make counselorsaware of career opportunities in science and technology fields, the skills and attributes of successful scientists and engineers, and the potential of these careers for females. The projectassisted counselors in fostering a gender-fair learning environment in their work with teachers,

administrators, parents, and students. Project activi-ties included gathering and synthesizing researchabout career decision-making, sex stereotypes ofcareers, and science and technology opportunities.

The Counseling for Gender Equity project was basedon the authors’ awareness that counselors can beleaders in their schools and that they can informteachers and administrators about ways to implementreform and change. Our research showed that whilemany school counselors have been classroom teachers,few have taught math or science. Fewer than 10%come from minority cultures, although in most urbansettings 80-90% of the students may be members ofeconomically disadvantaged groups. This lack of

STEM background, coupled with culturally acceptable perceptions about appropriate genderroles and careers, can lead to less than helpful advice to female and male students about their potential career goals.

At summer institutes on gender equity, counselors learned strategies for gender-fair counselingand learning, while working with national experts such as David Sadker, co-author of Failing at Fairness: How Our Schools Cheat Girls (and Boys); Sue Rosser, author of Female FriendlyScience; and Roberta Furger, author of Does Jane Compute? Preserving Our Daughters’Place in the Cyber Revolution. Participants became aware of classroom diversity issues, cultural and sex-role biases and stereotypes, the school climate for girls, and a system for coding classroom interactions. They explored gender-bias issues in career counseling andlearned about career assessment and career information products and services. They learned

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1For the purposes of this publication, the areas of science and engineering used include the physical

sciences (chemistry and physics); earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences; agricultural sciences; biological sciences; mathematical sciences; computer sciences; or engineering. Since women comprise themajority of social sciences and psychology undergraduates, those fields are not included in our discussion.

why girls might avoid technology courses and gathered tips and strategies for guiding girlsinto academic and professional opportunities in computers and technology. They gainedknowledge about science and technology workforce needs and trends, peer- and self-assessment strategies, assistance in using technology to access relevant information, andtechniques for encouraging girls (and all students) to pursue STEM-related studies and to consider careers in those fields.

The project gave school counselors the tools they needed to provide leadership for girls intheir schools, and it changed their views. “The subtle gender bias was overwhelming to me,”said a counselor who participated. “As I began to analyze my own behaviors, I was shocked tofind how my perspective may have been a limiting factor to female students. I really feel anobligation to bring more awareness to my faculty as well as a commitment to stress theimportance of science and math to students and parents.”

Motivated by what they learned and experienced at the summer institute, the counselorsreturned to their schools inspired to make their counseling and their schools more equitableto girls in STEM. Mini-grants of $200 for school-based equity projects allowed the counselorsto act on what they learned. The 126 counselors who participated conducted mini-grant projects reaching 1765 girls. These projects involved 257 teachers and 290 others, such asprincipals, librarians, parents, and guest speakers. It was particularly gratifying for the projectdirectors to see so many of the projects take on a life beyond the funded period. The authorsare pleased to share some of these outstanding model projects with readers in the hope thatthey might also be inspired to replicate or expand upon these efforts in their schools.

The counselors used materials from the institute to provide in-service training for fellow counselors, teachers, and administrators. Some of the counselors also did special programsfor parents. The counselors provided in-service programs to 2198 other counselors, teachers,parents, and administrators. In all, 4089 individuals benefited from the summer institutes and follow-up activities.

Another project outcome is a resource-rich web site to assist counselors in providing genderequitable counseling and programs while helping to foster a nurturing school climate for allstudents. The site is located at http://genderequity.vsgc.odu.edu.

The authors worked with Virginia Tech to produce a series of videos that had the theme ofLeadership Strategies for Gender Fair Counseling. These programs were produced byVirginia Tech Academic Television Services and broadcast by PBS Adult Learning Service. Three programs were produced: (1) Leadership Strategies for Gender Fair Counseling andLearning: Conversations with Drs. David Sadker and Sue Rosser (1999); (2) GuidanceCounselors Share Strategies for Encouraging Girls in Science, Math, Engineering andTechnology in Their Schools (2000); and (3) Counseling Girls to Bridge the TechnologyGap (2001). Programs are available from PBS Adult Learning Service. See http://genderequity.vsgc.odu.edu for more information.

The project directors are grateful to the counselors who participated in the Counseling forGender Equity project. They learned, shared, recognized their own biases, and set out to bechange agents in their schools. The project directors feel that the work the counselors aredoing and continue to do in the critical roles they play in girls’ lives is making a huge difference.Our hats are off to them.

The authors hope this guide will be a useful resource for making gender equity in science,technology, engineering, and math a reality in schools nationwide.

STRATEGIES FOR BIAS-FREE COUNSELINGEveryone in our society is exposed to the same images and language that stereotype genders,races, ethnic groups, and occupations. Because we’ve grown up with these pre-conceivedideas, it is sometimes difficult to break out of the habit of thinking of girls as ballerinas andboys as fire fighters. Our students, however, have grown up in a slightly different age. For allof their lives, students have seen women in what we think of as non-traditional roles. Womenare doctors, lawyers, police officers, mail carriers, school principals; and most moms work orworked at some point in the child’s life — either full or part-time. In addition, more malesnow do what was once considered “women’s work:” men are elementary school teachers,nurses, or stay-at-home dads. But research shows that even though children are aware of thereality of men and women working in a range of jobs, they still see occupations as genderedin the most stereotypical of ways. The goal of academic and career counseling should be tobreak down these stereotypes.

The American School Counselor Association’s policy on gender equity states:

The members of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) are committed to facilitating and promoting the fullest possible development of each individual by reducing barriers of race, gender, ethnicity, age, or handicap, and by providing equal opportunity and equal status for both genders. Members in a field committed to human development need to be sensitive to the use of inclusive language and positivemodeling of gender-equity. ASCA is committed to equal opportunity. (American SchoolCounselor Association, 2002)

Early research about what children depict when asked to draw a scientist, engineer, or mathe-matician is instructive. While the percentages have changed slightly over time, children (andadults who do this exercise) overwhelmingly draw a white male with glasses, facial hair, and alab coat with laboratory equipment arrayed around him. Children of female scientists are as

likely to draw this image as are others. This is a powerful biasagainst girls’ interest in anything scientific. Only by encouraginghands-on experiences with mechanical, chemical, and biologicalapparatus can girls gain the confidence to use this equipment.

In order to be an effective proponent of girls’ participation in science and technology, counselors must know what a scientist/engineer/mathematician/information technology worker does toeffectively counsel about what courses to take to reach that careergoal. By inviting female scientists, engineers, or computer specialiststo speak to the students, counselors can gain valuable insights intohow best to prepare girls for their future careers. In 1997, the ASCAadopted the National Standards for School Counseling. The NationalStandards are guidelines that outline those skills students willachieve as a result of participating in a K -12 school counseling pro-gram. According to the National Standards students will developcompetencies in three broad areas: (a) academic development, (b) personal/social development, and (c) career development

(Campbell and Dahir, 1997). Academic development competencies are designed to help studentsdevelop the appropriate attitudes, knowledge, and skills toward learning; select post-secondaryoptions; and, understand the relationship of academics to work and life. Career developmentcompetencies are designed to help youngsters explore career options, achieve future careersuccess and satisfaction, and understand their personal attributes relative to a particularcareer. Personal/social development competencies focus on helping students develop inter- 21

personal skills; make healthy decisions; and understand safety and survival skills.

A school counselor administering a comprehensive developmental guidance and counselingprogram would help children at all grade levels develop a healthy academic self-concept,select appropriate coursework to support careers in science and technology, and exposeyoungsters to STEM careers. They would also help students make decisions, set goals, andwork towards accomplishing those goals. The goals engendered in STEM programming areconsistent with the role function of school counselors and the competencies students areexpected to achieve by graduation. Below is a list of recommendations grouped by the threebroad competency areas endorsed by ASCA (i.e. academic, personal/social, career) that schoolcounselors can use as they help students achieve positive educational outcomes.

Academic DevelopmentOver the past three decades, the numbers and percentages of women completing high schooland college degrees have increased in all disciplines including science and engineering. Inhigh school, the number of women in advanced placement physics, chemistry, and calculushas reached parity in some schools. Women receive nearly half of the bachelor degrees in the biological sciences. Entering classes in colleges of veterinary medicine are well over halffemale. However, there are a few trouble spots. There are declining numbers and percent-ages of women in computer sciences. The number of bachelor degrees awarded to women in computer sciences peaked in 1984 at 37%. By 1996, the percentage had declined to 28%(NSF, 2000). In high school, it is more likely that girls will take keyboarding classes rather thancomputer programming courses.

The progression of necessary coursework in mathematics, science, and technology is key.Students need to take algebra as early as possible and to continue through advanced mathe-matics classes. Young women also need to be encouraged to pursue science through physicsand other advanced levels.

Points to remember in advising girls about course selection include:

Grades 1-4: Girls this age are testing their independence and are curious about theworld. They are also making judgments about which jobs are suitable for males and whichare the ones that girls should choose. Information about women in non-traditional jobs canbe presented in textbooks, class handouts, and posters in the classroom and in the hallways.These are important years for building academic self-concept. Activities that nurture interestin math, science, and technology and a female-friendly science and technology teaching andlearning environment can lay the groundwork for future STEM achievement.

Grades 5-8: Immediately before and during middle school, girls’ self-esteem andself-confidence take a nosedive. Girls should be complimented about their achievements,opinions, and intellectual and creative strengths rather than on their appearance. Talking withgirls about the opportunities available in male-dominated fields will help them consider thesecareers as options. Expose girls to STEM mentors and role models and activities that buildconfidence in STEM skills. Table 1 (page 19) can help you identify programs with role modelcomponents that you can adapt to your school or school district.

Grades 9-12: More girls than ever are completing advanced placement and upperlevel courses in chemistry, biology, and mathematics. The disciplines that still donot draw girls are physics and computer science. Students, both male and female, who use computers as an integral part of their learning in all subjects are more likely to havepositive expectations for their use of computers, and other technologies and science, in theirfuture careers.

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGYAs part of the Counseling for Gender Equity project, counselors explored not only the newkinds of jobs and careers that require a working knowledge of technology, but the role thattechnology will play in the vast majority of jobs in their students’ careers. Positive attitudestoward technology along with the necessary skills will be essential for success in most jobs in the future.

The technology explosion brought a new dimension to the classroom. The combina-tion of unfamiliar hardware and software developed by young men for boys (and the developersthemselves) was often “unfriendly” to girls and women. There was, and in many cases still is,an expectation that teachers and counselors would learn how to best use computers forteaching and counseling on their own without adequate training. Because most schools havelittle or no dependable technical support, male students took over the instructional role in theclassroom. With few female role models in school, at home, or in the media, girls get themessage that technology is for boys. Television shows and movies show young men and boysas the computer whizzes. An exception is found in the movie The Lost World: Jurassic Park(Kennedy and Molen, 1993). The computers that run the park have been sabotaged by anemployee and locked. The granddaughter of the park’s creator, Alexis ‘Lex’ Murphy (played by Ariana Richards) volunteers to try to unlock the system so the dinosaurs can be controlled.She starts typing on the keyboard and says, “It’s a UNIX system! I know this!” As she success-fully enters the system and starts to turn on the security devices, she says, “I’m a hacker!”Her younger brother Tim responds, “That’s what I said: you’re a nerd.” Lex replies, “I am not a computer nerd. I prefer to be called a hacker!”(Kennedy and Molen, 1993).

Stressing active and cooperative learning isespecially effective in changing girls’ attitudestoward computers. Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age (AAUW, 2000) points outthat girls don’t reject computers — they reject theculture surrounding computers. Because researchshows that most girls learn well in group settings,counselors can have a positive influence if theyarrange such participatory activities as field trips,after school computer clubs, and hands-on experiences for girls. Because girls are oftenturned off by the culture of isolation surrounding computer instruction, lessons integratingcomputer usage should be designed with components that meet girls’ needs for socializingand sharing. It’s also helpful to line up computers next to each other, rather than in separatealcoves, enabling girls to work together. In the classroom, girls appear more interested thantheir male peers in wanting to know how the particular scientific field connects to the worldand to people — not just the theories. Help girls, who may associate technological advanceswith environmental and social problems, see how science and technology work to solve thoseproblems. Let them know about the people-helping aspects of future careers in science andtechnology. Highlight the creative and application elements that technology presents.

Counteracting negative stereotypes about those who are scientists and engineersis an important step in moving girls from being computer users to having the skills to be soft-ware developers and hardware inventors. By initiating programs for girls, teachers, parents,counselors, and administrators that show the value of hands-on work with computers and science equipment, girls can become more confident in their skills and see themselves ascareer STEM workers. 43

Personal/Social DevelopmentCounselors are called upon to take action that will ensure all students access to services thatwill aid in their development into educated, productive adults. The authors’ research showsthat a major obstacle to the development of girls’ potential in the STEM fields is sexual harass-ment and bullying. Consequences of teasing and bullying include fear, negative attitudestoward school, avoidance of school, withdrawal, aggression, and poor academic performance(Atlas and Pepler, 1998; Batsche and Knoff, 1994). In the chapter, Preventing Harassment,Promoting Respect, strategies are outlined that counselors can use to make the school climatewelcoming for girls. Also important is that counselors recognize how cultural stereotypes canaffect students’ gendering of occupations and can color the counselor’s unconscious biasabout appropriate adult careers for males and females.

