Girls and Science - What is Being Done
Girls Count
Laura Merkel, AWSS Co-Editor
AWSS Newsletter, January 1994
Girls
Count is a coalition of organizations dedicated
to encouraging girls from diverse backgrounds in
Colorado to become economically self-sufficient
by realizing and planning for the requirements of
the future workforce. The initiative focuses on
girls aged 11-14 and anticipates supporting these
efforts for a minimum of five years (1991-1995).
Girls Count advocates changing systems and attitudes
that discourage girls from career planning and from
learning math, science, and other technical skills.
The primary goals of the Girls Count initiative
are to:
- Help change our systems so girls receive the
same quality education as boys.
- Encourage, support, and motivate girls to pursue
careers requiring good skills in math and science.
- Work as partners with employers so that their
future workforce needs are met.
- Change the attitudes and expectations of parents,
teachers, and our communities about what's possible
for girls to achieve.
Following is information from the Girls Count organization
about the future and career planning for girls and
tips for adults who work with girls.
Tips for Parents and Other Adults Who Work
With Girls
How to Help Girls Increase Their Self-Esteem and
Educational Achievement and Expand Their Visions
or Career Options
Encourage Achievement and Success
- Share decision-making authority with girls so
that their voices have a significant impact on
their own lives and the lives at others.
- Downplay the importance of appearance and stress
the importance of interests and accomplishments.
For example, instead or asking a girl if she has
a boyfriend, ask her about achievements which
demonstrate her skills and efforts.
- Share your work experiences with girls, in conversations
and by actual visits to your work site.
- Demonstrate the values of work that relate to
individual well-being and contribute to society,
not only financial reward.
Broaden Girls' Horizons
- Make girls aware of a large variety of potential
careers and help them meet or learn about women
who can be role models in these careers. Provide
books, videos, and magazines that present admirable
female role models.
- Avoid stereotypes of gender roles so that girls
will learn there are many opportunities from which
to choose. Select a broad range or toys and other
learning materials; blocks as well as dolls.
- Encourage girls to join organizations like the
YWCA, Girl Scouts, Camp Fire, and Girls, Inc.
which provide opportunities for girls to explore
a variety of interests and to focus on their life
plans.
- Encourage girls to play team sports, both to
enjoy physical fitness and to experience the spirit
of competition and cooperation that is required
or team players.
Have High Expectations
- Avoid rescuing girls. Encourage girls to make
an imperfect product, to get dirty, disheveled,
and sweaty in pursuit of a goal; to make big,
interesting mistakes.
- Encourage risk-taking and problem-solving. Don't
be too eager to solve a girl's problems for her.
Learning about options and consequences is a necessary
and valuable step for all youth on their road
to becoming confident and mature adults.
- Expect and advocate for homework that includes
complex problem-solving and requires analytic
skills beyond simple computations. Students need
strong opportunities to practice the skills that
will be needed in the future workforce.
- Stress the importance of math and science even
if these are not your own strong points. Being
positive about math and science and communicating
that they are important enhances the chance for
girls to seek math and science as attractive learning
and career opportunities. Be sure girls are enrolled
in math and science every year that they are in
school.
Girls Count
1580 Logan, Suite 540
Denver, CO 80203
Girls Count
in America's future,
in tomorrow's workforce,
in Colorado's classrooms.
