Tips for a successful lesson

Making a STEM lesson that's about gender means really focussing on making sure everyone feels welcome and treated fairly, fighting against unfair views about gender and giving every student, especially girls the chance to shine in STEM. Here's how to get started:

Set clear goals for fairness

Start by figuring out what you want to achieve in terms of treating everyone fairly, no matter their gender, in your STEM class. Consider:

• Making sure everyone gets to participate equally;
• Tackling old-school stereotypes and showing off a variety of female role models
• Creating a classroom vibe that makes girls and those who don't fit into the traditional male-female binary feel good about getting into STEM.

 Pick content that talk about gender

To shake up stereotypes and bring different perspectives, pick staff that talks about:

• Role-Models: Showcase the work of women, non-binary folks and other groups that haven't always been given a fair shake in STEM. For example , in a lesson of space travel, talk about trailblazers like Katherin Johnson or Mae Jemison.
• What's been done before and now: Include stories from people of all genders to highlight their contribution to the field and show tudents how they've made a difference.

Make learning a place everyone feels welcome

Set up a space where everyone, regardless of gender, feels excited to join in and get involved:

• Mixing up groups: put together teams that have boys and girls and make sure that everyone has a fair shot to share their ideas. Give everyone a chance to lead .
• Helping everyone feel confident.
• Think how students handle tough stuff. Sudies show girls often doubt themselves more in science, tech, engineering and maths. Encourage them by giving them a pat on the back and telling them it's all about trying hard, not just being naturally smart.
• Trying out different ways to learn
• Remember, everyone has their own way of figuring things out. Make sure  your lesson let them explore in different ways, which can help them feel less pressured by what's expected of them because of their gender when it comes to science, tech, engineering and math.

Talk about gender stereotypes in science and tech

• Using stories that don't push stereotypes
• Use examples that don't stick to traditional ideas about what boys and girls should like or be good at.

Give feedback that's fair and encouraging

• Use words that are fair and don't put anyone off from wanting to dive into STEM.
• Watch how you give feedback.
• Make sure you're giving helpful and positive feedback that boosts everyone's confidence and keeps them interested in STEM.

Encourage learning and motivation with role models

Organize events where students can meet different STEM experts:

• Guest speakers: bring professionals from STEM world, women and non-binary folks, to talk about their careers, challenges and wins. This can help break down the idea that STEM is mostly for men.
• STEM clubs and stuff: Give everyone a chance to join in on STEM activities outside of school.

 Connect STEM with real-life gender issues

• Environmental science: talk about climate change affects me, women and non-binary people differently around the world.
• Tech and society: look into how AI or algorithms might have biases that unfairly impact women and non-binary folks.

Think how inclusive your teaching was.

• How many students got involved:Were all genders interested and participating?
• Gender equality: Did you notice any patterns in who was more or less involved, confident  in leadership roles?
• Making things better: Use what you learned to make your lesson more inclusive in the future.

Conclusion

Making a lesson that's welcoming to all genders is about more than just sharing information-it's about creating a vibe that makes every student feel like they can do well in STEM. By tackling gender biases, using language that's inclusive, showing a mix of role models, and getting everyone involved, teachers can really help bridge the gap in STEM.

The interactive activity will show you the structure of a lesson.