This semester I have been challenging myself to make math more appealing to young girls. It is difficult to do this without being offensive, or giving in to gender stereotypes. For instance, the message "boys can use math to design buildings, and girls can use math to measure ingredients for baking", is not the route I want to take. Today, I found a way to make geometry appealing to the girls in my class.
Recently I heard about a young alumna from the high school I am currently working at who started her own line of handmade retro-style designer swimsuits. Designing swimsuits and creating your own business takes hard work, creativity and GEOMETRY. This young woman, not much older than my students, uses geometry to get the proper dimensions and proportions to create swimsuits of all different sizes, for all different body types. This young woman is a great example of how geometry can be used in real-life. Not only that, but she is a great example of a female entrepreneur.
I was so excited to be able to share this with my students. This story showed the young girls in my class the value of math, without seeming sexist. I hope my desire to make math appealing to young girls makes me more aware of opportunities like the one today.
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