Jill Bailler, a science teacher at Jane Long Middle School, is completing her doctoral research in gender bias in the areas of math and science. For example, if the boys are particularly active, waving their hands and answering out loud when the teacher asks a question, the teacher often is drawn to the area of activity to maintain control. When the boys gain the teacher's attention, the female students, often less aggressive, will quietly detach from the lesson. Bailler's research indicates that stereotypes and attitudes that once discouraged female students from pursuing studies in higher math and science no longer are present. But when they are in an all-girl group, there are no expected behaviors other than performing the task at hand.
Some school districts provide buses to bring teachers and their students to the program.
In some cases, the conversations the girls had with the presenters would never take place in their own homes. By attending this program, they have had a chance to explore more options available to them. Going home on the bus, the girls were excited about what they had seen and heard. Others said they were seriously thinking about careers in medicine. She plans to become a physician.