Comments on: Math without breaking a nail http://www.kimberlyblessing.com/archive/2007/08/03/math-without-breaking-a-nail KBlog by Kimberly Blessing Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:07:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Erica http://www.kimberlyblessing.com/archive/2007/08/03/math-without-breaking-a-nail#comment-15637 Erica Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:47:36 +0000 http://www.kimberlyblessing.com/archive/2007/08/03/math-without-breaking-a-nail/#comment-15637 I think I might buy it just to check it out. Working at Techbridge (http://www.techbridgegirls.org) I learned that making something just a little pink in the beginning or just adding a tiny bit of crafts into something made it less intimidating for the girls to try something. But that is a tricky line to walk. If your girls are talking about how cute their circuit board is, rather than how exciting it was to program the machine they built, you probably did them a dis-service. What I found was more compelling was encouraging the girls to tell me how they thought they could use the science or tech knowledge they were about to gain to help their families, neighborhoods, or the world. Everyone - girl or boy - wants to believe they have a greater purpose. I think I might buy it just to check it out. Working at Techbridge (http://www.techbridgegirls.org) I learned that making something just a little pink in the beginning or just adding a tiny bit of crafts into something made it less intimidating for the girls to try something. But that is a tricky line to walk. If your girls are talking about how cute their circuit board is, rather than how exciting it was to program the machine they built, you probably did them a dis-service.

What I found was more compelling was encouraging the girls to tell me how they thought they could use the science or tech knowledge they were about to gain to help their families, neighborhoods, or the world. Everyone – girl or boy – wants to believe they have a greater
purpose.

]]> By: Megan http://www.kimberlyblessing.com/archive/2007/08/03/math-without-breaking-a-nail#comment-15551 Megan Fri, 03 Aug 2007 20:34:13 +0000 http://www.kimberlyblessing.com/archive/2007/08/03/math-without-breaking-a-nail/#comment-15551 Thanks for pointing this out! It sounds like a cool book. I was always a lone girly math geek when I was in school. I even got the Calculus award the year I graduated high school (and I'm still proud!) I ocassionally consider going to a educational store and picking up an algebra workbook just for fun. I've always admired Danica McKellar too, especially since I found out that she was a geek too! Doesn't she have a PHD in Physics or something like that? The article didn't mention it... 20-minute yoga breaks! This is a girl after my own heart! Thanks for pointing this out! It sounds like a cool book. I was always a lone girly math geek when I was in school. I even got the Calculus award the year I graduated high school (and I’m still proud!) I ocassionally consider going to a educational store and picking up an algebra workbook just for fun.

I’ve always admired Danica McKellar too, especially since I found out that she was a geek too! Doesn’t she have a PHD in Physics or something like that? The article didn’t mention it…

20-minute yoga breaks! This is a girl after my own heart!

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