Assisting girls in the early puberty years with self-confidence and self-esteem issues is essentialto the kind of self-advocacy and self-efficacy that is necessary for success. Fostering gooddecision-making skills can help students make choices that are free of gender stereotyping.

School counselors have the training and expertise to coordinate interventions that promotehealthy pro-social behavior and ultimately reduce the escalating incidence of teasing, bullying,and sexual harassment (Day-Vines and Lutzer, 2002). There is considerable evidence suggestingthat appropriate developmental curricula and institutional climate modifications that addressteasing, bullying, and sexual harassment can effectively reduce reported incidents of antisocialbehaviors among children and adolescents (Roscoe, Strouse, Goodwin, Taracks, andHenderson, 1994; Sabella and Myrick, 1995). Further, school counselors’ knowledge of humandevelopment, as well as communication skills, positions them to teach children healthy inter-personal skills that discourage aggressive behavior.

Career DevelopmentCounselors are a key source of career assistance for students and a primary source for careerawareness. They assist students with identifying personal skills, interests, and abilities andguide them through the career planning process. Counselors must be knowledgeable aboutthe range of career options in STEM fields and the preparation required. Technology itself isincreasingly becoming the most extensive and specialized venue for learning about STEMcareers. Counselors need to be able to mentor students in using the Internet and career-related software to explore career options. Some excellent career exploration options areincluded in the Resources for Change chapter.

In an era where technological knowledge and skills are empowering, students need to under-stand why a strong background in technology as well as science, mathematics, and engineer-ing is important. Girls need to realize that they can achieve in STEM and use their full poten-tial to gain access to high paying and rewarding STEM jobs.

During all of the presentations the authors have made to student groups about becoming awoman scientist or engineer, never has a male student asked how he could possibly combinea career in science with a rewarding family life. Yet this question frequently arises amonggroups of girls. Having real-life scientists visit the schools and give talks about how they havemanaged to integrate all parts of their lives sends an important message to the girls. In addi-tion, counselors can gain valuable first-hand knowledge of these role models’ career pathsand academic backgrounds. The Internet offers an enormous resource for career counseling.(Please see the sites listed in the Resources For Change chapter of this document).

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SCHOOL CLIMATENo one wants to recognize themselves in research reports about bias in counseling and teach-ing, but the fact remains that, overall, fewer girls than boys are enrolled in science and tech-nology courses. In order to implement effective programs for your school, it is important toassess current conditions. With this information as a starting point, progress can be measuredand successes celebrated.

The following assessment exercise will allow school personnel to understand existing barriersto educational equity that exist in their schools. The baseline data can be used to guideefforts to reach self-determined benchmarks for equity. You may wish to engage administra-tors, fellow counselors and teachers in completing the Environmental Checklist provided.

In the Environmental Checklist, questions are asked about school climate, equitable attitudes,and access to professional development opportunities. Data are collected about the numbersof females and males in elective science, technology, and math courses, as well as those stu-dents who eventually enter a science or technology discipline in college or work in the sciencefield. The exercise will help you determine the areas in which change is needed. Counselorscan often help to engage administrators, teachers, and school staff in recognizing andaddressing policies and school climate aspects that are not gender fair.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST (Virginia Space Grant Consortium, 1996, 2002)

In your school or school district, do you:Circle one

1. monitor enrollment in science, technology, and math classes by gender and race? Yes No

2. collect data on standardized test scores by gender and race? Yes NoHow is that data used?

3. have programs to encourage and support girls and under-represented Yes Nominorities to participate in upper level science, technology, and math classes?Note the kind of programs and their target audiences? Assess the success of each?

4. reward counselors and teachers for sponsoring out-of-class science and technology activities for girls? How is this done? Yes No

5. monitor counseling materials to ensure a gender fair approach, i.e. do they include examples of men and women working in nontraditional fields? Yes No

6. monitor textbooks and curricular materials to ensure a gender fair approach, i.e. do they include information about the achievements of women and minorities in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines within the text? How does this monitoring occur and what steps are taken to ensure that curriculum materials are gender fair? Yes No

7. expose counselors and teachers to research on gender bias? Yes NoHow has this been accomplished?

8. provide in-service programs on strategies and techniques that can be used to initiate and maintain gender equitable counseling and gender fair classrooms? Describe the training and target audiences? Has it been effective? Yes No

9. inform parents of girls and under-represented minorities about the skills needed to help their children be successful in high-level STEM courses? Yes NoHow is this information shared in your school?

10. encourage administrators, teachers, and school counselors to have high expectations for all students? How is this accomplished? Yes No

11. give all students the same information about scholarships, special programs, and college requirements for STEM majors? Yes NoHow do you ensure equal access to information?

12. ensure that all students are encouraged to pursue STEM courses without regard to gender or race? What strategies are used to accomplish this? Yes No

13. provide the same level of recognition for both girls’ and boys’ achievement in academic and other areas of achievement? Yes No

14. provide an environment that promotes respect and discourages bullying and sexual harassment? Does your school have a policy regarding sexual harassment? Do you enforce it? Do all students understand what behavior is considered unacceptable? Yes No

PREVENTING HARASSMENT, PROMOTING RESPECTA key to academic achievement for all students is to provide a school climate that is safe, nurturing and respectful. Harassing behaviors can have a devastating effect on self-esteem,security and academic performance. School counselors play a vital role in addressing bullyingand harassing behaviors. This chapter provides recent data on sexual harassment and bullyingin schools as well as intervention strategies for school counselors.

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) commissioned studies on sexualharassment, bullying, and teasing in schools in 1993 and again in 2001. Researchers inter-viewed students in grades 8-11 throughout the nation. The latest report, Hostile Hallways –Bullying, Teasing and Sexual Harassment in School, indicates that sexual harassment, bullyingand teasing are widespread and have significant negative impact on emotional health, schoolenvironments and the learning process (American Association of University Women, 2001).

The AAUW study used the following definition: “Sexual harassment is unwanted and unwel-come sexual behavior that interferes with your life. Sexual harassment is not behaviors thatyou like or want (for example wanted kissing, touching or flirting)” (AAUW, 2001). EleanorLinn, associate director of Programs for Educational Opportunity at the University of Michigan,puts it simply: “It helps to describe sexual harassment by what it is not. Sexual harassment is

not flirtation. Flirtation feels good; harassment feelsbad. It doesn’t feel like just a joke, even if the personacts like it’s a joke” (LeBlanc, 1993).

Under the provisions of Title IX legislation, schooldistricts have a legal requirement to ensure that allstudents have a safe and non-hostile school environ-ment. Schools must defend students against thekinds of activities that create a hostile or intimidatingeducational environment, must punish the perpetra-tors of harassing activities, and must (re)create a just and safe environment, which is free of sexual discrimination and sexual harassment (Sjostrom andStein, 1994).

There is good evidence that bullying behaviors in the elementary years are precursors toharassing and violent behaviors in the teenage years. “Bullying, like its older cousin sexualharassment, needs to be addressed as a matter of social justice: it is an affront to democracyand our democratic institutions. Bullying deprives children of their rightful entitlement to goto school in a safe, just and caring environment; bullying interferes with children’s learning,concentration, and desire to go to school” (Stein and Sjostrom, 1996). While bullying is notillegal in the same way that sexual harassing behaviors are, it is a known practice field for sex-ually harassing behaviors. “We must name, study, and discuss bullying in a deliberate mannerwith all children, not just with the bully or his/her targets” (Stein and Sjostrom, 1996).

The AAUW researchers found that today’s students are more aware of sexual harassment andmore likely to know if their school has a policy; however, the latest study reports no change inthe level of sexual harassment. Eighty percent of the students report having experiencedsome type of sexual harassment during their school years. Six out of ten students reportexperiencing some form of sexual harassment often or occasionally, with fully one-quarterexperiencing it often (AAUW, 2001). 87

Students are not only upset by these experiences; the behaviors also have a negative impacton their school and learning experiences. “One quarter of the students who experienceharassment say they do not talk as much in class or do not want to go to school, and two inten found it hard to pay attention. Many (16%) found it hard to study and felt forced intoavoiding the harassers” (AAUW, 2001).

Particularly disturbing is the general lack of proactive action on the part of administrators,counselors, and educators to address these issues. “The silence of adults clearly representsnegligence, allowing and encouraging the harassment to continue and putting the school injeopardy of being sued for damages for violating Title IX, the federal law which prohibits sexdiscrimination or harassment in education institutions,” says author Nan Stein, who tracksschool harassment at Wellesley College’s Center for Research on Women (Stein, 1993). Steinfurther states, “This ‘evaded curriculum’ of the schools teaches young girls and women tosuffer harassment and abuse privately. They learn that speaking up will not result in theirbeing heard or believed.” It is critical to discuss bullying and sexual harassment with studentsin an age-appropriate way. We need to raise awareness with students and provide techniquesfor addressing these behaviors. Knowledge is power. Stein says that discussions must be sus-tained and non-judgmental as they teach students about these issues (Stein, 1993).

Nonaction by adults often gives boys tacit permission to intimidate and harass girls.While boys and girls are both perpetrators and victims, boys are likely to be more physicallyaggressive. Failure to actively address these issues through intervention contributes to overallerosion of respect and fosters a continued pattern of violence (Stein, 1993). When bullying,teasing, and harassment are allowed to flourish, the impact is not just on the targets of theabuse. Those who witness such behavior, coupled with the lack of official response, receive a clear message: harassment is tolerated and disrespect is allowable.

School districts need to have clearly stated grievance policies and procedures that areaccessible, readable, and written to be easily understandable by students and parents(Sjostrom and Stein, 1994). Training for all staff members is critical. Because studies showthat harassment occurs in many school-related environments, training must be pervasive. For both boys and girls, most non-physical and physical harassment takes place in halls orclassrooms. The gym, playing field or pool area, outside the school, on school grounds, and in the cafeteria area are cited as locations where harassment frequently occurs (AAUW, 1996).

School administrators need to work proactively to ensure that harassing behaviors are not tolerated. To discourage harassment and promote respect, all employees must beequipped with the knowledge and tools for dealing with these issues. All staff should beknowledgeable about policies and receive training, including custodial staff, cafeteria workers,bus drivers, teachers aides, coaches, and anyone interacting with students who might have todeal with incidents of bullying and harassment. They need to be able to identify related prob-lems and make appropriate referrals. A select group of counselors, administrators, and teachersshould be trained to effectively deal with referred concerns.

What do the studies, experts, and students themselves say?

Boys are more likely than girls are to perpetrate harassment. Students who experiencephysical harassment are more likely than those who experience nonphysical harassment toreport such behavior and the resulting educational consequences. It is not surprising that students in schools with harassment policies are more aware of this issue and are more likelyto report problems versus remaining silent. Verbal abuses, such as calling someone gay or lesbian or spreading sexual rumors, are equally as upsetting to students as is physical harass-ment. Most self-admitted perpetrators of sexual harassment (51%) say they harassed some-

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one of the opposite sex; 16% report harassing someone of the same sex; and 4% say theyharassed a teacher or school employee (AAUW, 2001).

Peer pressure and misplaced sexual energy are frequently given as reasons for harass-ment. Twenty-six percent of respondents in the AAUW Hostile Hallways study said they wanteda date with the person they harassed; 24% said their friends encouraged or pushed them todo it; 28% said they thought the person liked it; and 39% said it’s just part of school life —that a lot of people do it, or it’s no big deal. The alarming message from nearly 40% of thestudents is that harassment is perceived as a norm for school life (AAUW, 1996).

A sizable number of girls report that sexual harassment makes them feel ashamed of them-selves, “ ‘dirty-like a piece of trash,’ ‘terrible,’ ‘awkward,’ ‘uncomfortable,’ ‘grossed out,’ ‘scared,’‘embarrassed, angry and upset,’ and ‘like a second-class citizen’ “ (AAUW, 1996).

Who do students tell when they are harassed? Both boys and girls are more likely to tell afriend and much less likely to talk with a relative, teacher, or school employee. Around one-fifth of students tell no one, with boys more likely than girls to stay silent. Counselors are in aunique position to teach students about these issues and to engender students’ trust for helpin dealing with the issues. Why did students remain silent? Answers varied from not knowingwhy or not caring to feeling this kind of behavior is “normal kid stuff.” One student said, “Iknow I’m not gay, so I don’t care that they called me that.” Some said they handled the situ-ation on their own or that the harasser eventually stopped. Others were concerned aboutbeing perceived as a tattletale (AAUW, 2001).

About two in ten students expressed feeling fear, either some or most of the time, thatsomeone will hurt or bother them at school. Boys and girls are equally likely to feel this way(AAUW, 2001).

