Girls vs. boys in mathematics: Test scores provide one interpretation girls narratives suggest a different story

Girls vs. Boys in Mathematics: Test Scores Provide One Interpretation Girls' Narratives Suggest a Different Story Kathleen Stoehr & Kathy Carter University of Arizona Teaching, Language, and Sociocultural Studies This study seeks to provide a data based critique of the claims of gender equity in mathematics. Specifically, this paper is an analysis of the personal well-remembered events (WREs) told and recorded by women who are in the first course of their preservice teaching professional sequence. Importantly, these are women who are on the professional track to teach mathematics. Using a narrative based methodology, the writings provide another angle of the intricate pieces of equity (i.e. test results say both genders are just as capable, stories of females say otherwise). These themes center around the safe zones, struggles, embarrassment, competition, and self-fulfilling prophecies. From these stories, we see subtle illustrations of existing gender inequities in mathematics. Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the equity issue in mathematics from perspectives not traditionally included in equity claims. This study offers a close up view of personal experiences that preservice candidates have encountered in their own journey as students of mathematics, especially as they learn to teach. This transition time is impo11ant to study, as preservice candidates make the switch from student to teacher. It is vital to understand how critical these stories are, as new female teachers take on the impo1tant role of mathematics teachers. What these narratives do is capture the impact of personal experiences in mathematics to a developing professional identity through the personal well-remembered events (WREs) which require telling, analyzing, and drawing implications. The different themes that arise in this issue of mathematics equity were examined. These themes include the safe zones in mathematics, the struggles that occur in mathematics, the feelings of embarrassment, the competition, and the self-fulfilling prophecies. These data-derived themes will be expanded and discussed in greater detail in the larger paper. Theoretical Framework Huebner 's (2009) study, Encouraging Girls to Pursue Math and Science, notes that the mathematics achievement gap between boys and girls has all but disappeared. Huebner's research reveals that the differences in mathematics achievement between boys and girls are insignificant. Boaler's (2008) study, What's Math Got to Do With It? suppotts this view by claiming national statistics in mathematics show that presently, girls do very well in mathematics, achieving at equal or higher levels than boys. Huebner (2009) makes the statement that there is great optimism for girls in mathematics. Some data suggests the equity issue in mathematics between boys and girls is solved. However, Boaler's (2008) study reveals another important component in the equity issue in mathematics between boys and girls. Boaler's (2008) work reminds us that we cannot underestimate the power of stereotypes that still exist suggesting that boys are stronger in mathematics than girls. These stereotypes occur in family, school, and society (Tobias, 1993). Teachers often overestimate boys' potential in mathematics whereas they underestimate it in girls (Goodell and Parker, 2001 ). Gavin and Reis (2003)