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Alliance Access Spring 2001 – – [contents]
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Engaging Middle School Girls in Math and ScienceBy Mj Terry | ||
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Recently, I began facilitating an online course designed to help middle school teachers support girl’s successes in math and science. The course Engaging Middle School Girls in Math and Science is a regular offering of The WEEA Equity Resource Center at EDC. It spans a nine-week period, with each of the eight class sessions posted for nine days. The course seeks to build on what teachers already know about good instructional practice and focuses on the unique social and academic needs of girls in the middle school years. The long-term goal is to understand how to increase girls’ interest in math and science and raise achievement levels so that they continue to pursue these subjects through high school and college. Each week centers on an equity topic (see sidebar). Participants are presented with a classroom scenario with readings and activities. In the asynchronous discussions that follow, the students are expected to reflect on the readings and are encouraged to share their own teaching experiences. Twenty-two students are online this spring, some from New England and others from as far away as Australia. As with any classroom (real or virtual) it takes a while for students to feel comfortable enough to contribute to group discussion. With each topic, however the students are delving deeper, willing to share their own experiences, offering possible strategies and challenging situations from their own classrooms. The students are learning from each other. The online environment gives them time to reflect and develop their thoughts. I know I am learning from their insights and experiences and look forward to the weeks ahead. PDP’s and graduate credits are available. If you would like more information about the course and process of learning online contact MjTerry104@aol.com Mj Terry is a math and equity specialist for the Regional Alliance. The Women’s Educational Equity Act (WEEA) Equity Resource Center is a national project that promotes bias-free education, believing that gender equity works for everyone. The Center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
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Topics for the 8 one-week sessions
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