Dad's and their daughters = STEM interest...or not

This week I worked late one night to try to recruit newbies for my Gateway to Technology (GTT) class.

Of course, I thought I was supposed to be there at 6:30--so I showed up at 6:15ish.

When I got to my room and collected my posters, then headed to the cafeteria to set up, there were tons of parents already there.

I don't think I saw more than 30 parents, but the response was pretty strong. (Or so I hope.)

I had interesting conversations with three different Fathers.

One came by my table at least 3 times. He simply could not believe that 6th graders were learning 3D modeling/CAD/Autodesk Inventor. He said he had been studying CAD for almost ten years and really viewed this class as a start of his newest competition. I think he was obviously way more interested in GTT than his daughter, but you never know.

Another dad stopped by...he asked about my class and I filled him in. He said, "Oh, that doesn't sound like a class for girls." What? "Excuse me, I am a girl and I teach the class." I then told him that my girls were some of my best builders and most detailed when it came to Autodesk Inventor. He took a brochure and said he would make sure his daughter knew about GTT.

The third dad made me laugh. He told his daughter she could sign up for band, but only if she signed up for GTT. He told me that was his compromise since he really didn't want her to be in band.

Maybe it is because we have a little girl at our house? Maybe it was because my dad had to work out of town a lot when I was growing up, and he couldn't attend those orientation nights?

These conversations made me think about the importance that a father can have in his daughter's life. Truly, if a dad lets his daughter work with him to solve some of those "boy" problems--maybe that could change the course of her life? Show her it is ok to work on fixing things, ask her to help when you are repairing something, make her think outside the box.

You never know what can help spark that interest in STEM.