Female Teachers’ Math Anxiety Affects Girls’ Math Achievement

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a study published in PNAS that reveals female math teachers' anxiety can negatively impact their female students' math performance, leading to a belief that boys excel in math. The study highlights that when teachers exhibit math anxiety, girls are more likely to conform to traditional gender norms regarding math ability. Participants express concern about the implications of this finding for both math and science education, particularly in high school settings where female role models are scarce.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of gender dynamics in education
  • Familiarity with PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) publications
  • Knowledge of the impact of teacher attitudes on student performance
  • Awareness of cultural stereotypes in STEM fields
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of teacher gender on student achievement in STEM subjects
  • Explore interventions to reduce math anxiety among teachers
  • Investigate the role of female role models in science education
  • Study the correlation between teacher knowledge and anxiety in mathematics
USEFUL FOR

Educators, policymakers, gender studies researchers, and anyone involved in promoting female participation in STEM fields will benefit from this discussion.

  • #31
Math Anxiety is kind of a logical reaction anyone can develop from having difficulty with math inside or outside of a class. It doesn't have to do with gender, I don't think, but probably girls are still more likely to develop it than guys... because -at least from my experience at the university level- the majority is still male in math and physics academia. This influences the education teachers themselves receive. It takes time for social prejudices to change, though they should probably be changing a little faster now...