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Breaking the STEM Stereotype

Reaching Girls in Early Childhood

Amanda Alzena Sullivan

Men continue to outnumber women in numerous technical STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields such as, engineering and computer science. Prior work demonstrates the importance of introducing girls to STEM content early on, before gender stereotypes are ingrained. However, many parents and teachers are not sure how to do this in a developmentally appropriate and playful way. Breaking the STEM Stereotype: Reaching Girls in Childhood by Dr. Amanda Sullivan, Ph.D. explores the various social, cultural, and psychological reasons behind the persistent gender disparity between men and women in STEM fields. By explaining the powerful role of stereotypes, the media, and experiences with peers and adults during the foundational early childhood years, this book builds the case of early childhood being a critical time in development to reach girls. Breaking the STEM Stereotype is set up in three parts. Part 1 provides the current state of the gender divide in each aspect of STEM and explores why early childhood is a critical time to address this divide. Part 2 explores gender identity development and gender stereotypes as well as the influences of the media, advertising, and adult and peer role models on young children. Finally, Part 3 arms readers with the knowledge they need to dispel gender stereotypes in STEM. It provides suggestions on tools, technologies, and kits that can be used with young girls beginning in pre-kindergarten. It provides materials needed to design effective curricula and activities to engage girls with STEM in playful ways that build on their personal interests.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 186 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-1-4758-4204-3 • Hardback • October 2019 • $38.00 • (£30.00)

978-1-4758-4205-0 • eBook • October 2019 • $36.00 • (£30.00)

Subjects: Education / Early Childhood (incl. Preschool & Kindergarten), Education / Leadership / Women, Education / Elementary / Science, Family & Relationships / Education

Breaking the STEM Stereotype

Reaching Girls in Early Childhood

Hardback

eBook

Summary

Men continue to outnumber women in numerous technical STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields such as, engineering and computer science. Prior work demonstrates the importance of introducing girls to STEM content early on, before gender stereotypes are ingrained. However, many parents and teachers are not sure how to do this in a developmentally appropriate and playful way. Breaking the STEM Stereotype: Reaching Girls in Childhood by Dr. Amanda Sullivan, Ph.D. explores the various social, cultural, and psychological reasons behind the persistent gender disparity between men and women in STEM fields. By explaining the powerful role of stereotypes, the media, and experiences with peers and adults during the foundational early childhood years, this book builds the case of early childhood being a critical time in development to reach girls. Breaking the STEM Stereotype is set up in three parts. Part 1 provides the current state of the gender divide in each aspect of STEM and explores why early childhood is a critical time to address this divide. Part 2 explores gender identity development and gender stereotypes as well as the influences of the media, advertising, and adult and peer role models on young children. Finally, Part 3 arms readers with the knowledge they need to dispel gender stereotypes in STEM. It provides suggestions on tools, technologies, and kits that can be used with young girls beginning in pre-kindergarten. It provides materials needed to design effective curricula and activities to engage girls with STEM in playful ways that build on their personal interests.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 186 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-1-4758-4204-3 • Hardback • October 2019 • $38.00 • (£30.00)

978-1-4758-4205-0 • eBook • October 2019 • $36.00 • (£30.00)

Subjects: Education / Early Childhood (incl. Preschool & Kindergarten), Education / Leadership / Women, Education / Elementary / Science, Family & Relationships / Education

Author

Dr. Amanda Alzena Sullivan, Ph.D. is a child development specialist who researches the impact of new technologies and media on children. Amanda’s research is specifically concerned with using new technologies to engage girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in order to increase the representation of girls and women in these fields.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Dr. Marina Umaschi Bers

Acknowledgements

Introduction: Female Underrepresentation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) —And What We Can Do About It

Part I: The Great Gender Divide in STEM

Chapter 1: Why Engaging Girls with STEM Before Second Grade Makes a Difference

Chapter 2: Crush the “Girls Are Bad at Math” Myth

Chapter 3: Celebrate Women in Science

Chapter 4: Grow the Number of Women in Tech & Engineering

Part II: Stereotypes are Everywhere (And It’s Becoming a Real Issue)

