There is nothing that females can’t do; at least in the field of education and academics. Yes, it is proven that women have the capability of performing better in studies and exams than their male classmates or peers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects. However, the constant negativity and stereotyping women face from society can put them under pressure and feel they can’t nail this complex exam. This stereotyping leads to women losing interest in science and tech-related subjects. However, this is wrong.
Just like men, the females of our society should also have an interest in such subjects and should pursue a career in STEM subjects. It is the responsibility of parents and teachers to foster and develop the interest in STEM subjects of female students, starting with an early of 13 or 14.
In this post, we are sharing 6 practical ways and strategies for teachers about how to develop their female students’ interest in STEM subjects. These tips and strategies will surely engage your female students in these subjects and help them make successful careers in the future. Keep Reading!
Do you know what is the most common reason for women not pursuing STEM subjects as a career? Because they think and are told these subjects are only ‘for boys’. Being educators, you need to take this concept out of their heads and foster a ‘can-do’ attitude in them. Tell your female students that they can nail every subject if they are dedicated and enthusiastic. You need to make them feel confident in this male-dominated world.
What you can do is tell them that STEM subjects are hard, but their benefits and employability rates are remarkable. Moreover, make sure that the atmosphere of the classroom is free from stereotyping, and keep giving examples of successful females in STEM fields.
If you feel like your female students are not familiar with the importance of STEM subjects, it is your duty to communicate with them about it. Tell them about the applications of STEM subjects in the real world, and how they can rock their careers. Also, make them realise how passionate and interesting these subjects are.
Moreover, you can link the subjects with key ideas and applications in front of them. You can also make the subject interesting for them by linking the course material with current stories and trending topics. The more you keep talking about STEM subjects, the more the concept will revolve in their minds.
Let’s state a fact here; STEM subjects are hard, and boys are always the first ones to raise their hands for answering a complex question. These things kind of discourage the females and they feel left out or don’t even get a chance to answer in the first place. They also feel afraid that they might give the wrong answer.
Being an educator, it is your duty to handle this situation. First, you can give 30 seconds of thinking time to all students before raising their hands to answer questions. Doing this will make the atmosphere of the classroom competition-free. Next, you can ask all the students to write their answer on a paper and read it out loud when asked - this will give an equal and fair chance to every student. Lastly, instead of waiting for the girls to answer, you can encourage them to speak by directly asking questions to them.
STEM subjects are full of complex jargon and technical language. Though this technical language is hard to understand, it is important for students to grasp them because they are the main part of STEM subjects. Being an educator, only you are able to make your students understand STEM jargon and Technical Language. Because they can’t nail the subjects and concepts until they understand the language.
What you can do is make sure to clear all the concepts before introducing your female students to technical language and equations. Also, you need to encourage them to use technical language as often as they can. You can keep a close check meanwhile that they are applying the equations and languages the right way. Moreover, it is your responsibility to help them wherever they feel troubled or confused.
Do you know what is the main difference between the understanding of boys and girls of STEM Subjects? Girls focus more on the concepts and theories, while boys show interest in implementing those concepts practically. Trust me; practical implications are always better than filling notebooks with notes. That is why it is essential for girls to participate and indulge in practical implications and activities too.
Being a teacher or tutor, you can help your female students by making groups and assigning roles and practical tasks. You need to use this strategy, especially for science and tech-related subjects. Practically experimenting with the subjects will help the female students to develop an interest and truly grasp and understand the concepts in the meanwhile.
To encourage female students to develop an interest in STEM subjects and fields, it is important to give them examples of famous, successful, and female role models. Seeing successful women nailing in science fields will give your female students a boost of confidence and motivation.
You can invite successful female professionals in STEM fields to come and give lectures to your students. Their motivational talk will surely develop and foster interest in your female students. Moreover, you can give an assignment to your class on researching successful female professionals in STEM fields. Maybe their own research motivates them to take an initiative.
Now that you have gone through the entire post, we are sure you know that developing your female students’ interest in STEM subjects is a super easy task. We hope that you find this post helpful. However, did you know that at MTS, we have tons of female tutors specialising in STEM subjects who can act as role models and examples for your students!