Why does it happen?

“Harassment is one person’s way of making another vulnerable,” says John Guttman, aUniversity of Washington psychologist. “If the harasser can make someone feel uncomfortable,then s/he feels more powerful. Not all harassment is intentional. Especially among teensthere’s often a fine line between flirting, teasing and harassment. Some people think theircrude behavior is flattering. They’re wrong” (Lyle, 1993).

“Many boys feel they have the ‘right’ to harass girls as part of traditional male culture,” saysNan Stein. Society needs to send the message to males that harassment is unacceptable, andteens need to discuss the subject of harassment openly.

As Stein notes, “They need to negotiate what is acceptable behavior, and what makes for agood relationship.” Sexual harassment isn’t a fact of life. And while teens can speak out, it isadults who are responsible for making schools and jobs safe and comfortable environments.Flirting or Hurting? suggests that sexual harassment is a relevant topic in many courses, suchas history, social studies and contemporary issues classes (social change, historic and cultural),English classes for literature and writing, as well as health and physical education for discus-sion about getting along, dating or respect (Sjostrom and Stein, 1994).

Guidance discussion groups tied into broader discussions about social norms, respect, decision-making, gender bias, conflict resolution, dating, teen violence, interpersonal relations, powerdynamics, and career education are excellent venues for dealing with sexual harassment. It ishelpful for counselors to make parents aware of the topic and that they present it from a civilrights perspective not from a sex education or values clarification approach (Sjostrom and

Stein, 1994). The authors recommend two excellent publications for counselors to use inworking with students. These are: Bullyproof, A Teacher’s Guide on Teasing and Bullying foruse with Fourth and Fifth Grade Students and Flirting or Hurting?, A Teacher’s Guide onStudent-to-Student Sexual Harassment in Schools Grades 6 through 12 (see the Resourcesfor Change chapter for complete bibliographic information.) Bullyproof (Stein and Sjostrom,1996) provides core lessons that can be used to help upper elementary children explore thedistinctions between ‘teasing’ and ‘bullying’ and learn about playful versus hurtful behavior. Aseries of lessons help children to discern the differences between joking, teasing and bullyingwith words, gestures, and physical behavior. Flirting or Hurting? (Sjostrom and Stein, 1994)addresses issues of sexual harassment for adolescent students. The recommended bookshave readings, writing assignments, and encourage role-playing and lively discussions.

Strategies for dealing with bullying and harassment as taught in the recommendedpublications include:

•helping the target develop the courage to confront the bully or harasser by telling him/herdirectly about how the behavior is offensive. The target writes a letter to the bully describinghow the bully’s behavior affects her/him. An adult serves as a witness when the target givesthe harasser the letter. Many young women deal politely with their harassers. They tend totry to ignore the aggressor or may laugh or try to dismiss it. It is important to help girls andboys understand that the best response to harassment is to deal with it directly and to let theharasser know that you mean business. The target can say things like “Leave me alone.”“Stop talking to me.” “You are bothering me.” “Get away from me” (Sjostrom and Stein,1994);

•encouraging students to discuss instances of harassment with their counselors or teachersor administrators and to report the harassment;

•encouraging proactive responses to harassment, teasing and bullying by third partybystanders; and

•knowing how targets of sexual harassment can respond. School personnel must have excel-lent working knowledge of their district policies and the legal rights of students.

Appropriate in-school interventions include:

1. counseling for students who harass;2. counseling for students who are in abusive relationships;3. training peer leaders to conduct workshops for other students; 4. peer mediation programs (with adult presence and participation);5. clearly articulated and well disseminated policies and codes of conduct;6. uniformly enforced consequences; and7. prevention-oriented campaigns that promote a culture of pro-social behaviors among students.

TEACHERS AS PARTNERSWhile counselors can be effective change agents on their own, enlisting teachers in the effort to make schools and classrooms equitable is important. Classroommaterials — books, worksheets, videos, movies — and language usage are places where moststereotypes and biases appear. Many newer textbooks do attempt to portray women in apositive way, but if the female is always the helper — lab technician or nurse — and the maleis usually shown in a more active role, the message girlsreceive is not a positive one. In considering language, do we always have to “tackle” a problem or “master” a subject? Do trajectories always have to be describedin terms of airplanes and bombs? Can yardage bethought of as fabric rather than as football field measurements?

Equitable teaching is known to be helpful for bothgirls and boys. In a controlled classroom experimentin teaching biology, researchers found that, in the standard classroom, girls’ grades were higher than were the boys’, but girls had less confidence in theirknowledge than their male peers. After a year of equi-table biology teaching, girls’ grades remained high andtheir confidence rose to that of the boys. The male students still had the same confidence in their knowl-edge, but their grades were now higher, possibly areflection of their knowledge matching their confidencelevels (Rosser, 1994). This underscores the fact thateducational equity does not only benefit girls.

Girls benefit from being encouraged to be risk-takers in science and technology classes.Using genuine problems of current interest, rather thanthe same old experiments, can spark debate, piqueinterest, and support girls’ continued interest in scienceas a relevant career path. Having all female lab teams orenforcing role changes in female/male groups ensures that girls have experience in setting upequipment and in actually doing the experiments. Boys can benefit from being note takersand doing data analysis — tasks that usually fall to the female members of the group.

The authors have written A Guide to Gender Fair Education in Science and Mathematics thatpresents strategies for teachers to ensure gender equitable teaching and learning. It containspeer and self assessments and practical information for educators. The guide is available athttp://genderequity.vsgc.odu.edu.

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ACTION LIST FOR COUNSELORSKnowledge is power. Guided discussions with students on bullying and harassment issuescan be extremely valuable.

Model the behavior you want to promote. Be sure you are modeling the respectfulbehavior you want students to emulate..Be proactive. Know your school district’s policy on harassment, bullying, and teasing; and be sure that it is actively enforced.

Be sensitive. When discussing harassment, bullying and teasing issues, counselors shouldtake students seriously and be particularly sensitive to student perspectives as well as any discomfort students experience during discussion of such incidents. “If students becomedefensive, start acting out, or giggling, take time to talk with them about what they find difficult” (Stein and Sjostrom, 1996).

Do not reinforce stereotypes in your words, behaviors or actions. For example, theattitudes that “boys will be boys” or that somehow girls are powerless victims should be dis-carded. Stay focused on the facts when discussing inappropriate behaviors.

Follow procedures required by state law and school district policy for dealing with harassment issues.

Be careful with your words. The language you establish for discussions about bullying and harassment will determine the attitudes that students may take away from discussions.Bullyproof suggests avoiding the use of the word “victim” when describing the target of abully. Targets are not powerless, whereas the word “victim” often implies a kind of power-lessness. Blame feeds the fiction that girls have that if they are good girls, they won’t beharassed. Use both he and she when referring to targets of teasing or bullying. Younger students can better relate to the use of terms “bullying” or “sexual bullying” than “sexualharassment” (Stein and Sjostrom, 1996).

Avoid emotional responses. When you intervene in an incident of student-to-student sexual harassment, one of the most effective ways to stop the behavior is to say, “This is inappropriate behavior for school. That’s not allowed here.” It is best to avoid labeling thebehavior “sexual harassment” or saying, “That offends me,” because of the subjective defini-tion of sexual harassment. You open yourself to responses such as, “We both like this; it’smutual” (Sjostrom and Stein, 1994).

Stay attuned to the school environment. Lessons in the recommended publicationsteach students to be “ethnographers” in their school. They learn to recognize evidence ofbullying and harassment. Counselors and teachers must also be attuned. Questions coun-selors and teachers might ask include: What words and drawings are found on student bath-room walls? Does your school have a policy to immediately deal with graffiti by removing it?Are there areas of your school that appear to “belong” to certain groups of students orcliques? Who is being bullied and harassed?

Use writing to express solutions pictorially, examine what constitutes proof in your classroom.If a picture is worth a thousand words, can a picture be proof? Students should accept eachother’s valid explanations without relying on the teacher to confirm them. Life experiencesshould be celebrated as a strong source of conjectures.

Give plenty of feedback and keep expectations high.Girls need constant feedback and approval, but make it clear to your students that you arenot adopting girl friendly strategies because girls can’t learn mathematics and science the“right way.” Be sure they know you believe that the skills and insights girls bring to mathe-matics and science will enrich the study of these disciplines for all students.

Give girls the opportunity to be in control of technology.Portray technology as a problem solver, not a plaything. Help girls become comfortable withtechnology by giving both a purpose and an opportunity for its use. Girls still see computerrooms and technology education courses as a boy’s domain. The Center for Children andTechnology has asked children to create their dream machine. Boys build vehicles andweapons; girls design helpers and friends. The computer industry blatantly develops gamesfilled with weaponry, war and vehicles. Don’t allow the use of school computers for suchgames. Encourage girls to recognize the networking and communications capability of thecomputer, its link to writing and research, and its use as a tool in mathematics and science.

THE ROLE OF PARENTSParents’ expectations for their daughter’s future play an important, if not key, part in thatgirl’s decision-making process. Most parents are aware that STEM careers are high paying and high status, but they likely see their sons in those careers rather than their daughters.Activities that showcase girls’ abilities and interest in technology can convince parents thatgirls can do the work. Family tech-nology nights engage girls and theirparents in hands-on activities whileemphasizing girls’ competence.Having computer labs open to par-ents and students after hours or onweekends can help both gain confi-dence in their computer skills. Acareer day that highlights women’saccomplishments in STEM fields canbe the key to opening the minds ofparents and girls to the possibilitiesof STEM careers. Parents can bewonderful role models since manymoms or female relatives have jobsthat use technology. Showcase themduring career workshops for girls andtheir parents.

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Classroom Methods in Mathematics and Science that Encourage Girls(United Connecticut for Women in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering, in conjunction withConnecticut PreEngineering Program and the Science Center of Connecticut)

Experiment with note taking techniques.Be sure that girls’ strengths work to their advantage. Many girls are dutiful note takers, butthey may be so focused on copying that they are not actively involved in class. As a “reward”for this skill, they may be relegated to the recorder role in every science experiment. Be sureto have some class activities where no notes are required. Try handing out pre-written notes.Bright girls may suffer in silence rather than monopolize the teacher’s time with questions.Giving every student one minute at the end of class to write a question, an interesting fact, or a reflection (as in a journal or diary) can help you hear their voices.

Foster an atmosphere of true collaboration.Having students work in groups of threes and fours does not ensure a collaborative experience.The group members should need each other; the group task should be too big for anyone todo alone, and each member should be responsible for a specific task. Group members mustbe held accountable for each other’s learning. Even in small groups, girls may question theirfirst reaction to questions and need time for reflection if they are to contribute fully. It canhelp to assign the question for homework so all will have ideas to contribute.

Connect mathematics, science, and technology to the world and to the lives of real people.Connect mathematics to science, art, to the lives of real people, and to the good of theworld. Bring the people who make mathematics and science to life. Ask your students toreflect on the kind of mathematics you would need to live as a Plains Indian, or in the thirteencolonies, or in 14th Century China, or as a prehistoric hunter-gatherer. You may force yourstudents to wonder for the first time “what is mathematics?” “What kinds of symmetry pat-terns can you create in art?” “How do mathematics and science work together, and how dowe use the physical sciences not to build bombs, but to save lives?”

Choose metaphors carefully; have students develop their own.Inspect the use of language in your mathematics and science classrooms. Girls use languageas a vehicle to abstract understanding. Do they have ample opportunities to write about theirquestions, reflections, and frustrations? A suggested journal question: “You are a spider on thewall watching you do your math homework. What do you see?” Be sensitive to the languageyou use to describe your subject. Help students to create metaphors for mathematics, likethis one: “If mathematics were a food for me, it would be__________ because_________.” AWestover 9th grader responded: “If math were a food for me, it would be a sandwich becausesometimes I like what’s on a sandwich and sometimes I don’t. When there’s too much stuffon a sandwich, I can’t fit it in my mouth.”

Encourage girls to act as experts.Answers to questions should not be solely the domain of the teacher. Girls demonstrate greatpractical intelligence in real world situations, but are often reluctant to use information gainedbecause it hasn’t been validated. It hasn’t been imparted by an expert. Girls hesitate toassume a voice of authority in their work. Having girls lead or present topics to the class,using girls to staff the technology room, having a mathematics lab for extra help staffed byslightly older girls: all of these can help girls gain confidence.

GAINING SUPPORTA multilevel approach is needed to institute the changes necessary to recruit and retain girls in the STEM educational and career pipeline. Some have questioned the need for thissupport and deem it “special treatment.” The authors’ view isthat we cannot afford to discount half of the potential STEMworkforce merely by virtue of their gender. Women havealways been scientists. (See the website 4000 Years of Womenin Science at www.astr.ua.edu/4000WS/4000WS.html for moreinformation). Women today are making important contribu-tions to STEM fields at all levels. A career in STEM can berewarding and remunerative. Using information from thisguidebook and from the various websites listed in the ResourcesFor Change chapter, you will be able to inform other counselors,teachers, administrators, parents, and community membersabout the need to support programs to recruit and retain girls in science.

