The Role of Gender Stereotyping in Science : Achievement Among Primary School Pupils in Nakuru Municipality, Kenya

Possessing a gender stereotype about science might affect one's own behavior toward others or considerations of one's own potential or career options. To boost girls' confidence in math and science it must be understood how girls perceive messages from parents and other adults about their abilities. Girls need assistance and encouragement so that they can learn to interpret these messages to their advantage. Teachers can assist in reversing this situation by offering hands-on activities, and holding high expectations for all students. Since young people do not choose their careers for the good of their country but base their choices on their own interests, its paramount to have constant dialogue between teachers and pupils if good intervention decisions are to be made. It is the nature of language used by the teachers during these exchanges that also establish the interpretive framework within which pupils are able to make scientific sense of whatever is being studied and enables them to make the crucial transition from simple descriptive observation to concept based statements.