Horace Mann - Summer 2016 - 18

education and career aspirations. "Over the past decade a lot of attention has been paid to this subject, and thankfully, the numbers are changing. At Horace Mann School, for example, the number of male and female students in our advanced courses is about equal, but even here, fewer women students take Honors and AP physics," Dr. Kelly said. "We consider this a significant issue. HM must be part of the effort to engage more women in STEM education, and STEM professions. It's important to assure that women are able to pursue the same educational opportunities and career options as men. They must also be able to contribute equally to the field. Daily, we learn how critical it is for women to apply their perspective and specific concerns to scientific and technological research, both in reconsidering research models, and in prioritizing HM HM Head Head ofof School School Dr.Dr. Tom Tom Kelly Kelly enjoys enjoys a science a science lesson lesson together together with with second second and and third-grade third-grade WISE WISE participants. participants. research goals of benefit to society that women may be able to identify better than men." to promoting women's involvement in STEM pursuits. Horace Mann School has also addressed this issue by "The main thing I try to get across to all of our students in increasing the number of women science teachers in every science classes-especially the youngest students-is that Division, Dr. Kelly said. "These faculty members serve as everything around them is science. Children are curious, role models to all of our students. This is significant because and for them to know that everything they ask about is a research released as recently as March 2016 reveals that form of scientific inquiry helps make science a natural skill, even as more women enter STEM professions, prejudicial instead of a scary subject," Diaz explained. "Young children perceptions about women's capabilities as scientists persist, love doing science. That's usually equally true for both boys often keeping them from advancing in the field. Some even and girls. But, it's not long before you see girls becoming less leave science. The education our students experience with confident in science class, or letting boys lead the way when our accomplished science faculty demonstrates the oppothey partner off to do a lab or experiment." site," Dr. Kelly said. Diaz bases her concerns about girls becoming less and "Research also shows that to reverse the situation of less comfortable "doing" science on evidence indicating that fewer girls than boys in science classes in later school years boys often have a leg-up on girls, through influences they abgirls must engage with science in the youngest grades, and sorb and skills they develop, even as babies. "Research shows receive encouragement along the way," Dr. Kelly continued. that spatial cognition develops better in boys than in girls. "Our WISE program provides HM's girls the opportunity for People who stay in science and engineering are often shown a hands-on science experience in a comfortable setting. We to be better at spatial reasoning skills, which they developed hope it fosters ongoing excitement about doing science, and at a young age. This isn't because of any innate intellectual encourages the participants to explore science and technoldifference, but often because of the blocks and constructionogy further, at HM and throughout their lives. We began this type toys boys, more often than girls, are given when they program in our Lower Division in order to reach our girl are very young," Diaz said. Even in the most conscientious students before they head into the higher grades, but we are families and schools, where spatial reasoning and problemworking on moving the program forward into the Middle solving toys are encouraged equally for girls as for boys, the and Upper Divisions, with increasingly advanced curricula." influence of advertising and media plays a part. "The good news is that research also shows you can Applying theory to a transformative process go back and teach these skills-that it's never too late. To get WISE off the ground Dr. Kelly enlisted the expertise Incorporating spatial reasoning skills through building and of Lower Division Science Specialist Katie Diaz, who orgaengineering-type projects is part of what I'm trying to do in nized the first "June Camp" experience in 2015, and coordiour WISE program," Diaz said. nated and led the program throughout the year, and at June "Having the chance to prevent girls from developing Camp 2016. inhibitions about science, and hopefully inspire them to stay Diaz is an innovative science educator who is also helping in science, is a true privilege. Keeping girls interested in scimap out the Lower Division's evolving science curriculum, ence is at the forefront of Dr. Kelly's curricular goals for HM. in concert with the academic expectations of HM's Middle I was delighted to be given the opportunity to help develop and even Upper Divisions. She is also a teacher dedicated this program." 18 Horace Mann Magazine Summer 2016 photo by Jasmin Ortiz Women in Science & Engineering (WISE)

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