Girls’ responses to after school science clubs, Saturdayand summer science camps, hands-on activities, men-toring programs, and career days are overwhelminglypositive. The programs we have highlighted in this book arebut a few of the many that teachers and counselors have instituted at their schools.

Joining with community groups that are interested inthe progress and performance of girls can be a sourceof ideas and much volunteer help. The Girl Scouts, Girls, Inc., and the AmericanAssociation of University Women all have programs focused on girls and educational equity.These organizations can supply materials, programs for presentation in the classroom or afterschool, funding, role models for mentoring programs, and volunteer hours. The PTA shouldbe part of your efforts and can help in making the school or school district aware of theneeds of girls.

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Tips for Parents — A Dozen Ideas for Encouraging Girls in Mathematics and Science(United Connecticut for Women in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering in conjunction withConnecticut PreEngineering Program and the Science Center of Connecticut)

1. Your words make a difference. Women scientists and engineers most frequently men-tion parental encouragement as the primary element in their success. Be positive in indicatingthe value of mathematics and science in your life and avoid statements like “I’ve always hatedmath” or “I never could do science.”

2. Talk about mathematics and science. Children who are successful in mathematics andscience talk about it outside of class. Ask girls specifically about their mathematics and scienceclasses. You don’t have to be the expert; let them do the explaining.

3. Take advantage of school opportunities. Find out what informal educational opportu-nities are being offered by your school. Family Math/Family Science activities can be a won-derful evening for all. Does your school open its computer facilities on evenings or weekendsfor students and their parents?

4. Discover mathematics and science together. Thoughtful conversations can generatequestions for further exploration. Together, you can play math-related games, discover newcomputer software at the library, and visit a museum or science center.

5. Know what to expect. Know what to expect from a quality mathematics and scienceprogram and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

6. Know what she needs. Monitor her mathematics and science course choices. Girls whodrop mathematics before having a good course in trigonometry limit their choice of collegemajors. Encourage her to pursue physical as well as biological sciences. Talk to her teachersabout which mathematics and science courses will help prepare her for the widest variety ofcareer choices.

7. Build things with her. Girls are disadvantaged by a lack of experience with the physicalworld. Involve girls in chores and projects that require repairs with tools, estimation, and cal-culation.

8. Point out math and science in everyday life. Think about the messages in TV showsyou watch, the magazines you read, and the toys you buy, and discuss these issues with her.

9. Provide role models. Find out more about career opportunities and requirements andshare these with your daughter. Don’t assume the school will do it all for them. If you havefriends who are scientists or engineers, have them talk to you and your daughter about theirwork and the education that prepared them for it.

10. Show her the mathematics and science you do every day. Involve your daughterin everyday mathematics activities: budgeting household expenses for a month, planning fora vacation by mapping out the route, designing a garden, comparison-shopping.

11. Check out summer and weekend programs. Find out about mathematics, science,and technology enrichment programs available on weekends or during the summer where youlive and around the state.

12. Share your enthusiasm. Share everyday science experiences with your daughter liketaking outdoor walks to identify plants and wildlife or looking for constellations in the nightsky. Enthusiasm is contagious. Show her the excitement and fun of mathematics and scienceand let her catch it.

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GENDER EQUITY IN STEM•Exercise leadership at all levels — school boards, superintendents, school principals, and parent-teacher organizations — to incorporate gender equitable practices that can leadto systemic change. Programs have identified practices over the last 30 years that increasethe success of girls and young women, as well as under-represented students of color, inmathematics, science, and technical study.

•Pay attention to science and technology literacy throughout the community,knowing that children do not learn in a vacuum. Provide opportunities for parentalinvolvement in promoting a girl’s interest in science and technology.

•Develop support for mathematics and science teachers, taking advantage of localresources. Draw on surrounding businesses, and technological and academic communitiesto enrich the tools available to teachers and advance their continued learning and careeroptions. Establish training and teacher development programs to keep educators abreast of new technology and methodology.

•Support and develop strategies that infuse intothe mainstream the best practices developed inexperimental programs for technological learning.Promising techniques may be lost if strategic planningfails to provide an opportunity for incorporatingchanges throughout schools in a community or state.

•Recognize and encourage learning styles andinterests that evolve from the experience of girlsand young women. In some cases, girls-only labs orstudy environments can enhance the confidence ofyoung women undertaking studies in traditionally male-dominated fields like computer science and physics.

•Stress active and cooperative learning, particularly at primary school levels. Girlslearn well in group settings, with curricula emphasizing such participatory activity as field tripsand hands-on experiments. Good teaching methods and environments developed to encouragegirls in science, math, and technology work well for boys too.

•Demonstrate to young women that technology presents powerful ways to have a highly positive impact on society. Help students, who may associate technologicaladvances with environmental and social problems, see the connection of science and tech-nological work to solving such problems. Let them know about the people-helping aspects ofa future career in science and technology. Highlight the creative and application elements inmiddle school and high school curricula, so that students do not feel they are simply gatheringmechanical knowledge about numbers or computer codes.

•Encourage activities that integrate science and technology learning with otherdisciplines. For example, computer lab Internet exploration can be used in cross-disciplinaryways to enhance a student’s existing interest in art, history, or language.

•Provide girls with mentors from local campuses, research facilities, and corpora-tions. Encourage the leaders of those institutions to reward employees for working with thestudents who will constitute the talent and workforce of the future.

(Adapted from Balancing the Equation: Where Are the Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology? Mary Thom, 2001)

MODEL INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT PROGRAMSThe Counseling for Gender Equity project provided a mini-grant program for participatingcounselors. A small grant of $200 was given to each counselor to plan a special program inhis/her school to: 1) develop and produce activities that would impact girls directly, thusimproving the recruitment and retention of girls in science, technology, engineering, andmathematics education and careers; and 2) facilitate the dissemination of information relatedto careers in STEM disciplines to girls.

The instructional and motivational projects werebased on science, technology, engineering, and/ormathematical activities and current researchand models of how social, learning, and teachingfactors could facilitate the interest, motivation,and achievement of girls in an educational set-ting, whether during school hours or throughafter school programs. The counselors usedfunds effectively and many sought additionalfunding through their PTA, schools, communityor other resources. Nearly all of the counselorscontinued their projects in subsequent years andfound needed funding through other sources.

The counselors were encouraged to team withother counselors, teachers and school staff in developing their programs. The importance of engaging and involving parents in the projects was stressed. Most counselors activelyengaged parents of the participating girls with very positive results. Elements of gender equity programs included:

•Exposure to STEM role models, creating experiences beyond typical student access

•Group work/discussion on topics such as making choices, self-esteem, self efficacy, and harassment

•Enhanced awareness of STEM career options

•Helping students understand the importance of a strong science, math, and technology background in their studies and how to plan appropriately

•Hands-on experiences with STEM for inspiration and confidence building

•Opportunities to build skills and confidence in areas in which girls often do not have as much practical life background, including problem solving and spatial relationships.

Counselor participants in the Counseling for Gender Equity project implemented 74 projects,which involved 1765 girls in the first year the projects were offered. Most of the counselorscontinued their projects beyond the year for which funding was provided. The project directorswere impressed with the range of projects offered, their effectiveness in changing girls’ per-ceptions and choices, and their overall impact. Some of the outstanding programs undertakenby counselors are described in this chapter. The authors hope that these projects might be aninspiration to other counselors in shaping similar kinds of programs in their schools. Programdescriptions are presented by grade levels: 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Email contact information forthese exceptional counselors is also provided. A full summary of all the projects undertaken canbe found at the Counseling for Gender Equity web site at www.genderequity.vsgc.odu.edu.

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The following matrix may be helpful in identifying program elements of interest to the reader.The numbers correspond to the 23 Counseling for Gender Equity project summaries that follow:

Table 1. Model program activities

The pre- and post-program student questionnaires used with the Counseling for GenderEquity projects can be found on pages 39 and 40. The pre- and post-program questionnaireswere developed for the school-based Counseling for Gender Equity projects described in thischapter. They provided constructive feedback on students’ pre-project and post-project per-ceptions and also gave counselors ideas for program improvement.

Third-Fifth Grade Projects1. Project Title: P.S. 4275 – Girls Getting Better at MathCounselor: Connie Van Sickler – cavan@visuallink.comSchool: Orchard View ElementaryLocation: Winchester, VA

Twelve P.S. 4275’ers (Problem Solvers 4275) met for 35 minutes once a week for eight weeks.The purpose of the project was to assist low-average 3rd grade girls to become confident inusing problem-solving methods in mathematics. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires weregiven to students to assess their levels of comfort with processes relative to problem-solvingmethods.

The project was a great success. The girls enjoyed getting together and being with oneanother as they experimented with measuring, counting, and labeling. They were eager topractice problem-solving skills for themselves. One of the girls the counselor had worked within a guidance class had experienced significant weaknesses in math skills and needed assis-tance in expressing ideas. Her participation with this group of girls increased her confidenceand self-esteem immensely.

Girls were enthusiastic and enjoyed the idea of being able to experiment with the problem-solving process without the presence of boys. Each lesson began with a discussion aboutwomen achievers in the fields of science and math. Girls cited specific examples of unrewardingmath class experiences with the boys when girls provided wrong answers. Negative behaviors,such as teasing and name calling, made girls feel inhibited in such environments.

Colleagues were very supportive and the project continued beyond the period funded by the grant.

K - 5Project NumbersActivities / Grades

6 - 8Project Numbers

9 - 12Project Numbers

Field Trips

Hands On Activities

Non-traditional careers: knowledge

Role models

2, 5, 6, 8

1, 2, 3, 7, 8

4, 6, 9, 10

2, 3, 4, 5, 10

2, 12, 15, 17

2, 14

11, 12, 15, 17

2, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18

22, 23

20, 21, 22

19, 20, 21, 23

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2. Project Title: Great GirlsCounselor: David R. Adams – dadam@infi.netSchool: Orange County Senior High SchoolLocation: Orange County, VA

The project provided girls in the 3rd and 8th grades exposureto non-traditional occupations and careers for females in math,science and technology. A total of 61 girls participated in theproject, including four under-represented minorities. Teachers,counselors, and the vice-principal worked to increase the par-ticipation and achievement levels of female students in mathe-matics, science and technology. The goal was successfullyachieved by initiating and developing interest in science andtechnology by providing exposure to hands-on experimentsinvolving technology. A field trip to the National Women’s ArtMuseum illustrated the integration of science, mathematics,and the arts. A trip to a nuclear power plant introduced thegirls to female engineers. Hands-on participation in roboticsand disassembly of computers provided challenging activities.Seminars with successful female role models helped the girls to set real-life goals.

Evaluation of the impact of the project was an ongoing subjective and objective analysis ofprogress tracked by conducting interviews with parents of participants. The school was sup-portive of the project and provided additional funding after grant money was expended.

3. Project Title: Tomorrow’s Women in Science and Technology (T.W.I.S.T)Counselor: Terry Johnston – jjohns7351@aol.comSchool: Norge Elementary SchoolLocation: Williamsburg, VA

Fifteen 4th grade girls (including two under-represented minorities) met after school for 90minutes weekly during the school year. The group also had lunch together once a week.During their time together, the girls were exposed to the intricacies of technology, interactedwith speakers and role models, participated in hands-on-activities and experiments from thevarious science and engineering fields, played math thinking and problem-solving games, and completed projects that required the use of tools. Some of the activities included:

• building paper bridges

• making tetrahedrons and using them as bubble blowers

• developing and working with secret codes

• experimenting with aeronautics through paper airplanes

• taking apart small appliances, including a computer

• making Ooblick and slime (Ooblick is a fun substance that, depending on how it is being handled, can be either a liquid or a solid.)

• experimenting with friction, gravity, and electrons

• building bluebird houses; setting and monitoring a trail

• building with Legos (and Gizmos)

• playing games designed to develop problem solving and spatial relations skills

• using technology to take digital pictures, edit pictures, create T-shirts and build a web page, and to explore web sites of interest to girls.

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Professional speakers from a variety of STEM disciplines provided career as well as contentinformation. Family members were invited to program activities. Some of the parents participated as guest speakers for some of the events.

Project impact was measured by:

1. Questionnaires: At the first meeting, the girls completed a pre-project questionnaire. A post-project questionnaire was administered at the completion of the school year to validate significant differences from the pre-project questionnaire.

2. Daily evaluation: At the conclusion of each group meeting, the girls were given a poker chip and asked to place it in the green, yellow, or red cup to help evaluate what was done that day.

3. Direct observation: Except for illness and the occasional family emergency, attendance was 100%. Girls gave up their recess time to work on their projects. Non-members were asking to be included.

Overall, the project impacted the school and the community in the following ways:

• Teachers and parents noticed the girls’ enthusiasm and became involved by suggesting activities, speakers, and field trips.

