WEBVTT

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The panel was hoping that our main message will get across.

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And that is that there are a number of things teachers can do to encourage girls

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to really think seriously about careers in science and math.

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Sometimes we're asked how will these recommendations work in mixed-sex classrooms,

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since in fact, we talk about encouraging girls to go into math and science.

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These are generally good practices that will also benefit boys.

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As it turns out, girls and boys do have-the same learning principles will work.

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The reason it will be more valuable for girls is that we have fewer girl role models out there.

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But, in fact, these will be helpful for everyone.

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And it's helpful for the boys to also see the women role models because it also conveys

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to everybody that science is something we all do-boys do it,

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girls do it-and that there are marvelous mathematicians and scientists who are women and men.

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We want to be careful that we're also educating our boys for the future-one where there's going

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to be much more participation of women in the workforce.

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They're already close to 50 percent of the U.S. workforce

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and the workforce in most global economies.

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One thing we find when you look at any educational recommendation is support

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from the administration-from the principal, from the superintendent,

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from the board of education, that's critical.

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When they send a message to teachers,

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when they support those teachers who have their own initiatives and their own ideas, I mean,

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that really makes a big difference.

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We know that there are high performing schools

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and very similar schools that don't perform as well.

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Leadership is important and having our principals, our superintendents, our boards of education,

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concerned parent groups all participate in these will really make the job easier for teachers

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and really send a broader message to students that this is something we care about and that,

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in fact, we reinforce at home, we reinforce

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in the broader community, we put on district-wide events.

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And that sends a great message.

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Learning happens lots of places.

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I'd like the local library, for example, to put on a "women in science" display

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or have local scientists come in and talk.

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We'd like parents to be sure that all of their kids are doing-going to the science museum,

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that all their kids are going to science camp, that, you know,

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have a chance to really engage in great activities.

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That they're helping in the classroom with the teachers who may need extra time for setting

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up for some of these more investigative activities instead of just handing out a worksheet.

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That's more work for teachers.

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Good teaching is hard work, and any support they can have with it is going

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to carry it just so much further.

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And these messages get reinforced.

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Those implicit messages that science and math are for boys

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and men-we really want to start breaking them down.

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And the only way we do that is by having a more community-wide message-in the media,

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in the materials, in the books that we select for our children, in lots and lots of places.

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So there's a role for everybody and it's an important role.

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I think what's important for teachers, for parents, for principals,

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for superintendents who are looking at our recommendations to know is

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that there's a lot they can do and that it's important.

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It's important because we're developing the fullest talent possible from all of our students

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and that we're helping girls particularly enter areas

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where they've not been there in large numbers.

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And that that will make a difference in our competitiveness,

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our ability to cooperate in a global world,

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prepare for our workforce, and really move us forward.