This time of year - the couple weeks after school gets out, but before the planning for the next year really begins - when I am still just viewing lesson planners online, instead of purchasing one and beginning to fill it out, is a time when I usually catch up on my reading. And though I read a great deal of silly fiction, I always make time for some serious reading. This year, I found out some important things about girls, women, and education that I think you and I should ponder.
Read MoreCheck back here for twice-monthly updates from AEC! We will provide you with content about current events, tips and resources, and new strategies to try in your districts, schools, and classrooms. To view ongoing and past blog series, click on the links below.
Peer-reviewed research continues to provide us with lots of information about gender gaps in education – from classroom practices to the ways in which individuals select majors and career pathways. Research also has the capacity to provide new perspectives on things we already know (or think we know). This week, Lauren breaks down a new article in the American Educational Research Journal about gender gaps in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) which finds that girls who qualify for university-level STEM programs tend to opt for other pathways.
Read MoreThis week, I will shamelessly copy one of my favorite podcast hosts, Jon Lovett. On his weekly show, Lovett has a segment called the Rant Wheel, in which he spins the wheel and rants about whatever topic it lands on. In my modified version, I would like to rant about some of the infuriating or inspiring things we’ve seen in the news in the last couple weeks.
Read MoreBack-to-school fervor has already started, believe it or not. (Full disclosure, two of us in the C-Suite teach Summer classes so we never really left school.) Even so, we are among the many educators thinking about how to retool and revamp our curricular materials for the coming year. Some questions are perennial: What activities worked or didn’t work? How will I differentiate for this year’s students? How can I enhance engagement throughout the year? Still other questions may be new or require more consideration: How do I evaluate gender bias in my curricular materials? With whom can I collaborate? How do I teach students to have critical conversations about race and privilege? The articles in this week’s roundup begin to address some of those questions so those of you who plan ahead may be interested. We also have a number of curriculum resources ready and waiting for you on our website and we’d love to talk more with you about the specific needs of your school or staff – send us a note!
Read MoreSTEM, STEAM, IDEA, GATE, PACER, TESOL – education is rife with catchy acronyms, but sometimes they come at us so quickly that we lose track of their importance. Today, we home in on issues related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education and why gender equity has to be a top priority in ongoing STEM efforts.
Read More