• Parents were willing to provide funding and assistance when needed.• A dialog began within the school group and families resulting in teachers actively

examining their teaching styles.• Girls developed more of an “I can” attitude. Increased cooperation, problem solving, and

willingness to try attitudes were developed in the participants.• Group members became more aware of inequity, inaccurate perception, hidden messages,

and bias. Several of the quieter girls spoke out in class when boys made derogatory comments about girls’ abilities in math and science.

At the insistence of both participants and parents,the project was continued when grant funding ended.Many more girls have requested to be part of thegroup. Terry Johnson reports, “I have observed a dramatic increase in the girls’ confidence with science,their ability to predict, their inclination to questionand suggest alternatives, and their perceptions ofvariables.” She notes that, “An amusing aside hasbeen that the boys, having observed the fun thatthe girls were having with learning, demanded a similar group with different goals — they are learningto sew and cook.” Johnson notes that the “boysgroup” has also been popular and the boys haveproven diligent in their pursuits.

4. Project Title: The Googolplex GroupCounselor: Margaret Banach – banachpa@pwcs.eduSchool: Occoquan Elementary SchoolLocation: Woodbridge, VA

A group of 15 girls—eight from under-represented minority groups—met for eight sessionsover a period of two months. Using a variety of activities, the girls were exposed to new andstimulating information. The goal was twofold: (1) to encourage the girls to seriously considerpursuing a career in science, math, engineering and/or computer technology; and (2) to

make them more aware of the obstacles they may encounter while pursuing a career in amale-dominated field. The name of the group (the Googolplex Group) was chosen in order to encourage dialogue during the first session. Students informally discussed their attitudestoward the possibility of pursuing careers in science, math, engineering and computer tech-nology in light of their present career choices.

During the second session, teaching and learning styles and how these styles impact girls inthe classroom were discussed. Strategies that could help the girls overcome gender bias andbecome high achieving students were also developed. During subsequent sessions, the girlswere introduced to the New York Times Science Section. They were asked to compare thenumber of males and females cited as experts in an article from the section that they weregiven to read. They discovered that the only time women were mentioned in all of the arti-cles reviewed were as subjects in a study, not as scientists, authors, or investigators. Girlsacquired specific knowledge about their course selection opportunities in middle/high schoolby inviting a high school guidance counselor to a working lunch at the school. A video wasshown on aeronautical career choices and the course work they would need to pursue such a career was discussed. In addition to this, the girls went to the computer lab where theyaccessed a program on career opportunities.

The culminating activity was a field trip to the University of Maryland. The girls met with agroup of outstanding women in science, math, engineering and technology. Half of thegroup toured the lab where they watched a graduate student testing her robot in the pool(which the girls learned is used to simulate space). The other group, which had submittedquestions to the women in advance, learned about the women scientists’ educational back-grounds and the challenges they have faced in school and the workplace. The girls listened as the professors and graduate students answered their questions, shared their experiencesand elaborated on the obstacles, rewards, and demands they have had to meet in the pastand continue to meet in the present. The groups then switched activities. During lunch, one of the professors let the girls manipulate the remote controls for the two robots she had designed. She owns a company that is manufacturing equipment to help special needs children. A tour of the campus concluded the field trip.

The project really changed the girls’ attitudes about themselves. Some of them, who neverconsidered a career in these male-dominated fields, are now thinking about becoming anengineer, a scientist, or a computer technologist. Also, they are more aware of the differencesbetween boys’ and girls’ learning styles; and they talk about having higher self-esteem interms of not giving up or quitting while pursuing their dreams. For example, “I won’t give up if I get a bad grade” was repeated by many of the students.

5. Project Title: Girls in TEAMS (Together Exploring and Achieving in Math and Science)Counselor: Angela M. Bell – ambell@henrico.k12.va.usSchool: Arthur Ashe Jr., Elementary School Location: Henrico County, VA

This project’s major focus was the recruitment and retention of girls in science, mathematics,engineering, and technical disciplines. The project involved guest speakers, workshops, small-group activities, and field trips. Participants met once or twice per month after school fromNovember to May. Through this program, participants had an opportunity to learn and practicemath and science concepts, hence improving academic performance and interest in math andscience. The goals of the project were to:

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1. expand knowledge of careers related to STEM,2. influence academic success,3. increase academic performance in math and science,4. encourage academic involvement in STEM, and5. improve test performance in math and science courses.

Twenty-one under-represented minority girls in the 4th and 5th grades were recruited based onteacher recommendation and parental permission.Information was sent home to the parents regardingthe program and how it would work. Many parentswere thrilled about an after-school program thathighlighted science, math, and technology. Dates for the group meetings and field trips were selectedand agreed upon by parents. The girls were excitedbecause it was a group just for girls.

Retention of the girls was a challenging task. Fieldtrips and guest speakers assisted in maintaining inter-

est and enthusiasm. Other retention methods included:

1. requiring the girls to keep a journal with information on all activities including field trips and guest speakers,

2. having girls do research/homework assignments on women in the fields of math, science, technology, and engineering,

3. having guest speakers highlight aspects of their careers that make their jobs fun, exciting, and enjoyable, and

4. utilizing the Internet to complete various research assignments.

The impact of this project was measured by analyzing participant grades, surveys andstandardized test scores. In reviewing the State Standards of Learning (SOL) scores of the 5th grade participants, 100% of the participants in the program passed both the math and science subtest on the 5th Grade SOLs. Three of the participants passed the math subtest withadvanced scores. In reviewing the Henrico Assessment Test scores of the fourteen 4th gradeparticipants, 88% passed the science subtest (10 out of 14) and 56% passed the math subtest(9 out of 14). At the conclusion of the project, girls were encouraged to set goals and seekto excel in STEM-related areas.

The group was featured on the front page of the Metro section of the Richmond Times-Dispatch in March 2001. The article highlighted the program and activities. At the time thereporter came to the school, there were several guest speakers, including a chemist, an anes-thesiologist, a podiatrist, a physician of physical therapy, and a psychiatrist.

The principal and counselor were invited to present a report on this project at the VirginiaSchool Board Association’s conference in Richmond during the summer of 2001. Informationwas disseminated about the project to various school board members and educators who par-ticipated in the conference. The program seemed to spark the interest of many of the partic-ipants in developing similar programs in various school districts and schools.

Thirty-six girls participated in the program during a second project year — a 72% increase overthe number of first-year participants. Funding was provided by PTA funds allocated for theguidance department. The counselor, Angela Bell, noted, “This project has been an absolutedelight. The girls have become wonderful problem-solvers and terrific ‘little scientists.’

Whenever we have guest speakers, they eagerly and willingly participate in all activities and asktons of questions.” Bell indicated her excitement about the growth and interest of the group.She observed, “Many of the girls noted they did not realize the amount of math and scienceinvolved in many careers. Many (of them) also noted that the group had sparked their interestin math, science, or both. They all talked about enjoying the experiments and the informationshared by the various guest speakers.” The project has become an ongoing program at theschool.

6. Project Title: Project Girl PowerCounselor: Rudy Escobar – rescobar1@yahoo.comSchool: Sherwood Elementary SchoolLocation: Norfolk, VA

Counselor: Gena Rhone – gena_rhone@hotmail.comSchool: Norview Elementary SchoolLocation: Norfolk, VA

Project Girl Power was a program that sought to expand the minds of 4th and 5th grade girls.The project was planned and implemented by counselors in two elementary schools in theNorfolk, Va. school system. Through the use of small group counseling, Project Girl Powerexplored the various career opportunities available in the fields of science, math, engineeringand technology. The groups were composed of girls meeting the following criteria: (1) nosuspensions (in school or out); (2) no grades below “C”; (3) no more than eight days ofabsences; (4) an interest in learning about careers in STEM fields. Group meetings took placeweekly during the school day. Some of the issues discussed were self-esteem, assertivenessand goal setting. Guest speakers, field trips to Nauticus and Old Dominion University wereused as supplemental instruction. One of the culminating activities was a party to celebratethe girls’ new awareness of knowledge at which the movie Ever After was shown. This movieis a modern day Cinderella in which Drew Barrymore, as princess, rescues the prince.

Girls were given pre- and post-surveys to measure the impact of the program. T-shirts sport-ing “Project Girl Power” were bought for all of the participants. These were worn during fieldtrips and created a sense of belonging. Program results were very positive. More studentsbecame interested in attending Ruffner Academy (Norfolk Public Schools’ middle school mag-net school for math and science). There were increased recommendations for honors clustersin middle school and participation in Junior University (Norfolk Public Schools’ summer pro-gram for the academically gifted and talented). The program is continuing.

7. Project Title: Cyber-Tutors for TeachersCounselor: Sandra C. Cole – scole@buc.k12.va.usSchool: Garden Elementary SchoolLocation: Buchanan County, VA

The main focus of this project was to involve girls in computer science activities. Twelve 5thgrade girls were chosen to assist teachers in becoming computer literate. The girls met as agroup to discuss what they knew and what they wanted to learn. Each selected a teacherfrom a list and became a “cybertutor” to that teacher to provide assistance in using computers.The girls helped the teachers during planning periods, recesses, or any time that they couldarrange.

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Group sessions were conducted regularly to provide activities for the girls to expand theirexperience with computers. One such activity involved the use of Intel’s The Journey Inside,a program that explains the history of computers, how they are made, and how they operate.This program included a videotape on computers and several activities on the way computerswork. The girls took computer hard drives apart, viewed the inside workings of a computer,and used batteries and circuit wires to ascertain the way the different circuits behaved.

Groups of five to six girls worked on a PowerPoint presentation, which provided experiencesfor the girls in learning to use a digital camera and importing the pictures into their presenta-tion. The final product was then presented at several school assemblies and a PTA meeting.The girls learned to use an LCD projector to present their work.

Pre- and post-program questionnaires and interviews were used to measure program impact.The girls expressed disappointment that the counselors’ schedules did not allow the group tomeet more often. The participants demonstrated leadership and increased self-esteem as aresult of this program. A graphic was designed to go on a T-shirt that represented what thegirls accomplished during the school year. Each girl received a T-shirt so they could “show”their pride in themselves and their accomplishments. The project is now an ongoing activity.

8. Project Title: Science ExplorersCounselor: Bonnie Rowe – jim@widomaker.comSchool: McIntosh Elementary SchoolLocation: Newport News, VA

Ten 4th grade girls attended a six-week hands-on exploratory science project designed usingexperiments from The Science Explorer book. The goal of the project was to enlighten femalestudents about the joys of science using the inquiry and hands-on methods of learning.

Each student was given a science lab basket with all the materials needed to perform their science experiments. Each week the program emphasized a different theme:

Week l: Blowing, Bouncing, Bursting BubblesWeeks 2 & 3: Rings, Wings, and Other Flying ThingsWeek 4: Dramatic StaticWeek 5: Presentation by NASA Test Engineer Laura O’ConnerWeek 6: Mysterious Mixtures

At the end of each experiment, the girls explained why they believed an experiment yieldedcertain results. Some girls performed experiments at home using various materials. The girlsconcluded the Science Explorers Project by enjoying lunch together as a group.

The impact of the project was measured by responses provided on post-questionnaires. Manyof the respondents, though capable in science, had never considered careers in science andrelated fields. At the conclusion of the project, many were considering careers in the scientificfields.

The project continued for a second year with funding from Cox Communications. Eight 4thgrade girls, who were recommended by their teachers, participated in this project designed toenhance their interest in math, science, and technology. Activities were expanded to includevisits to area federal and college laboratories to meet with scientists and engineers. Many ofthe girls had never been to a college campus, and these experiences inspired several to

express a desire to attend college. A group of computer specialists were invited to provide asharing session about their jobs.

9. Project Title: GIFT (Girls in Future Technology)Counselor: Karen Riner – kriner@bristolvaschools.orgSchool: Stonewall Jackson Elementary SchoolLocation: Bristol, VA

A computer club was developed for 40 4th and 5th grade girls who met for 30 minutes eachweek. Girls were introduced to specific computer skills and given time in class to completeprojects. Small group discussions about women in math and science careers were conducted.Other club activities included the design of T-shirtsusing Print Shop; web page and newsletter design; and the creation of computer-based greeting cards.The Internet was used to conduct career exploration.Speakers in non-traditional gender occupational rolesparticipated in a Career Day.

The school’s Technology Coordinator coordinated theoverall project. The counselor facilitated the smallgroup discussions, while classroom teachers providedsupport by allowing girls to complete projects duringregular school hours.

The impact of the project was measured by post-surveys completed by the participants at the conclu-sion of the project. Girls reported increased learningof concepts in the math and science fields. Classroomcomputers are now more utilized due to enhancedcomputer skills and require less teacher assistance.Classroom teachers also indicated more girls were help-ing the boys on the computer.

10. Project Title: Girls in ActionCounselor: Lisa Plante – LisaPlante@cs.comSchool: Stonehouse Elementary SchoolLocation: Williamsburg, VA

A group of 12 4th grade girls participated in an after-school math, science and technologygroup. The girls were chosen based on their individual interests and abilities in math and science. The group met weekly for 90 minutes after school for 12 weeks and focused on increasing awareness about non-traditional careers for women. This was accomplished by the use of hands-on activities and guest speakers.

