It is difficult to change stereotypes. It has been a long held belief that boys are better than girls in mathematics and science. Boaler's work indicates that there is no significant difference in abilities between genders. In my own teaching career, I haven’t notice any significant difference between the performances of boys and girls in my own classrooms.
A study of members of the Khasi and Karbi tribes of India suggests that the influence of culture can virtually eliminate at least some of the gender differences. http://healthland.time.com/2011/08/30/the-math-gender-gap-nurture-can-trump-nature/#ixzz1eI4uG5Vl
Studies continuously show that the gender gap in mathematics disappearing and virtually nonexistent in countries with greater gender equality. The gender gap that exist in countries with less gender equality exist due to the mere fact that boys are receiving better and more education in mathematics and the sciences. In our own society cultural views in the past with respect to the role of males and females may have fostered and disempowered females with respect to mathematics. In today’s society’s views on gender equality has fostered the need for all students to pursue mathematics and science. The gap is virtually nonexistence.
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