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Teaching Girls to Tinker
December 9, 2009
It is much more sensible to be an optimist instead of a pessimist, for if one is doomed to disappointment, why experience it in advance?
-Amelia Peabody Emerson
-Amelia Peabody Emerson
One interesting explanation cited by Education week is "girls don't tinker." And, that's because adults don't encourage them to do so. "Teachers allow boys to struggle with math problems long after they have rushed in and rescued girls from the same struggle.... Teachers show boys how to work machines such as staplers or VCRs, while they tend to staple papers or start VCRs for girls. By letting boys struggle and tinker, adults send the message 'I have high expectations for you, so I will wait a little longer. I know you can get it if I give you a chance.' By intervening rapidly with girls, adults let them know that they that they should be afraid of doubt, investigation, and experimentation — all of the essential elements of tinkering."
Play is all about tinkering! Exchange has packaged six of its play resources into a single Play Tool Kit and is offering the entire set at a 37% discount. Resources in the kit include:Books:
- Beginnings Workshops Book #6 — Play
- Promoting the Value of Play CD Book
- Play and the Outdoors: What's New Under the Sun
- But They're Only Playing: Interpreting Play to Parents
- Supporting Constructive Play in the Wild
- Designing and Creating Natural Play Environments
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Comments (6)
Displaying All 6 CommentsLakewood, Colorado, United States
Interesting that the article is about letting girls "tinker" more and the books advertised at the end of the article shows only boys working with goggles and such. What kind of message are YOU sending?
United States
I agree with Francie becasue I was raised like that. Just as I love what is considered girlie stuff, I thorough enjoy DIY projects involving power tools and the works. I too can attribute this to both my mother and my father. I was supported and comforted in who I am but never coddled (those endless trips to Home Depot with my dad never hurt either.)
United States
It's all in what you expose your children to. My daughter loves to tinker, but spends lots of time with her daddy in the garage. That's one aspect this article didn't touch on, is how Dad's attention toward the daughters effect their interest in play. My husband is very sweet and supportive with my daughter, but he does not coddle her.
It's not a competition between boys and girls, it's about helping kids be their best. The world needs balance, creating more female engineers is good for the world; the way more male nurses and teachers are too.
mosdoth day care
Brooklyn, new york, United States
I think that girls are not interested in tinkering and boys have more of a tendencytowards it on their own, they find the broken staff and tinker with it until they fix it and i think it's ok if this is their strong point why should girls compete with them on it, girls have enough to shine on without the competition
Jamestown Community College
Olean, NY, United States
Are we going to encourage boys to express their emotions, be more outwardly affectionate as we ask girls to 'tinker?' I sure hope so.
The Cedarhouse School
Midlothian, VA, United States
While I think it is fine to determine how to make girls better at "tinkering," I am appalled at the lack of attention given to boys. The opening sentance says girls surpass boys in all areas but one, and so instead of looking into ways to elevate boys, the focus is on how to boost girls ability in that final category. Recent college entry rates have been trending toward a higher ratio of female to male enrollment. I blame this trend on so much focus being put on girls and education at the expense of boys. This needs to be addressed. It wasn't healther when men outpaced women in all areas and won't be healthy if women outpace men. Boys matter, too.
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