The book, Women in Science Rule, which highlights the careers of 32 famous female scientists,was used to provide related activities in the program. Careers were also explored on the website bridges.com. Girls shared information on specific careers with the group.

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Speakers at the Career Workshops included a female electrical engineer who demonstratedhow the U.S. Navy uses laser and fiber optics. She took photographs with an infrared camera.A mechanical engineer demonstrated AutoCAD for the group and discussed various job rolesand work environments of a mechanical engineer. A math teacher showed the group themany ways math is used in their lives and the various jobs involving math. The school principalparticipated by facilitating a chemistry lesson wherein the girls made marshmallow molecules.For the final group meeting, the girls enjoyed launching the mini-rockets they had developedand designed.

Overall, the feedback regarding the project was positive. Disappointed when the group cameto an end, the girls expressed their desire to participate in another project during the nextschool year. Parents were very supportive of the group’s activities and several became activelyengaged by offering assistance and sending the facilitator/counselor-related articles and web sites concerning girls in math and science.

Sixth-Eighth Grade Projects

11. Project Title: G.I.F.T.S. (Girls in Fields of Technology and Science)Counselor: Peggy K. Cantey – peggy.cantey@fcps.eduCounselor: Carol Froehlich – carol.froehlich@fcps.eduSchool: Silverbrook Elementary SchoolLocation: Fairfax Station, VA

Fifteen 6th grade girls were selected for the G.I.F.T.S. Project by demonstrated aptitude inmath and science on standardized tests. The program focused on women in non-traditionalcareer fields (environmental engineering, computer software development, medicine, veteri-nary medicine, marine biology, and dentistry), as well as Internet career research tools, andsoftware application skills. The girls learned to use PowerPoint and created slide shows forviewing at an evening program.

The impact of the project was measured by pre- and post-surveys, knowledge of softwareapplications demonstrated through slide show presentations, and the number of girls enrolledin advanced math and science for the next school year. All of the project participants in theprogram are enrolled in advanced science and math for 7th grade.

The counselor was pleased with the overall impact of the program and stated:

“The girls have come to view themselves as having specialskills that are valued. They take more risks in class discussionsand are anxious to exhibit their new computer skills. They areexcited about attending summer tech camps and see themselvesas budding science and math professionals.”

At the conclusion of the project, the girls demonstrated an in-depth understanding andawareness of non-traditional careers and the inequities in male and female participation inthose careers. One participant was selected to attend a summer program at the area’s science and technology school. Six girls participated in a computer camp at which they took apart a computer and reassembled the hardware. Three participants attended summertechnology camps.

12. Project Title: GEMS (Girls Exploring Math and Science)Counselor: Ann S. Briar – Ann.Briar@fcps.eduSchool: Washington Mill ElementaryLocation: Alexandria, VA

Fifteen high achievers in math, science and/or technology were selected to participate in theGEMS program. Members were selected on the basis of high test scores and all A’s on reportcards in science and math for the previous two report periods. On the pre-test, 13 of the 15girls were found to be quite limited in knowledge about female leaders in our country orabout jobs that are held by females in traditionally male-oriented fields.

The 6th grade girls met weekly and were introduced to female professionals in the math and science fields.The professionals discussed pertinent issues relevant totheir positions within traditionally male-oriented fields.The project was designed to allow participants tobecome aware of gender bias and equity issues.

The culminating activity was a field trip to the localhigh-tech school, Thomas Jefferson High School forScience and Technology. The girls were not aware ofthe wide variety of courses, clubs, and activities thatwere available to females in the school. High schoolstudents led tours and introduced the GEMS to a varietyof areas from the television production studio to thecomputer and physics labs. The girls were highly awarethat teachers on the elementary level treated boys andgirls differently in the classroom and that teachers andparents had different expectations for females and males.The field trip was enlightening and changed many oftheir perceptions.

Parents were very supportive. They provided snacksand ideas for the group. Several parents became excited about the options for females andexpressed their own interest in gender equity issues. The school principal and assistant principal,as well as several teachers, became interested in GEMS.

After the field trip, 12 of the 15 participants expressed an interest in attending the magnetschool. All the girls made plans to take higher-level courses in math and science in middleschool. The counselor stated, “It opened up a new world for them to explore their own feelingsand to make plans for their futures without restrictions.”

The impact of the project was assessed by informal observation (degree of participation,questions asked, etc.) parental input, and pre- and post-questionnaire results. The analysis ofthese observations substantiated the successful implementation of this program.

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13. Project Title: Bright FuturesCounselor: Marion Becker – BCKVT@msn.comSchool: Forest Middle SchoolLocation: Forest, VA

Twenty-two 7th grade girls with little or no interest in math, science, or technology as a futurecareer met weekly during the school year to discuss various careers available in STEM fields.Girls were encouraged to continue taking higher-level STEM classes as they progress throughmiddle school, high school, and college. The weekly meetings involved Internet research, discussion, fun group activities, and female guest speakers with STEM careers. Forest MiddleSchool has three levels of math in the 8th grade. All of the girls in the “Bright Futures”groups were in the top two groups following participation in the project. In the 8th gradethere are two levels of science. Ninety percent of the “Bright Futures” girls chose theadvanced science class in the next academic year.

Five 6th-8th grade teachers were involved in the project along with the counselor, librarian,parents, and the school secretary. The teachers volunteered their time with behind-the-scenes tasks such as planning and logistics of the project. They kept the girls apprised ofmeeting dates and times. They were satisfied with the group’s implementation and talkedregularly with the girls and the counselor about what the group was learning and doing.

The impact of the project was measured by participant’s answers on questionnaires, as well astheir comments to the project staff and their parents. According to the surveys, all the girlsindicated they had learned more about women in science, and also about what scientists do.Half of the girls indicated they felt more confident in math and science classes after partici-pating in the program. Forty-five percent decided that perhaps they were more confident in those subjects. Ninety percent expressed a desire to learn more about what scientists do.Ninety percent also indicated they are more interested in a science career than they werebefore. Ninety-five percent said they would like to participate in more programs like this one.

At the conclusion of the project, several girls stated they could see themselves as scientists!One girl commented, “Women can do what men do!” Another commented, “I learned thatscience can be exciting. If I take higher science and math courses, I can have a more exciting,better paying job.” On-going impact will be measured according to the participants’ class reg-istration forms. The number of technology and higher-level math and science classes selectedby the girls will reflect the true impact of this project.

The counselor of this project commented:

“My colleagues were extremely supportive. Many were giving methe names of guest speakers and constantly encouraging the girls to continue to challenge themselves in math and science. I obtained additional funding by helping with VSGC’s Gender Equity video. I feela smaller group would have been better. Small groups become so special as they become cohesive. We played games and ate lunchtogether several times which helped to build cohesiveness, buta smaller group would have been ideal.”

14. Project Title: Impact: Quest for WomanhoodCounselor: Gary Waynick – waynick@wjcc.k12.va.usSchool: Williamsburg-James City County Public SchoolsLocation: Williamsburg, VA

The Williamsburg-James City County (WJCC) Public Schools’ Minority Achievement Office estab-lished the Math Acceleration Program, a summer accelerated math program. The programtargets ethnic minority and female students who have demonstrated aptitude in math buthave not typically enrolled in higher-level math courses in middle or high school. Problemsolving and reasoning skills necessary for Algebra I and above are emphasized. Rising 9thgrade students who demonstrated ability in math through coursework and standardized testscores may be recommended for participation by math teachers and school counselors.

This project created a Math Acceleration group to enhance interest in math for 8th grade girlswho may qualify for the summer Math Acceleration Program. Group activities were designedto build self-esteem, confidence, and assertiveness; to strengthen goal setting and planningskills; and to facilitate career exploration in areas related to math. Presentations by positivefemale role models were scheduled.

Presenters included the WJCC Schools’Curriculum Coordinator for Mathematics, middle school science teacher, school nurse,school counselor, school reading specialist,and middle school principal. Parents wereinvolved in an opening orientation and a closingceremony. Enrollment by group members inthe summer Math Acceleration Program andimproved participation in high school mathprograms were desired outcomes of the project.The gender equity project resulted in a collab-orative effort between the WJCC Public SchoolsGuidance Office and Minority Achievement Office.

The impact of the project was measured by the level of interest expressed in the MathAcceleration Program, improvement in math grades, parental opinion, and pre/post studentsurveys. Members’ report cards and GPAs in math and other areas were reviewed. Studentsregularly attended appointments with math teachers for assistance and progress checks.Realistic goals were set and met by students and facilitators.

Consideration was made to expand the program to the 6th or 7th grade level students as anearly intervention for Math Acceleration and high school math success.

15. Project Title: NBA (No Boys Allowed*)Counselor: Kristine Herakovich – kmherako@henrico.k12.va.usSchool: Pocahontas Middle SchoolLocation: Richmond, VA

*(In retrospect, Kristine Herakovich indicates she would use a less inflammatory title for this project.)

Twenty-nine 8th grade female students who were registered in algebra classes participated ina year-long program that met monthly. Activities included: guest speakers, career searches

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on a field trip to the Math and Science Center in Richmond; a poster project, career fair, inter-views with female role models, and group discussions on topics such as sexual harassment,boundaries, and confidence building issues.

A survey conducted at the end of the program revealed that 100% of the participants saidthey would continue next year, given the opportunity. Activities that ranked the highestincluded: 1st — Math and Science Center tour, 2nd — guest speakers, and 3rd — sexualharassment and boundaries topics. The consensus was that meeting monthly was a good

schedule but most wished for additional time to includemore field trips. Participants would have liked the inclusionof college preparation and planning, and study skills as topics.The impact of the project will be measured over the nextthree years and a follow-up evaluation will be completed.

The faculty completed an assessment also after the in-serviceand supportive comments were received. Some of the facultymembers were surprised by the gender equity comments the girls made regarding them. Some doubted their validityby stating, “Oh, I don’t do that.” or “That doesn’t happenanymore.” Nevertheless, several wanted to learn more andafter counselor Herakovich observed their classrooms, theyworked harder to consider her comments and her assessmentof their gender-equitable treatment for all students.

Five mothers called or visited the counselor to express theirgratitude for exposing their daughters to the program. Onesaid, “I wish I had had such a great opportunity.” The girlsappreciated the time “just for us to express our fears anduncertainties.” In addition, the staff at the Math and ScienceCenter congratulated the girls for their participation and takingthe time to learn more about the math and science fields.

Overall, the girls felt this program increased their awarenessof opportunities and how best to prepare for high school

math and science classes. Approximately 25% said they had signed up for a higher-level mathor science class. The project has increased gender equity awareness among faculty members.Several of the counselor’s colleagues asked that she observe their classes and “rate” them forequitable practices.

16. Project Title: Career Group for Young WomenCounselor: Jamie Haley Sharp – jsharp@loudoun.k12.va.usSchool: Seneca Ridge Middle SchoolLocation: Sterling, VA

Thirty-seven 8th grade girls participated in small group counseling sessions over a seven-weekperiod. Participants were chosen through an initial survey conducted to find girls with aninterest in the math and science fields. The goals were to explore career opportunities avail-able in STEM fields, to discuss possible scenarios that provided evidence of gender bias, and to identify methods of eliminating it in their everyday lives. Participants were first providedgender bias educational workshops. At the conclusion of these workshops participants wereable to identify gender bias in their everyday lives. Groups conducted independent research

to locate and document evidence of gender bias in the media, at school, and in the community.Upon completion of the research, participants presented their results to other group members.

Opportunities were also provided for participants to complete an interest inventory thatallowed them to match their interests with careers. The students researched the educationalrequirements needed for their top five career choices. College searches were conducted toidentify those that would assist them with their career choices. The computer searches wereguided by bridges.com. Students assessed Loudoun County’s high school class offerings andplanned their high school curricula.

The impact of the project was measured in two ways: (1) pre- and post-surveys completed byparticipants; and (2) completion of a four-year plan with the high school counselors. The planswere reviewed to see if the participants had selected more math, science, and computer choices.

The participants were able to identify more careers using math, computers, and science in the post-surveys. Some reported enjoying science classes more. Some, who had reportedthat they were not good at math in the pre-survey, indicated a higher confidence in mathability in the post-survey. All were able to list three famous scientists in the post-survey andonly one was able to do this in the pre-survey. All could identify the names of two collegesthey were interested in learning more about on both surveys but were able to name collegemajors that related to math and science on the post-survey.

There was little difference in choices in the math and computer classes on the four-year plan.This was attributed mostly to teacher recommendations and a small selection of computerclasses offered to ninth graders. The honors biology choice increased by approximately 25%and most participants wanted to excel in this area.

The participants reported a strong sense of self-respect and self-determination in obtainingtheir goals set in the group. The parents of the students and the teachers were very interestedin the work that the students accomplished.

The program continued on a smaller scale in the next year with 6th graders. These participantswill continue on the project throughout 7th and 8th grades.

