Women and Mathematics

The question of girls' attainment in mathematics is met with every kind of myth, false 'evidence', and theorizing about the gendered body and the gendered mind. The Girls and Mathematics Unit led by Valerie Walkerdine, over a period of ten years, carried out a detailed theoretical and empirical investigation in this area. Based on this research, the book tackles issues and truisms, - such as: women are irrational, illogical and too close to their emotions to be any good at mathematics - and examines and puts into perspective these and other claims that have been made about women's minds. It also analyses the relationship between evidence and explanation: why are girls still taken to be lacking when they perform well, and boys credited even when they perform poorly?

The contributors look at a range of issues in the teaching of mathematics that will enable students to build upon their learning and place their teaching into a wider context. This book presents the key debates that the mathematics teacher will need to understand, reflect on and engage in as part of their professional development. Issues in Mathematics Teaching is suitable for those at initial training level right through to practising mathematics teachers. Its accessible structure enables the reader to pursue the issues raised as each chapter includes suggestions for further reading and questions for reflection or debate.

This text for preservice and in-service teacher education courses shows how schools can educate girls and promote their positive self-esteem at the same time. Its purpose is to help teachers facilitate the development of gender-equitable schools and classrooms. Taking a feminist developmental approach, the text draws on an interdisciplinary knowledge base, synthesizing research from psychology, anthropology, sociology, and education. While it is rooted in scholarly research, the focus is on clarifying the connection between theory and practice, with an emphasis on practical applications. The text is organized in two sections--"Growth and Development" and "Teaching and Learning"--and includes a variety of engaging pedagogical features. Underscoring the need for teachers, school administrators, and parents to become aware of the intersection of development and education, Educating Young Adolescent Girls: *combines gender, growth, and development; *demonstrates how schooling can facilitate the total development of young adolescent girls; and *addresses a multiplicity of issues, including adolescent girls of color and young adolescents girls' sexuality.