Last year on International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we explored how gender stereotypes from an early age are quietly telling our girls, “science is not for you.” Now we're exploring how to recognise and nurture a budding scientist among the girls you teach.

Despite their potential, many young girls encounter barriers in traditional educational settings that discourage their pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths).

In honour of International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 Feb, 2025), let’s explore how to identify traits of a young girl scientist, understand the challenges schools and classrooms present, and adapt teaching methods to support and inspire girls in STEM.

How to spot a young scientist in the wild

Girls with a natural affinity for STEM often display these traits. As educators, being aware of these indicators can help you nurture their potential:

Curiosity and a Love of Questions

Does she ask “why” and “how” about everything? A young scientist is often driven by a desire to understand the world, from how plants grow to why the stars shine.

Problem-Solving Skills

Watch for students who gravitate towards puzzles, building activities, or challenges that require innovative thinking. These girls often enjoy creating solutions to problems.

Creativity and Experimentation

STEM isn’t just about logic - it’s about imagination, too. A girl who uses her creativity to experiment or explore might be an innovator in the making.

Attention to Detail

If she notices patterns or takes extra care in recording her observations, she may have the analytical mindset needed for scientific inquiry.

Resilience in the Face of Challenges

Girls who persist after failure or view mistakes as opportunities to learn possess a key trait for thriving in STEM fields.

The hurdles girls face at school

"In co-ed schools, girls avoid physics at A-Level, but in girls-only schools, they choose it just as often as boys do in theirs." – Adam Caller, Tutors International

Despite their potential, girls often encounter challenges in traditional classrooms:

• Subtle gender bias: Unconscious stereotypes can lower confidence and make girls feel STEM isn’t “for them”.
• Limited opportunity to explore: Standardised lessons leave little room for hands-on activities that spark creativity.
• Peer and social pressure: Cultural expectations can lead girls to view STEM as “uncool” or “out of reach” during their most formative years.
• Few role models: Without relatable female scientists to look up to, girls may struggle to see a future for themselves in STEM.

“For many students - but girls in particular - the idea of suggesting something out loud in a classroom is extraordinarily uncomfortable.” - Joanna Dunckley-Phillips, Tutors International

Encouraging her love of STEM

Here’s how you can nurture a girl’s STEM potential:

• Celebrate curiosity: Encourage questions and exploration. Show her there’s no such thing as a “silly” question in science.
• Hands-on learning: Bring STEM subjects to life through experiments, problem-solving, and projects. Real-world applications make science engaging.
• Inspiring role models: Share stories of trailblazing women in STEM, from Ada Lovelace to Mae Jemison. If possible, organise talks with female scientists.
• Tailored lessons: Adapt teaching to her interests. For example, connect technology lessons with creative activities like animation or design.
• Challenge bias: Reflect on teaching practices to ensure girls feel equally supported to lead experiments or contribute answers.

Why homeschooling is the gold standard

When we talk about why private tutoring can really make a difference, it's all about the personalised learning experience it provides. Educational research brings to light just how effective one-on-one tutoring can be.

The groundbreaking work by Benjamin Bloom - the "2 Sigma Problem" - shows that students who receive private tutoring tend to perform significantly better than those who don't. This means that tailored, personal instruction can potentially boost a student's performance from around average to the top 2% of their class.

Here's Joanna's experience:

“Teachers are amazing. But when you’ve got 30 kids in a class you simply don’t have the time or resources to create a personalised lesson that engages each and every one of those students. As a private tutor with one student, or possibly two or three siblings, I can get to know the interests and the motivations of each child. I can create the most exciting, engaging, multi-disciplinary science lessons that speak right to the passions of those individual students! We can dive into scientific rabbit holes - with each topic eliciting questions and curiosity that we can explore further. I have the time, space and freedom available to me to dive deeper into the theory and conduct more practical experiments.” .

At Tutors International, we’ve seen firsthand how tailored education transforms young girls’ STEM journeys.

“One student I worked with over a few years, though not continuously homeschooled, struggled with science due to her special educational needs. She often found the content difficult and overwhelming. Despite the challenges, she was determined to understand the underlying principles. Later, she went on to study Sports Performance, where she applied the scientific reasoning we had practiced together. She worked to make theoretical concepts more relatable and systematic for herself. To me, sports performance - whether in coaching or practice - is like running an experiment every day. She never lost her curiosity and went on to achieve the goals she had set for herself.” - Alma Marinoiu, Astrophysicist and Private Tutor with Tutors International

So, this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, let’s commit to recognising and nurturing the potential of every girl in STEM. Whether in a classroom, a tutoring session, or through homeschooling, you have the power to inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators.

Sources

• Smith, T., & White, J. (2024). Gender Disparities in STEM Education and Careers.
• Modi, K. (2012). Factors Influencing Girls’ Interest in STEM.
• Cooper, R., & Heaverlo, C. (2013). Creativity and Problem-Solving in STEM Education.
• Wegner, C., et al. (2014). Gender-Specific Emotional Responses in Science Lessons.
• Fousiya, S. (2016). The Impact of Gender Bias on Girls' Self-Esteem in Traditional Schools.
• Sheffer, S. (1995). The Impact of Homeschooling on Adolescent Girls’ Sense of Self.
• Meadows, L. (2016). Strategies for Increasing Girls’ Engagement in STEM.