17. Project Title: GLAD (Girls Looking Ahead)Counselor: Estelle S. Brauer – ESBjewels@aol.comSchool: Longfellow Middle SchoolLocation: Fairfax County, VA

Eight 8th graders met weekly for eight weeks to focus on the issues that prevent girls frompursuing careers in math, science, and technology while encouraging them to pursue careersin these areas of interest. Discussions of gender equity were infused throughout the program.The group pursued their career interests by seeking information via career web sites and inter-acting with guest speakers. Speakers included a graphic artist, an internist, and a life scienceteacher. There were two field trips taken to Booz-Allen-Hamilton (BAH), Longfellow’s businesspartner. During the first trip, the girls learned about BAH’s state-of-the-art technology laband robotic “petting zoo.” During the second trip, they learned from female employees thenature and scope of their work, educational requirements, lifestyles that support their workand the real-life demands.

The goals of the program were reached by widening the scope of careers open to women.

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It was reinforced that math, science, and technology fields are readily available for women inthese key areas.

The impact of this project was that the girls started with one idea they wanted to pursue andbroadened their perspectives. They came to the conclusion that many careers that may be ofinterest to them in the future may be unknown now. The girls learned of the tremendousopportunities available to them.

18. Project Title: Spotlight on Math and Science CareersCounselor: Claudia Luehrs – eluehrs@worldnet.att.netSchool: Hickory Middle SchoolLocation: Chesapeake, VA

Sixty 6th, 7th, and 8th grade girls interviewed women in the community who held professionalcareers in the fields of math and science. At each grade level a videotape was made of theinterviews. All classrooms were given access to the tapes. The impact of the project wasmeasured by questionnaires given to the participating students. The students who performedthe interviews gained more knowledge of the fields of math and science. They felt encouragedto take higher-level math and science courses. The PTA and teachers were very supportive ofthis project.

Ninth-Twelfth Grade Projects

19. Project Title: Moving Upward Through Math and ScienceCounselor: Patricia Atiyah – patricia.atiyah@sps.k12.va.usCounselor: Esther Harrell – esther.harrell@sps.k12.va.usSchool: Lakeland High SchoolLocation: Suffolk, VA

Moving Upward Through Math and Science is a gender equity project that exposed a group of 18 female 9th and 10th grade students to careers and resources that focus on math andscience. The counselors invited the parents and the participants to a workshop that focusedon the importance of math and science related careers and the career opportunities availablein these fields. The student participants were given pre-surveys to measure attitudes towardhigher-level courses in these fields. The participants had the opportunity to explore Internetresources related to math and science careers. Math and science teachers were invited asguest speakers to interact with the students.

20. Project Title: Great Girls (Gaining Real Experience As Technicians)Counselor: Susan G. Bramley – sbramley@madisonschools.k12.va.usSchool: Madison County High SchoolLocation: Madison, VA

Six 9th, 10th, and 11th grade girls were trained to be the school’s “first line of defense” insupporting the extensive computer network at the school. Math and science teachers identifiedpotential group members. The criteria used were (1) low grade in Algebra I or Earth Science,(2) teacher perception of students’ ability to do better, and (3) potential to benefit from the

program. The project leader interviewed the girls and final selections were made. The groupmet for one hour per week with the project leader, the technology coordinator, and the con-tract technician.

Career possibilities in computer networking fields were discussed. The Internet was used tosearch for information on women in science. The technology coordinator and the counselorshared the role of group leader.

Girls were taught the basic fundamentals of the hardware and software so they would be ableto respond to faculty requests for assistance. The training received from this project enabledparticipants to troubleshoot and correct many computer problems.

On the pre-program assessment, not one participant was able to answer affirmatively to thestatement “I know a lot about computers.” In talking with these young women, it becameclear that they did not have a strong sense of what women are capable of doing in math and science.

The post-program evaluation revealed areas ofsuccess pinpointed by a positive attitude towardseveral indicators. All of the original participantsagreed with the post-program statement, “I under-stand more about what scientists do after par-ticipating in this program.” All except one wereable to agree with the statement, “I notice thatsince participating in this program, I feel morecomfortable and confident in my math and science classes.” Additionally, they all said theywould like to participate in more programs likethis one.

Several of these girls are now working with theschool’s Director of Instructional Technology. They are assisting him with faculty training.These weekly sessions cover many software products and concepts with a focus on usingtechnology in the classroom. The girls assist the faculty members during the classes.

The counselor plans to continue the program with a greater emphasis on software and use of technology. The new Director of Instructional Technology will be a partner in planning thenext phase. The girls have also worked with people outside the school. For example, theyassisted the local Extension Agent with a class called “Seniors Surf the Web.” The girlsreceived rave reviews from the agent as well as the class participants. When a communitymember called to request suggestions for someone to assist her company, the counselorimmediately thought of the GREAT Girls!

21. Project Title: Females in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEAM)Counselor: Randy Lawrence – RANLAWR@aol.comSchool: Tallwood High SchoolLocation: Virginia Beach, VA

Sixteen 9th grade girls met with STEM professionals through mini-workshops, site visitations,and guest presenters.

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The STEAM sessions included the following topics:

• identifying gender bias

• gender gaps

• activities for sex-fair learning through math and science games

• spatial visualization

• problem-solving

• understanding numbers

• logical reasoning

• scientific investigation

• using the computer

• career self-assessments

• guest speaker – Dr. Christine Darden, Director, Aero Performing Center Program, NASA Langley Research Center

• why education is important for employment

• guest speaker – Nancy Conklin – Engineering, Senior Project Coordinator Development Planning – City of Virginia Beach

The impact of the project was measured through feedback from group members and assess-ment of registered science/math courses for the next school year. All of the participants inthe program received a B or above in their science/math classes during the last school year.Fourteen participants are enrolled in science/math courses for the current school year. Theother two participants relocated to another school.

As a result of the project, students have a new awareness of STEM careers. Several girls areactively considering a STEM career as an option for the future. The STEAM project has beencontinued and the number of participants has increased.

22. Project Title: AWESOME GirlsCounselor: Julie H. Chamberlain – tomandtude@erols.comSchool: Poquoson Middle SchoolLocation: Poquoson, VA

Amazing Wonders Exploring Science Options and Math Education,(hence the AWESOME Girls) was a project for girls that allowed themto build a robot, participate in a robotics competition, take field trips,and have fun. Thirteen 7th graders and four 6th grade trainees met14 times during the 1998-1999 school year. Each 7th grade girl inthe middle school was given a flyer describing the group and askingthem to join. The 6th graders were selected by their technologyteacher for their strong interest in the area of technology. Duringthe 1999-2000 school year, the AWESOME girls from the previousyear served as experienced mentors to the new participants.

The technology teacher and the counselor (both females) coordinated the project. The coordinators attended the Peninsula Robotics Challenge Meeting organized by NASA LangleyResearch Center and the New Horizons Regional Education Center. They decided that themain focus of our group would be to enter AWESOME Girls in the competition and to work onthe rigorous requirements during the weekly meetings. This entailed constructing a robot outof Legos,™ building and painting a game board, preparing and giving a presentation to elemen-tary students about AWESOME Girls and the world of STEM, and creating and presenting

a PowerPoint presentation to a board of local business people. The girls were encouraged towork in an area that would challenge them and their skills. The coordinators solicited helpfrom parents and involved the community partners; however, the girls did almost everythingthemselves, including figuring out how to add four-wheel drive to the robot to give it thepower necessary to move down the game board and climb over the opponent’s robot whennecessary. They also designed an AWESOME Girls T-shirt that they wore during the competition.The AWESOME girls were the only all-female team to enter the competition and they were psyched! The scoring was based on 50% robot design, construction, program and testing;20% oral presentation; 20% written summary; and 10% partnership development. A robotfrom each of two teams was placed at opposite endsof the game board. The starting buzzer was hit andoff they went! The robots had to start out with theirarms at their sides and move down the board with-out knocking into their opponent. Then when thearms expanded, they were to retrieve as many ballsas possible from the opponent’s goal and returnthem to their own. Points were awarded for thenumber of balls and the color of the balls placedwithin certain boxes on the game board. This was allto be completed within a two-minute time period.The AWESOME Girls and their robot (which theynamed Baby) were phenomenal! They took homefour awards: best defensive strategy, best comebackplay (after Baby nearly fell off the table but then changed direction), best team spirit (thosegirls could scream!), and the partnership award.

Based on information received through pre- and post-project surveys, the girls learned and triedthings they had not previously believed to be possible. They pushed themselves, stretchedtheir minds, and gained an enormous amount of confidence in their ability to figure thingsout and apply the knowledge. The girls also mastered the skills involved with programmingand building a robot, working as a team, and relying on their own innate abilities to applystrategies and physics to make the robot do what was necessary. They realized their potentialin these typically male dominated areas and they surpassed every expectation.

Because NASA Langley did not host the competition the second year of the project, an in-housecompetition for AWESOME Girls versus male and mixed teams was conducted. After the 1999-2000 school year, the counselor moved to another school district; however, the technologyteacher continued the competition within her classes, inspiring girls to realize that they can dothings just as well as boys. The awards hang in the hallway as you enter the school to remindall of the great things that can occur when girls are encouraged to realize their potential inscience and technology. This project not only served the purposes described above, it alsoallowed these particular girls who were not star athletes or students, to excel, shine, receiverespect and respect themselves.

23. Project Title: W.A.V.E. (Women Achieving Varieties of Excellence)Counselor: Samantha Ratchford – sratchfo@hs.spotsylvania.k12.va.us Counselor: Katherine S. Parrish – kparrish@hs.spotsylvania.k12.va.usSchool: Massaponax High SchoolLocation: Fredericksburg, VA

The purpose of the grant was to help in the retention and promotion of female students in

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significant difference in the math and science area. However, there was an increase in theplacement in upper level courses. During the junior year, the WAVE members took a total ofone advanced placement (AP) class and 47 advanced classes. During their senior year the WAVEmembers took a total of 13 AP classes and 43 advanced classes. Additionally, there was also anincrease in the technology area. Only 2% of the 20 WAVE members took a technology coursetheir junior year, while 65% of the 20 WAVE members took a technology course their senior year.

Through a pre- and post-questionnaire, counselors were able to identify an increase in theinterest level in a science or math career. When asked if they were interested in a science ormath career, 44% answered “yes” in the pre-questionnaire while 69% answered “yes” in thepost-questionnaire. When students were asked if they knew of a woman scientist, mathematician,or engineer, the pre-questionnaire revealed that 56% knew of a woman scientist, mathematician,or engineer. The post-questionnaire showed that 94% now knew of a woman scientist, math-ematician, or engineer. In conclusion, the counselors felt that through the field trips memberswere exposed to women in STEM fields, which resulted in an increase in science and mathinterests as well as increased knowledge in these areas. The applicant pool for the WAVE projecthas grown each year.

For a more in-depth look at the WAVE Program, see the Massaponax Guidance web page athttp://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/mhs/Academics/guidance/main.htm and click on the WAVElink.

the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The co-leaders decided tofulfill the requirements of the grant through a group design. This would enable the co-leadersto focus on the STEM areas, while also building group cohesiveness and self-esteem. This was accomplished by selecting the group participants and arranging for them to meet on

eight separate occasions. Each session focused on goal set-ting, time management, decision-making, stress manage-ment and college choices.

The co-leaders selected ten 11th grade girls to comprise thegroup. The rationale was that the junior year is a key year incollege decision-making, and more importantly, the junioryear is the first year at Massaponax High School where stu-dents can begin taking the upper level math, science, andtechnology courses. Research has indicated that the reten-tion level begins to drop when females encounter the morechallenging math, science, and technology courses, so bytargeting female students who were in at least one upperlevel math, science, or technology course, the co-leadershoped to aid in the retention and promotion into sequentialcourses the following year (i.e. AP courses) and in college.Only one of the courses in these STEM areas had to be at theadvanced level. This allowed the co-leaders to help in theretention and promotion of female students in regular andupper level STEM courses.

The goals and objectives of the project were to:1. increase awareness and interest in the science, math, engineering, and technology areas,2. promote and retain female students in the science, math, engineering, and technology

courses,3. facilitate group cohesion and to help build self-esteem,4. help group members realize their personal choices and to maximize their personal growth

and potential,5. expose group members to female professionals in the science, math, engineering, and

technology career fields,6. increase girls’ confidence in making life decisions, dealing with life stressors, and managing

time effectively, and7. to make other students, faculty and community members aware of the gender equity

concerns and the WAVE group.

The group focused on high school academics and post-secondary education in the field of science,mathematics, engineering, and technology. The eight sessions covered the following topics:

• introduction to group

• goal setting/time management

• field trips – Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) & the Medical College of Virginia (MCV)

• decision making/college choices

• field trip – NASA, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and the College of William & Mary

• discussion/college choices

• stress management

• summation of activities.

To measure the success in retention and promotion of the WAVE members in the STEM areasthe counselors looked at the courses scheduled the junior year (pre-WAVE) and the coursesscheduled for the senior year (post-WAVE). Due to diploma requirements, there was not a

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COUNSELING FOR GENDER EQUITY PROJECTPOST-PROGRAM QUESTIONNAIRE

I’m in grade: ____________

I live in: ❑ a city. (or) ❑ the suburbs. (or) ❑ a small town. (or) ❑ a rural area.

