Grant Will Help Teacher Encourage Girls in Math

A kindergarten teacher at Conejo Elementary School in Thousand Oaks is one of 19 instructors nationwide to receive a grant from the Eleanor Roosevelt Fellowship Program.

Colleen Briner-Schmidt, 45, will attend a weeklong conference in Washington, D.C., this month to listen to speakers, participate in discussions and network with others. The conference will enable the teacher to bring back some of what she learns and implement it in her program with young girls.

The grant also will provide funding for an after-school program to promote math and science. In September, Briner-Schmidt will offer an after-school class for fifth- and sixth-grade girls. Women students from Moorpark College will act as mentors for the elementary school children.

The fellowship program is an extension of the American Assn. of University Women.

“There’s a study that shows a direct correlation between math and science classes and the money you make,” she said. “The AAUW came out with a study that shows that girls do not get the same education as boys in schools. Boys shouting out answers will be rewarded with more teacher time.”

Briner-Schmidt said she has noticed that, as the school year progresses, female students care less about academics and more about social skills.

“When the older girls would come into my classroom and help in the beginning of year, I would hear them [say they would] do anything,” the teacher said. “At the end of the year, I would hear them say, ‘What will my boyfriend think?’ or ‘He wouldn’t like this.’ ”

The girls in the after-school program will have a chance to conduct science projects, detecting, for instance, the DNA of a kiwi. They will surf the Internet and learn how to give presentations.

Jim Wolf, director of Cal Lutheran’s science outreach program, pointed out that one of the most sought-after careers now is law with expertise in biotechnology, a potential goal for girls who pursue science.

The program will help girls learn that science is important, he added, not only in the classroom, but in making day-to-day decisions. “One of the most common examples is jury duty,” Wolf said. “Jury duty requires a look at scientific evidence. Another example is to be a good consumer. There are a range of products with pseudo-science. How do I know what is the right diet plan for me? What sort of food should I be feeding my child?”

“We’re not expecting them to learn everything about science, but they should know enough to be skeptical. It will show how science can help in everyday life,” he said.