Re: Programmable Calculators and more

["B. Esser" <besser@marian.creighton.edu>]

On Wed, 26 Feb 1997, David Thiessen wrote:

> I've always enjoyed and appreciated Bruce's posts to this list but perhaps
> this week he has a thorn in his paw or simply needs a night with a good
> woman (always seems to take the edge off for me).
You are quite perceptive.  Actually the main thorn/knife was in my
shoulder.  Over the break I went in for repeat arthroscopic surgery.  It
went to "full" surgery and now after 2 months of therapy I am coming to
the realization that I will never live my boyhood dream to star in a
"Sure" commercial.  The comment someone made earlier about what you call
the student who was last in his med school class comes to mind.  Last week
a Platte river tributary decided that about 200 acres of farmland that I
own should be part of the river.  Watching others fill sandbags and lift
things while i watched the H2O level rise was not fun.  
I have had the company of a good woman for over 21 years.  She has,
however, been taking classes in San Diego three of the last four weeks.
Playing single parent and the lack of her presence has had its effects.
So, this is a longwinded way of saying I am sorry if my recent posts
seemed a little (a lot) too caustic.

On to some of my main (physics related) thorns:
One of the things that I have tried to do is to establish a feedback loop
with our graduates.  This has been quite beneficial in planning changes
to current curriculum and implementing new courses.
We have an average class size of 130 (all female) and
with a few exceptions they all enter a four year college.  They are spread
from Tufts to Stanford, Gonzaga to Florida State.  Over the last five
years about 15% are majoring in either physics, math or engineering.
Another 20% are in premed, pre vet or other areas where math through
calculus and a year of calculus based physics is expected. This data is
collected during the middle of their sophomore year with about 80% of 
our graduates responding. 
 Over the last four years I have received 12 letters very similar to
the one I will quote from below.  The student is attending a fairly large
state university.  Her SAT scores were over 1500.  She took the BC AP
calculus test as a senior in high school and had a 5.  She was one of
those who hung around the physics lab, subscribed to Physics Today as a
high school senior and was one of those students who are eager to learn.

"i was in electrical
engineering and i can honestly tell you i have never been made to feel
like such an outcast and so stupid in my whole life.  the teachers were
about as sexist as sexist can be, they would single me out all the time,
just because i was the only girl, i thought i could handle it, but it just
got to be so bad.
one of my teachers for <name of course deleted>  started
referring to me as "the little lady" and saying stuff like, "i can't say
anything about that because the little lady is in the room" and one day i
was sick so he talked about me the whole time, saying stuff like when the
little lady is not here, we can mention a lot of things i can't in front
of her.  i have NEVER in my life felt like such an outcast.
anyway, i took c++ programming last semester and loved it, so i changed
majors to computer engineering.  i absolutely love it.  the teachers are
so much better, and they act like they are enjoying it.  you will also be
happy to know that i will complete a physics minor this semester"

It is interesting to note that although the specifics of each of the
letters is different they all said "he made me feel like and outcast" and
"he made me feel stupid". Three of these came from prospective physics
majors, seven from engineering majors and two from math/comp sci majors.
All were either second semester sophomores or juniors when they wrote.
Eight of them changed to a major outside of physics/engineering/math, one
stuck it out and three moved from one area to another
physics/engineering/math area.

A few went to the dean or to a faculty council.  None of them felt that
anything positive came from the experience.  Most of those who faught were
ostracized all the more for making waves.  In January a group of our
recent alums put together a list of schools/departments where they believe
a hostile environment still exists for women students.  Our counselors are
now using this list to assist our current students with their college
choices.

Those who don't believe that this environment exists on some of our
college campuses (or believe the real problem is letting the "girls" take
these men only courses) will dismiss my observations as being
statistically invalid.  They are right.  The sample population is skewed
to a very homogeneous group (females from an all girls school in the
midwest).  The number of people in the group is too small to make any
statistically valid conclusions.  

In my opinion it is not enough to maintain a neutral environment.  We
should all do our best to make sure that our department is one in which
every student starts out being treated with respect, every student is
considered a potential success and we should make them feel welcome. 


Bruce Esser
Physics Teacher                    Something witty
Marian High School                     Should go here
http://marian.creighton.edu