1. The time and place of the meetings made it easy for me to attend.

2. My teachers made me feel welcome while we were working.

3. I understand more about what scientists do after participating in this program.

4. I know more about the lives of women in science after participating in thisprogram.

5. I notice that since participating in this program, I feel more comfortable andconfident in my math and science classes.

6. I want to learn more about what scientists do.

7. I am more interested in a science career now that I participated in thisprogram.

8. I would like to participate in more programs like this one.

9. I am planning on taking more classes in math and/or science since participating in this program.

10. This program turned out to be as I expected it would be.

11. I would recommend this program to a girlfriend.

Overall, the program was:

(List program components in this portion of the questionnaire to ascertain the effectiveness of each)

What did you learn that surprised you?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What would you like to do differently next time?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

YES NO MAYBE

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EXCELLENT VERY GOOD GOOD POOR

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COUNSELING FOR GENDER EQUITY PROJECTPRE-PROGRAM QUESTIONNAIRE

I’m in grade: ____________

I live in: ❑ a city. (or) ❑ the suburbs. (or) ❑ a small town. (or) ❑ a rural area.

1. The ________________ program was fully explained in the information I received.

2. The time and place of the meetings will make it easy for me to attend.

3. I like science classes.

4. I feel comfortable and confident in science classes.

5. I think that I do well in my science classes.

6. I like math classes.

7. I feel comfortable and confident in math classes.

8. I think that I do well in my math classes.

9. I am interested in learning how to do scientific experiments.

10. I have thought about being a scientist or a mathematician.

11. I know a lot about the kinds of work women in science do.

12. I know a woman who is a scientist, engineer, or mathematician. (other than your teachers)

13. I admire women who are scientists, engineers, or mathematicians.

14. I would like to be a scientist or an engineer.

15. Women scientists are cool!

16. I got A’s and B’s in my science classes.

17. I got A’s and B’s in my math classes.

18. I wanted to attend this program because I am interested in learning moreabout the kinds of work scientists and engineers do.

19. My parents made me attend this program.

20. I have heard of the following women scientists:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(program name)

YES NO MAYBE

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RESOURCES FOR CHANGEAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science. (1999). Dialogue on early childhood science,mathematics, and technology education. Based on papers commissioned for the Forum on EarlyChildhood Science, Mathematics and Technology Education held February 6-8, 1998 in Washington,D.C.

American Association of University Women. (1992). How schools shortchange girls. Washington,D.C.: American Association of University Women Educational Foundation.

American Association of University Women. (1998). Gender gaps: Where schools still fail our children. Washington, D.C.: American Association of University Women Educational Foundation.

Burger, C. and Sandy, M. (1998). A guide to gender fair education in science and mathematics.Arlington, Va.: Eisenhower Regional Consortium for Mathematics and Science Education at theAppalachia Educational Laboratory.

Clements, D. (1999). Young children and technology. Dialogue on early childhood science, mathematics, and technology education. Washington, D.C.: American Association for theAdvancement of Science.

Copley, J. and Padron, Y. (1999). Preparing teachers of young learners: Professional developmentof early childhood teachers in mathematics and science. Dialogue on early childhood science,mathematics, and technology education. Washington, D.C.: American Association for theAdvancement of Science.

Day, B. (1994). Early childhood education: Developmental/experiential teaching and learning.4th Edition. London: Macmillan.

Devries, R. and Kohlberg, L. (1987,1990). Constructivist early education: Overview and comparisonwith other programs. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Furger, R. (1998). Does Jane compute? Preserving our daughters place in the cyber-revolution.New York: Warner Books.

Lindblom, M. (1998, November 11). High-school girls missing in high-level computer classes.Seattle Times.

National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, D.C.:National Academy Press.

Phillips, L. (1998). The girls report and what we know and need to know about growing upfemale. New York, N.Y.: National Council for Research on Women.

Rosser, S.V. (1990). Female-friendly science: Applying women’s studies methods and theories toattract students (Athene Series). New York: Elsevier Science Ltd.

Rosser, S.V. and Bonnie, K. (1994). Educating women for success in science & mathematics: A University of South Carolina model project. Columbia, S.C.: Division of Women’s Studies,University of South Carolina.

Rosser, S.V. (1997). Re-engineering female-friendly science (Athene Series). New York: Teacher’sCollege Press.

Sadker, D. and Sadker, M. (1994). Failing at fairness. New York: Touchstone Books.

Sandy, M. (2000). Ensuring girls’ success in science. In Professional reference for teachers. NewYork: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Sjostrom, L. and Stein, (1994) N.D. Flirting or Hurting?: A Teacher’s Guide on Student-To-StudentSexual Harassment in Schools (Grades 6 through 12). Washington, D.C.: National EducationAssociation.

Skolnick, J., Langbort, C. and Day, L. (1997). How to Encourage Girls in Math and Science. PaloAlto, Ca.: Dale Seymour Publications.

Stein, N. and Sjostrom, L, (1996). Bullyproof, a Teacher’s Guide on Teasing and Bullying for usewith Fourth and Fifth Grade Students, Washington, D.C.: National Education Association.

Electronic Resources:

http://genderequity.vsgc.odu.edu/links.html – Resources linked to the Counseling for GenderEquity pages.

http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/nise/Publications/ – Bibliography of National Institute for ScienceEducation Publications.

http://net.unl.edu/wonderwise/main.htm – wonderwise: Women in Science Learning Series. At this site you can “Bring women scientists into your 4th - 6th grade classroom for the ultimate in field trips.”

http://www.nwhp.org/ – The National Women’s History Project Learning Place. These pages provide information and educational materials about multicultural women’s history.

http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf00327/ – National Science Foundation report Women, Minorities,and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2000. The report contains informationabout the status of women and minorities in science and engineering. The report documents bothshort- and long-term trends in the participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilitiesin science and engineering education at the K-12 and college levels as well as employment trends.

REFERENCESAtlas, R. and Pepler, D. (1998). Observations of bullying in the classroom. The Journal ofEducational Research, 92, 86-99.

American Association of University Women. (1993). Hostile Hallways: The AAUW Survey on SexualHarassment in America’s Schools. Washington, D.C.: American Association of University WomenEducational Foundation.

American Association of University Women. (2000). Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the NewComputer Age. Washington, D.C.: American Association of University Women EducationalFoundation.

American Association of University Women. (2001). Hostile Hallways: Bullying, Teasing, and SexualHarassment in School. Washington, D.C.: American Association of University Women EducationalFoundation.

American Association of University Women. (2001). Beyond the “Gender Wars” – A Conversationabout Girls, Boys and Education. Washington, D.C.: American Association of University WomenEducational Foundation.

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Britton, E., Raizen, S., Kaser, J., and Porter, A. (2000). Beyond description of the problems:Directions for research on diversity and equity issues in K-12 mathematics and science education.Washington, DC: National Center for Improving Science Education.

Batsche, G., and Knoff, H. (1994). Bullies and their victims: Understanding a pervasive problem inthe schools. School Psychology Review, 23, 165-174.

Day-Vines, N., and Lutzer, V. (2002). Teasing, Bullying, and Sexual Harassment: Separate and DistinctBehaviors, or Related Forms of Gendered Violence? (Manuscript Under Review).

Kennedy, K. and Molen, G. [Producers] and Spielberg, S. [Director]. (1997). The Lost World:Jurassic Park. [Motion picture]. United States: Universal Studios.

LeBlanc, Adrian Nicole. (1993, May). Harassment at school: the truth is out. Results of survey.Seventeen, v. 52:134-5.

Lyle, Katie. Choices. (1993, January). Scholastic, Inc. as reprinted in Flirting or Hurting?.

National Science Foundation. (2000). Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Scienceand Engineering: 2000. Arlington, VA. (NSF 00-327)

Rosser, S.V. and Kelly, B. (1994). From Hostile Exclusion to Friendly Inclusion: University of SouthCarolina System Model Project for the Transformation of Science and Math Teaching to ReachWomen in Varied Campus Settings. J. Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering. 1: 29.

Roscoe, B., Strouse, J. S., Goodwin, M. P., Taracks, L. and Henderson, D. (1994). Sexual harassment: An educational program for middle school students. Elementary School Guidance & Counseling,29, 110-120.

Sabella, R., and Myrick, R. (1995b). Peer facilitators confront sexual harassment. The PeerFacilitator Quarterly, 13(1), 16-23.

Sjostrom, L. and Stein, N. (1994). Flirting or Hurting?: A Teacher’s Guide on Student-To-StudentSexual Harassment in Schools (Grades 6 Through 12). Washington, D.C.: National EducationAssociation.

Synatschk, K. (1999). Counseling. In S. DeFur & J. Patton (Eds.). Transition and school based services:Interdisciplinary perspectives for enhancing the transition process (pp. 231-271). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Stein, N. and Sjostrom, L. (1996). Bullyproof, a Teacher’s Guide on Teasing and Bullying for usewith Fourth and Fifth Grade Students. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association.

Stein, Nan. (1993, May 18). What is Harassment? USA Today. A,11:4.

Thom, Mary. (2001). Balancing the Equation: Where Are Women and Girls in Science,Engineering and Technology? New York: National Council for Research on Women.

Dr. Carol J. Burger is an Associate Professor in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies andcoordinator of the Science and Gender Equity Program at Virginia Tech. She received a B.A. inchemistry in 1965. In 1983, she received a Ph.D. in cellular immunology from Virginia Tech.

Dr. Burger has been interested in gender equity issues in science for many years.She is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Women and Minoritiesin Science and Engineering. She served as Senior Program Director, Programfor Women and Girls, Human Resource Development Division, Education andHuman Resources Directorate, National Science Foundation in 1996. She teachesIntroduction to Women’s Studies, the Biology of Women, and Women andScience classes.

She co-authored, with Mary Sandy of the Virginia Space Grant Consortium,three monographs: A Guide to Gender Fair Education in Science and Mathematics (1998),Women and Minorities in Information Technology Forum: Causes and Solutions for Increasingthe Numbers in the Information Technology Pipeline (2000), and A Guide to Gender-fairCounseling (2002). She was the Project Director of the National Science Foundation grantScience and Gender Equity Program of Western Virginia which worked with middle schoolscience teachers to introduce female friendly teaching techniques and career information tothe middle school science classes in western Virginia counties. She is currently co-PI for twoNSF funded projects: Counseling for Gender Equity and Women in Information Technology:Pivotal Transitions from School to Careers.

Dr. Burger is the author of over 45 peer reviewed papers about tumor immunology research,and recently co-authored the book chapter Cybergrrrl Education and Virtual Feminism: Usingthe Internet to Teach Introductory Women’s Studies, which discusses the authors’ experi-ences teaching a web-enhanced women’s studies course.

Mary Sandy is the Director of the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, a state-wide aerospaceeducation and research coalition which is part of the NASA National Space Grant College andFellowship Program. The VSGC was created to build research infrastructure in theCommonwealth of Virginia in aerospace and high technology disciplines, and toimprove math, science, technology and engineering education. A key SpaceGrant goal is the encouragement of females and under-represented minoritiesin studies and careers in science, math, engineering and technology fields.

Sandy holds an M.S.A. in public administration from George WashingtonUniversity and a B.A. in English and Spanish with an education minor fromRadford College. She has also completed advanced management and publicpolicy coursework through NASA, the Office of Personnel Management and theGovernment Executive Institute. Her career has spanned 32 years in education,management, and public affairs.

Sandy has had a long-standing interest in gender equity and education. She served on theVirginia Governor’s Advisory Committee for Girls Education, a state American Association ofUniversity Women (AAUW) task force on Shortchanging Girls, Shortchanging America, and hasgiven numerous workshops and presentations on gender balanced education in science, math,engineering and technology education.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

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She is currently a principal investigator on two National Science Foundation Grants: Counselingfor Gender Equity and the GK-12 Graduate Teaching Fellows Program. The VSGC offers work-shops on how to encourage girls in science, math, engineering and technology. Sandy is theauthor of Insights and Strategies for Helping Girls Succeed in Science, Professional Referencefor Teachers, (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2001). She has co-authored Counseling Our FutureWorkforce (VSGC, 1994) and the Educators Guide to the Internet (Addison-Wesley, 1996).She and Carol Burger co-authored A Guide to Gender Fair Education in Science and Math-ematics (Appalachia Educational Laboratory, 1998) and Women and Minorities in InformationTechnology Forum: Causes and Solutions for Increasing the Numbers in the InformationTechnology Pipeline (NSF, 2000). She has been the recipient of an AAUW Community ActionGrant and served as principal investigator or director for grants and contracts from manysources.

Sandy’s previous positions include NASA’s Public Affairs Officer for Aeronautics and SpaceTechnology at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC, and Head of the Office of Public Servicesat NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA. At NASA Langley she coordinated NASA’s educational and public outreach programs for a five-state region. Sandy spent the first nineyears of her career as a teacher of Spanish at the high school level and of English as a foreignlanguage in adult education.