For many years as a Physics teacher, I always wondered how we could increase the number of women studying STEM careers. Research has shown that there has been a massive improvement for women in medicine, business, and law careers over the past few decades (Silva, 2019). After completing a curriculum with interdisciplinary lessons and extracurricular activities, I knew that Physics teachers are highly effective in motivating students to show interest in physics principles and applications in their daily lives. But in addition to this, Physics teachers could teach lessons to create cultural change and inspire young women to pursue physics in college. STEP UP is a national community of Physics teachers that provides valuable lessons, strategies, and professional developments (Step Up Physics Together, n.d.). Implementing the STEP UP curriculum in my classes and creating STEP UP for the physics club were successfully inspirational in motivating underrepresented students to pursue Physics and STEM careers. Class discussions, club presentations to middle schools in the community, and parents' participation in extracurricular activities were extremally valuable in improving students' passion for Physics and recognizing themselves as Physics individuals.
Works Cited
Silva, V. (2019, April 29). 4 Main Reasons Why There Is a Lack of Women in STEM. Retrieved from Build By Me: https://www.builtbyme.com/lack-of-women-in-stem-reasons
Step Up Physics Together. (n.d.). Retrieved from Engage: https://engage.aps.org/stepup/home