Breaking Through!: Helping Girls Succeed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

by Harriet S. Mosatche, Elizabeth Lawner, Susan Matloff-Nieves

Overview

Even with increased pressure to involve more girls in STEM areas in education, parents are often left wondering what they can do to keep their daughter's love of science, math, and technology from fading. In Breaking Through! Helping Girls Succeed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, topics ranging from how role models can make a difference to finding nonstereotypical toys and taking trips that inspire STEM discovery and engagement are illustrated with research evidence and real-life examples from girls and women. Regardless of a daughter's age (from birth to young adulthood), parents will find tips they can immediately use to help combat the gender imbalance in STEM areas. Whether they need to advocate for gender-neutral, STEM-enriched classrooms or want to encourage creative problem solving and persistence in their daughters, readers will find ideas to take action to help the girls in their lives break through the barriers and achieve success in STEM.

2017 NAGC Book of the Year Award Winner

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781000490817
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/03/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	290
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Harriet S. Mosatche, Ph.D, is a developmental psychology researcher and award-winning author. Her latest book is Breaking Through!: Helping Girls Succeed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (Prufrock Press, 2016). Mosatche has provided expert advice on television, radio, and the Internet; in books, magazines, and newspapers; and through interactive workshops...

Elizabeth K. Lawner, formerly a researcher in youth development at Child Trends, is a social psychology doctoral student at the University of Connecticut where she researches the barriers to recruiting and retaining women in STEM.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Section 1 Introduction Chapter 1 STEM—Critical to the World, Crucial to Your Daughter’s Future Chapter 2 Gender Diversity in STEM: The Changing Landscape Section II What the Research Tells Us About Obstacles and Opportunities Chapter 3 Double Trouble—Stereotypes About STEM and Gender Chapter 4 Bias and Discrimination—Looking at Attitudes and Behaviors Chapter 5 Opening Your Daughter’s World to STEM Experiences Chapter 6 How Role Models and Mentors Make a Difference Section III How Can We Transform the Picture of Girls and Women in STEM? Chapter 7 Advocacy: A Key Way to Transform Obstacles Into Opportunities Chapter 8 Preparing Girls to Recognize and Respond to Gender Bias Chapter 9 Providing Girls With Engaging STEM Experiences Chapter 10 Increasing Access to Effective Role Models Section IV Time for Action: Activities and Guidelines Chapter 11 Helping Girls Become Critical Viewers of the Media Chapter 12 Recognizing and Using the Power of Language and Expression Chapter 13 Exploring STEM Through Toys, Games, and Activities Chapter 14 Stepping Out: Exploring STEM Through Outdoor Activities and Trips Chapter 15 Encouraging Persistence, Creative Problem Solving, Leadership, and Teamwork Chapter 16 Preparing Girls for Engagement in STEM After High School Section V Advocating in the Educational System Chapter 17 Advocating to Create Gender-Neutral and STEM-Rich Classrooms and Afterschool Experiences Chapter 18 Working With Schools to Create Adaptations in STEM for Students With Disabilities Chapter 19 Supporting the Needs of Gifted Students in STEM Fields Section VI Advising Your Daughter in College and Beyond Chapter 20 Making the Most of STEM Opportunities On and Off Campus Chapter 21 Increasing Your Daughter’s Sense of Belonging in STEM Chapter 22 Looking Ahead: Exploring Careers and Creating a Satisfying Work and Personal Life References About the Authors

Editorial Reviews

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of this title is the quick-start guide for incorporating STEM into everyday life. The suggested activities and recommended discussions of scientific method and creative problem-solving appropriately coach adults to feel comfortable talking with and advising girls to become involved in STEM paths for many years to come. Parents, educators, and librarians will all find ideas to implement in this thorough resource. A recommended purchase for most parenting, professional reading, or reference collections.,Abby Bussen,School Library Journal, 5/17/16
Emphasizing the importance of cultivating a sense of belonging for girls and young women in previously male dominated fields, Breaking Through! encourages daughters everywhere to note the influence of media, grow toward positivity, and form lasting relationships with dynamic role models and mentors. It enables them to facilitate change in local and federal government spending and policies, and above all else, to experience joy, success, and satisfaction in the study, pursuit, and advancement of science, technology, engineering, and math.,Pallas Gates McCorquodale,Foreword Reviews, 5/27/16
This book is a must-read for parents, educators, school administrators, and policy makers who have a voice in changing the mechanistic lever to deeply embedded structures and educational practices that diversify and engage all learners.,Tami Stewart,Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 3/1/17

From the Publisher

06/01/2016
While the knowledge that women are underrepresented in STEM careers is not earth-shattering, the research rounded up in this book might shock readers not already familiar with the depth of the gender gap. Delving into past and current research about girls and STEM, the authors break down societal stereotypes about innate vs. learned abilities and the lack of female interest in STEM activities, demonstrating how girls can be pushed away from typically male-heavy fields. Additional research about role models and mentoring programs elucidates ways in which adults can effectively support young women interested in these pursuits. Advocacy advice provides parents and caring adults with various methods for guiding girls toward STEM and creating receptive environments so that they aren't shunned, overlooked, or ignored by peers or adults. Perhaps the most valuable aspect of this title is the quick-start guide for incorporating STEM into everyday life. The suggested activities and recommended discussions of scientific method and creative problem-solving appropriately coach adults to feel comfortable talking with and advising girls to become involved in STEM paths for many years to come. Parents, educators, and librarians will all find ideas to implement in this thorough resource. VERDICT A recommended purchase for most parenting, professional reading, or reference collections.—Abby Bussen, Muskego Public Library, WI

School Library Journal