What are the Best Examples You Have Seen of Teachers Closing the Gender Gap in Education?

By Nadia Lopez

The notion that girls are underrepresented in the fields of science in comparison to boys is not an indication that they lack the interest or drives to excel in what is perceived as a male dominated industry. It actually demonstrates that our society is doing a poor job of engaging our girls and providing them with the opportunity to experience the magic that happens when science is brought to life. Growing up I was a latch-key kid, I spent a lot of time doing “experiments” in the house that included mixing hair dyes to find the perfect color or various household products in hopes of discovery a new cleaning agent. But I was never really encouraged to follow my talents or passions because during in the early 80’s that wasn’t considered what “girls “ do. Fast forward, in 2010 when I opened Mott Hall Bridges Academy a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) focused school in Brownsville, Brooklyn, I hired three of the most passionate science teachers who were relentless in their pursuit of providing a curriculum that encourages girls to love science.

Whether it is studying horticulture to understand the impact of community gardens in food deserts plagued with health risks such as hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, and asthma or integrating technology and project-based activities, our girls have become equally invested in their learning as do our boys. Lana Bunning, Christina Ferdinand, and Nechiah Bhalai work diligently to create an interactive curriculum that incorporates collaborative learning to engage in the inquiry process to foster the use problem solving techniques.

Additionally, our young women have the choice of participating in various science based after school programs such as the Mott Bots a water robotics club and Lab Rats where anatomy and physiology is studied through a series of dissection labs. The purpose is for our scholars to develop a deeper understanding of the body functions of various species through hands on experiences and exploration of careers throughout science.

We have also partnered with Erin O’Sullivan, founder of Susie Senior Dogs, to offer a curriculum on the value of providing humane treatment to animals, exposure to careers in animal science, and field trips to rescue facilities throughout New York. This program has also included an overnight stay on a rescue farm in upstate New York; as a result there has been an increase in our girls applying to high schools with science programs.

When opportunities are created for our girls to explore the world of science around them and encourage teachers to be creative in their practices, we then have the power to eliminate the gaps that exist between genders.