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identify, position themselves, and show agency in math classes. The pre - test asked the girls to draw themselves learning math. After several months of different math teaching strategies, the girls were again asked to draw themselves learning math. The results were striking. Here are a few examples of pre and post - test drawings with the girls ’ narra tives about their drawing (selected girls ’ narratives have been typed for clarity of reading). Survey observations ( Bertolone - Smith & Moss, 2019 ) further exposed attributes and characteristics about the ways girls learn mathematics, which in cluded their behaviors while engaged with math: • I like to communicate; I like to check and dou ble check (or, I might give up); • I need time to think and then I need time to talk, and then I need time to check again;

of the time. We need to stop girls and their parents from saying, “ I can ’ t do math, ” or “ I wasn ’ t good at math. ” Even if it were true for the parents, these types of statements foster a negative mindset. To counter this, we need more mentors for girls and more opportunities for girls to “ do ” mathematics in an authentic learning context. Therefore, it takes a conscious, explicit effort to counteract these negative messages. We also need to change the messages children receive as to who belongs in mathematics. We need to change the messages children receive about innate abilities, we need to change the way math is taught, and we need to start these processes very early in the child ’ s life. Mathematics pedagogy has improved, but most of today ’ s math classrooms pedagogy remains struc tured in a sequential order. First is performance (the student masters the skills and content), which leads to Engagement (their interest and excite ment), which supports Identity (the student ’ s self perception that they can or cannot do mathematics) (Egan, Sharkness & Hurtado, 2010). Research shows that identity is better than perfor mance when predicting a STEM future, especially among girls (Egan, Sharkness & Hurtado, 2010). Thus, strengthening a girls ’ math identity is key in keeping her in the STEM pipeline. In addition to the above findings, girls need to un derstand “ why ” in addition to “ how . ” They have a greater desire for understanding the “ whys ” than boys. They also have higher levels of anxiety when they do not understand. A deeper, sustaining mathe matics learning experience and enjoyment come from actually “ doing the mathematics ” —applying the concepts to their interest in an authentic, rele vant, real world context. Instructional strategies such as project - based learning, active learning; real - life, authentic applications, and opportunities for team - based collaborative work is beneficial for sus tained mathematics learning, especially for girls (Egan, Sharkness & Hurtado, 2010). Instructional Strategies: The Value of Project Based Learning (PBL) Experiences A growing urgency to prepare students for 21st century challenges has many educators looking for new instructional approaches. Mastery of academ ic content remains important, but it is no longer A Shift Needed in Pedagogy

• I care about how people see me working;

• I don ’ t want classmates to know if I don ’ t get it;

•

I rage at mathematics;

• I don ’ t want to answer the question unless I know I ’ m right; • I listen to what YOU say, and I watch what YOU do, and

•

I pay attention to EVERYTHING.

Teachers need to be aware of and look for these types of behaviors so that strategies for supporting agency can be implemented. I show support by informing my students that I want them to succeed because they matter to me, and that they matter to their families, their community, and to the world. For example, there was a study, in which hundreds of students were given feedback on a test. A ran dom number of these students were given an addi tional feedback statement, “ I ’ m giving you this feedback because I believe in you. ” One year later, the students who received the additional feedback outperformed the students who did not receive the additional feedback, which was extraordinary (Froschil, 2018). None of us intentionally give the wrong message to children that we want them not to do well. None theless, from the time children are born to the time they begin to make decisions about their future oc cupation, messages are coming to the children all

Virginia Mathematics Teacher vol. 46, no. 2

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