Girls dissuaded from choosing Physics at A-level (BBC Breakfast, 9th Dec 2013) )

Sarah,



What I saw on screen was more hand wringing than jumping.  I do think things have regressed.  I did my O and A levels in the 1980s (I was in the last year to do O-levels) and my recollection is that there was a big break down of the distinction between of Girls' subjects and Boys' subjects.  Some boys did Home Ec, Typing and Care, some girls did Physics and Chemistry.  It wasn't perfect, I was only boy in my Typing class (although the year below me there was 4 boys IIRC) and there were a lot more girls in my Biology class than my Physics class.  Also in CDT when we came to choose our specialism whilst the gender split was around 50/50 the girls tended more towards art, pottery and sculpture whilst the boys tended towards Design Communication, Carpentry and Metalwork (which I think was actually called 'Engineering').  I was pushed into Design Communication (what used to be called Technical Drawing), actually pushed probably isn't a strong enough term...abducted and stapled to the chair in the DC room because I was the only one who wanted to do my first choice (Plastics) and the metalwork teacher (my second choice) was intimidated by my welding (well, that's what I choose to believe).



There was however a feeling that the next few years would see a balancing of the subjects.  Looking at what is happening now I feel that we very quickly shifted back.





Stephen

Rosanna,



I didn't do Physics at A-level (I think it was I was advised to do Statistics instead as I was only doing CSE Maths (rather than O-Level)  due to an administrative foul up at my school, that didn't include some of the material (mostly algebra and calculus I later discovered) that was assumed for Physics A-level) but the ratio you mention was about that of my O-Level Physics class.  The teacher there was pretty uninspiring, he tried but just didn't connect with his pupils.



I'm a volunteer with Inspiring the Future (www.inspiringthefuture.org/) who aim to connect schools who want someoen to come in to talk about careers with people who will go into schools and talk about careers.  If you've been going in to schools to promote engineering you might want to give them a look. 



I've also seen people put off engineering because they think it's a dirty job.  The image of an engineer is still that of a mechanic in greasy overalls or a construction worker in a hard hat and cement stained hi-vis trousers.  The majority of engineers I know work in offices on computers, if they wear greasy overalls it's generaly because they have a hobby of restoring vintage cars, motorbikes or steam trains and the nearest they get to cement is when they decide to relay the patio.  Being a doctor probably is a 'dirty' job, a nurse even dirtier (especially now that hospitals are cutting healthcare assistant posts).  I don't doubt that there are dirty jobs in engineering, but do doubt they're the majority (especially when you factor in IT as an engineering specialism).



Stephen

If it's any consolation, nobody in my school was encouraged to take physics or any science at A Level. Only a handful did and a few more did Maths, but that was it. The school was more interested in pushing physchology as they'd just started offering it (with two rookie teachers - the results were terrible). 



I don't know of anybody that I studied A Levels with who went into engineering. I can only think of one person who went into a technical profession (a pilot).



I think this is not exlusively a girls' problem, but it's sad to hear that some girls have been discouraged by teachers. I really question the teachers' motives.

I hope that things have moved on somewhat these days. I must be a similar age to Stephen (I sat the 16+ exam in the mid 80s which was the test bed for GCSEs). I wasn't allowed to do technical drawing and had to do needlework as I was a girl. I also had to fight really hard and get special permission to be allowed to do both chemistry and physics 16+ courses rather than just one, as the timetable just didn't allow it (I had to sacrifice Home Economics!) Wouldn't have been a problem if I had wanted to do biology.....

As we had a really small 6th form, timetabling wasn't such a problem, and I went on to do Pure Maths, Applied Maths, Physics and Chemistry at A Level.

I know this post is a bit late but I just had to add my comments..



It always astounds me that teachers are allowed to get away with this behaviour.  They dont seem to understand that children should not be pigeon-holed and presuaded to go down a route that they ultimatly dont want to take or activly blocked from doing what they really want to do. 



It was a fair while ago now but I remember my guidance teacher telling my parents that I should not bother doing an engineering degree as I would find it too hard... I got a 1st class honours.



My Engish teacher also prevented me from studying higher English (Scottish equivalent to A level) even though I got a high mark in my standard grades (O-level).



Now i'm not that bothered that I didn't do English but what would have happened if I listened to them about Engineering?!?



On the other hand I had an excellent Technical teacher who butted into a parent-teacher meeting I was having with another teacher to tell my parents he would love to have me in his class.



Teachers have so much influence over the lives of their pupils and that influence can completely change the course of that childs life.  It should not be taken lightly and their predjudice should never be vocilised in front of the students.



I am going to be speaking in front of 11-18 years olds about the importance of awareness of STEM subjects at an early age however I think teacher and parent awareness is probably just (if not more) important as they have the most influence over a childs decision making process.

Thank you very much for reviving this post, Catriona and to everybody else that has contributed!