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Despite outperforming boys in maths in primary school, during high school Australian girls are turning away from advanced maths subjects in droves. And that drop-off has lasting consequences – including closing the door to future STEM careers before many even realise the breadth of options that exist.

Professor Eddie Woo (BEd(Sec)(Hons) ’08), a Professor of Practice at the University of Sydney, and one of the country’s most recognised maths educators, calls it a cultural crisis.

“There’s a PR problem for maths,” he says. “We’ve developed this idea that maths is for a certain type of person – usually a boy with a so-called ‘maths brain’. If you don’t fit that mould, you’re out.”

The consequences are systemic. Maths is hierarchical, Eddie explains – each concept builds on the one before. “If you miss a step early on, it’s very hard to catch up later. And because we don’t have enough qualified maths teachers, especially in regional schools, we see students disengage quickly.”

That disengagement often starts with a lack of confidence. “I can’t tell you how many brilliant girls I’ve taught who were coming second or third in their class and still felt like they weren’t good at maths,” Eddie says. “Meanwhile, boys didn’t seem to struggle as much with confidence in their abilities.”

Dr Bronwyn Reid O’Connor, a senior lecturer in secondary mathematics education at the University of Sydney’s School of Education and Social Work, says this confidence gap is deep-rooted and starts early. “Girls are just as capable,” she stresses. “But they’re less likely to be told they’re capable.”

Even subtle signals – teachers calling on boys more often, or parents suggesting that girls are better at English or the humanities – can send a message about who belongs in maths.

Maths, Bronwyn explains, is still often seen as a race to the right answer. “Speed and accuracy get rewarded over deep thinking,” she observes. “That puts off students who might take a little longer but are just as capable – and often more interested in understanding the ‘why’.

“Maths should be about reasoning, collaboration and persistence. When those qualities are sidelined, students – especially girls – may lose interest.”

Loretta knows the difference a good teacher can make. “My lecturer now is amazing,” she says. “He really cares about what he’s teaching and his students’ success. I’ve never felt more confident in my maths.”

Social belonging is another powerful factor. Loretta credits the University’s Women in Engineering Society with helping her to feel part of a community. “It’s really comforting,” she says. “When you see another girl in a STEM subject, you instantly feel like you’re friends. That network makes a big difference.”

Bronwyn believes the change must start early. “Primary school teachers need more support and confidence in teaching maths,” she says.

In addition, we need to shift the way we currently teach and assess maths at school level. “The way we assess maths – especially in high school – tends to reward memory and speed rather than deep understanding,” she says. “That disadvantages a lot of students.”

Eddie agrees. “Significant problems can emerge when we stream students into ‘high’ and ‘low’ maths classes from Year 7. Once students are placed in the bottom stream, they often internalise that they’re just ‘not maths people’.”

Even top-performing students can be undermined by streaming. “Someone has to be the ‘worst’ in the top class,” Bronwyn points out. “And that can do just as much damage to confidence.”

Good maths teaching should also be about making space for mistakes. “We need error-friendly classrooms – where students feel safe to get it wrong,” Bronwyn says. “Because getting it wrong is how you learn.”

For Loretta, it’s also about visibility. “If girls don’t see women thriving in STEM careers, it’s hard to picture themselves there. Having a role model – even just someone a few years ahead of you – can make you think, ‘Maybe I can do this too.’”

In Loretta’s case, her mum has been her role model right from the start. “My mum’s an engineer,” she explains. “She taught me maths from when I was little. It wasn’t always the most wholesome experience” – she laughs – “but she really instilled how important it was.”