Action Research

Underlying Questions

Operationalizing and 
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Background

Midway through the 1999-2000 school year, my principal informed me that I was to teach a 6^thgrade girls’ math class for the following school year as part of a new program which will isolate middle school boys and girls in both math and PE classes. Initially, I was neither excited nor supportive. My response was "Why bother, girls just don’t like math, will it really make a difference?" Part of me still retains that attitude, I always liked math, and I’ve always been a minority among my male peers and teachers. My sisters had the same teachers and environment as I (and in close age proximity) but they never had the thirst for pursuit. In fact one of my sisters HATED math (and still does I’m sure). That supports my notion that girls are just not interested, just as boys are typically as interested in the child development arena. Why are there so few male lower elementary teachers? Could we change a learning environment to change those numbers? Does it really matter?

However, the philosophy kept eating away at me, and my sentiment slowly evolved into, "Maybe it will matter, how can I make a difference as their female teacher?" Thus, I turned what initially was a thorn in my side, into a promising research question. My central concern in this proposal is to learn how well the girls’ skills develop. I want an emphasis on computer trouble-shooting, but I do not want that to be my sole focus. I also want to explore how and if their attitude for math changes for the better. I think technology will fit in naturally, because their lessons will be both in math and technology.