Chapter 5: What to Know About Gender Identity and Stereotypes in Early Childhood

Chapter 6: Ensuring Girls Overcome Stereotype Threat

Chapter 7: The Blue Aisle vs. The Pink Aisle—The Influence of Media, Advertising, and Toy Companies

Chapter 8: The Important Impact of Parents, Teachers, and Other Role-Models

Part III: Break the STEM Stereotype in Early Childhood

Chapter 9: Tools, Games, and Products to Engage Girls in Pre-K through Early Elementary School

Chapter 10: Create Engaging STEM Activities for Young Girls

Chapter 11: Simple Things Adults Can Do

Chapter 12: Beyond Early Childhood

Conclusion: Imagining the Scientists and Engineers of the Future

Appendices

Appendix A: Gender Divide in STEM Factsheet

Appendix B: STEM Career Examples

Appendix C: Planning Sheet for Educators: Designing STEAM Curriculum to Engage Girls

Appendix D: STEM Picture Books

About the Author

Reviews

Wondering why girls are underrepresented in STEM and how to change this pattern? Breaking the STEM Stereotype is a great place to start! In accessible language, Dr. Sullivan describes some of the roots of the problem before suggesting powerful and practical strategies that parents, teachers, and caregivers can use with young children to create more welcoming environments that empower girls to engage more fully in STEM. Such awareness and ideas will help us all inspire and support the next generation of girls who will discover, shape, and understand our world through STEM.
— Christine M. Cunningham, Founding Director of Engineering is Elementary, Author of Engineering in Elementary STEM Education (Teachers College Press)

Amanda Sullivan has written a must-read book for getting girls involved in STEM at an early age. If you are looking for strategies on how to get young ladies to crash the digital divide that currently exist in the STEM world then this is your book. Introducing girls at an early age is the foundation we all must build if want to get the next generation (especially girls) equipped for the careers in STEM and computer science fields.
— Kimberly Lane Clark, Ed.S., Director of Blended Learning-Lancaster ISD, Ask A Techno Girl @askatechnogirl

As someone who has struggled to hire technically skilled professionals that reflect the demographics of the country, I am very encouraged that Breaking the STEM Stereotype offers a researched-based understanding of why it is so hard to find qualified women for these roles. Even more important, Dr. Sullivan shows clearly why solutions to this problem must include engagement of girls at much younger ages than had previously been believed by many parents and educators. As important as these solutions are for the girls themselves, the recommendations in Breaking the STEM Stereotype may be even more important for employers who so clearly need more women's perspectives in order to develop, market, and regulate better, more broadly useful products. Even more than girls need to understand STEM thinking, the STEM world needs their future contributions and perspectives.
— Mitch Rosenberg, co-founder and CEO of KinderLab Robotics, www.kinderlabrobotics.com

Passionate about encouraging creativity, ingenuity, and perseverance in young children? You must read Dr. Amanda Sullivan's book, Breaking the STEM Stereotype to learn about the ways our world discourages girls from pursuing endeavors in STEM field from the earliest of ages. Not only does she provide data and research from multiple domains to show this issue persists, she effectively explains that this is a problem for businesses and the overall success of our human race. But, she doesn't stop with just the facts. She is a true solution finder, offering various job aides both teachers and parents can use immediately to turn attitudes around and help our girls believe they can have a career in any field they wish. As a devoted advocate of the developmentally appropriate use of education technology and most importantly, a mother of a five-year-old daughter, I just wish this book had come out sooner!
— Jennifer Bowden, M.Ed, President, Early Learning Network, International Society of Technology in Education, 2017-2019

Features

9/16/19: Author Amanda Sullivan recounted her experience in the publishing world and at Tufts University in her interview with the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development.

Link: https://sites.tufts.edu/epvoices/2019/09/17/amanda-sullivan-on-her-path-at-e-p-publishing-her-first-book/

Breaking the STEM Stereotype

Reaching Girls in Early Childhood

Amanda Alzena Sullivan

Breaking the STEM Stereotype

Reaching Girls in Early Childhood

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