2011 Massachusetts Fellows Gathering Focuses on Math Education for Girls

Over 20 Hertz Fellows, alums, and guests met on Saturday, March 5, 2011 in Cambridge, MA for a stimulating discussion on the topic of math education for girls. Special guests included experts on the topic ranging from MIT professors and award-winning local teachers to math coaches and others. Hertz attendees included Louis Lerman, Stephen Fantone, Jennifer Roberts, Tony Pan, Adam Pivonka, Anand Oza, and organizers Amir Nashat and Lily Kim.

The afternoon began with an introduction to MIT Professor Glenn Ellison's work on the math gender gap in high-performing high school students. Prof. Ellison's research hints that environment may play an important role in girls' success in math. The discussion then branched off into possible causes and explored ways to take action, including collaborative educational approaches, peer interaction via social networks, online learning, incentives, competitions, improving basic curriculum, and more.