By Michelle Leise
Your daughter charges home from school all excited about the video she saw about wolves. It's just wolves,
you could tell yourself, but by fostering her new interest, you may help her discover a future career as a veterinarian,
forest ranger, or zoologist.
Our girls need all the encouragement we can give them if they are going to pursue a science-related job. Only
19 percent of the people in science, math, and technology careers are female, and in the highest salary occupations—computer
science and engineering—women make up only 9 percent of employees. Equally sobering is this fact: Interest
in science drops off dramatically for girls between the fourth and eighth grades, and even when high school
girls show an aptitude and interest in science, they rarely pursue it as a profession.
The reasons for this are varied. First, many girls—especially middle-schoolers—don't understand
that a science career is a way to help their environment or community. When they consider using science for
social good, however, their attitude often changes. If your daughter understands that as a chemist she can help
find solutions to pollution, or that as a naturalist she can help preserve endangered species, she'll
probably get more excited.
Girls also sometimes view science as an isolating career path, and since many girls like the idea of working
with others, they may not be able to imagine themselves in these sorts of occupations. "We need to show
girls that scientists aren't necessarily people in lab coats locked away somewhere," says Dr. Carolyn
Randolph, president-elect of the National Science Teachers Association. "There are female physicians, geologists,
marine biologists—women are everywhere in science. The best thing we can do is give girls exposure to
them."
In addition, girls still deal with stereotypes. Parents, friends, and even teachers may treat a girl who likes
science differently than a boy with the same interests. "Science and math have the reputation for being
a little dry. They're not, and lots of girls understand this. It's natural for girls to be interested
in these things," says astronaut Sally Ride, who runs the Sally Ride Science Club for girls on the Internet.
The good news is that there are more resources than ever to help girls learn about science, and get them connected
to other girls who like the same topics. Organizations such as the Girl Scouts hold science camps and classes.
Websites allow girls to do their own experiments and hear what other girls are doing. Even teaching styles in
the science classroom are changing to meet girls' needs. For example, many teachers are doing small-group
work because researchers have found that girls learn more when they're sharing information with peers.
Being a scientist doesn't require a special gift. All it takes is curiosity, determination, and enthusiasm.
Falling in love with wolves may be just the start.
What You Can Do:
- Look for interactive websites, science fairs, and summer science camps.
- Educate yourself and overcome your own fears about science and technology.
- Introduce your daughter to women in scientific occupations.
- Visit institutions where professionals apply science, such as the planetarium, aquarium, zoo, farms, even
amusement parks.
- Check out library books on topics she shows an interest in.
- Seek at-home experiments in books, websites, and magazines.
- Provide a family computer so your daughter can tap into Internet sources at home.
- Make science a part of everyday conversations and show how science occurs in everyday life.
- Get to know her science teacher by volunteering at school. Speak to the class if you work in a science-related
field, or help chaperone a field trip.
Resources
- www.imaginarylinesinc.com. Provides great
information for parents, in addition to Sally Ride's interactive science club for girls.
- www.girlscouts.org. For articles on girls in science,
look for the Winter 2001 Leader issue. For information on science programs near you, call 800-478-7248 or
click on girlscouts.org/contact.html.
- DragonflyTV (//pbskids.org/dragonflytv/).
In MTV fashion, this new public TV program for 9- to 12-year olds shows girls and boys alike doing adventure-packed
experiments and encourages kids at home to do the same.
- www.ncrw.org. Offers a glance at the new report by the
National Council for Research on Women called Balancing the Equation: Where are Women and Girls in Science,
Engineering & Technology?
© 2002 Dads and Daughters, From Daughters: For Parents of Girls,
Duluth, MN www.daughters.com. This and other articles
on raising healthy girls are available online at www.newmoonstore.com.
02/13/2006 |