October 10, 2022

October 10, 2022

How To Involve Girls In The Exciting World Of STEM

Let's start by being extremely honest: many of us have been a little guilty of gender stereotyping in some shape or form. Aren't Barbies, tea parties, and pink tutu skirts for girls? And obviously, superman capes, toy cars, screwdrivers, and hammers are for boys. At least, that's the stifling attitude much of society had adopted until recently.

Unfortunately, this antiquated mindset infiltrated the American education system. Somewhere along the way, certain avenues of education were deemed more fitting for boys than girls simply by gender default. For example, who can deny they didn't grow up hearing that science, technology, and woodwork were for boys? Or that girls were often expected to follow more domesticated pursuits like home economics, cooking, or art? It's no wonder there are too few female rocket scientists, engineers, or mathematicians!

Thankfully, the exciting world of STEM combats this thought process, providing balance and equal opportunities for people of all genders around the world.

What Is STEM And What Are The Principles Behind It?
STEM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. These four subjects collectively form the basis of sound education, yet traditional teaching methods have persisted for many years to teach each subject separately.

But STEM is more than just a backronym – it’s also a method of teaching that combines these four subjects and teaches them by exposing students to practical, real-life scenarios. In short, you could say that STEM is a practical, hands-on approach to learning.

If you stop to consider how these four disciplines are integrally linked to every aspect of our daily lives, you can understand how integrating them into one fluid form of learning makes so much sense.

Key Skills Developed In STEM Education
STEM integrates science, technology, engineering, and math to develop and enhance the following skills:

  • Real-life problem-solving capabilities
  • Teamwork
  • Independent thinking and learning
  • Creativity
  • Initiative
  • Communication skills
  • Critical analysis

Why STEM For Girls?
Girls have not always had the push needed to help them consider careers in STEM fields. This, combined with a lack of practical teaching experiences, has meant fewer women go on to build careers in male-dominated roles, thus creating further inequalities in the workplace and affecting everything from job roles to pay incentives and even pensions.

Sadly, many countries still believe a woman's place is secondary to a man's, further broadening the gender gap and creating vast pockets of gender inequality. STEM is so important for our girls and their education – its practical approach levels the playing field, creating equal opportunities for women and balance in the future workplace.

STEM For Girls: 4 Top Reasons To Get Involved
So, should girls be actively encouraged to enter STEM fields? The short answer to the question is a resounding yes! Below are some excellent reasons for involving girls in the exciting world of STEM.

  • Gets rid of gender stereotyping

Girls are just as intellectually strong as their male counterparts, and their interests are many and varied.

  • Better job prospects and salaries

Further education ensures women have the opportunity to obtain better job roles and demand the higher wages they deserve. 

  • Empowers women and creates role models

Empowering our girls and future women ensures they are respected on par with men and provides role models for future generations.

  • Increases the talent pool

For companies to remain economically viable in a vastly competitive economic environment, they need to be innovative, constantly growing, and drawing on the strength and knowledge of their employees. Involving women in the workforce improves its quality – there’s no doubt about it.

How To Encourage Girls To Be Interested In STEM
It's all very well to extol the many virtues of STEM and its educational benefits for girls, but how do you get a girl more involved in STEM? Below are some tips on how to encourage STEM education for girls.

  • Early beginnings

STEM education begins at home, with parents helping to encourage their daughters' positive perceptions of STEM subjects from an early age. Girls should be encouraged to explore and experiment with all subject areas, including those perceived as predominantly “male”, from an early age.

Beliefs that certain subjects, topics, and avenues of education are only for boys should be discouraged. In addition, girls should be made to feel confident exploring STEM subjects with an open mind, starting with that wooden saw and screwdriver set in the toolshed!

  • Join a STEM club

Joining a STEM-related club can be very beneficial. Seeing other girls participating in STEM activities can encourage them to actively participate, learn, and discover strengths they didn't realize they possessed! Parents and educators looking for good STEM programs for girls can consider the following:

  • Promote role models

The use of role models to encourage learning is an excellent STEM-encouraging technique. Girls should be encouraged to look up famous women who implemented change or significantly impacted the world as we know it – for example, Marie Curie (Polish/French physicist/chemist) or Catherine Grace Coleman (American chemist, engineer, and NASA astronaut). This will help them see that gender stereotypical inequalities don't have to stop them from progressing.

The best way to encourage STEM activities is to make them fun and encourage questions. When STEM exercises are fun, they hold a child's interest, encouraging them to continue learning and preventing boredom. Don't focus too much on on-paper math and science; instead, allow your child to experiment and learn to solve problems using creative methods.

Featured image by YY TEOH on Unsplash