Well, here we go I teach basic mathematics to adults in a couple of institutions in the UK. Fact: Most of my students are women, but the male proportion incre

Well, here we go I teach basic mathematics to adults in a couple of institutions in the UK. Fact: Most of my students are women, but the male proportion increases significantly for evening classes compared to daytime classes Fact: A lot of my students (both genders) begin to realise that basic mathematics is stable, has a logical 'rule' based structure, and that it is possible to reduce most of the technical parts to checklists on 5by3 cards Opinion: I spend a lot of time encouraging students (both genders) to take the slightly harder and more challenging exam[1] The upshot is that a disproportionate number of male students have a go at Higher compared to Foundation because of perceived valence of maths. They will make time for the extra study whereas the female students feel constrained not to take time away from other commitments (children, jobs, older relatives) and will suffice by working in the lesson times only, not between. I do what I can. Anecdote: I was teaching probability today[2]. I managed to link a two coin tossing experiment where we tossed a couple of different coins 20 times per student (aggregating to 400 tosses) to genetics (Punnet squares where Heads represented dominant alleles, and tails recessive). Historical note: Mendel's rivals refused to see aA as distinct from Aa (HT as different from TH using coins). Links to sickle cell anaemia and Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. Not a bad two hours... [1]UK:GCSE Mathematics is offered at Foundation and Higher tier. There is a significant gap between the two. We used to have a middle path called Intermediate that really suited adult students, but some Tory idiot removed it on the grounds that we should do the same in mathematics as in other subjects. But we have subjects so that we can address the different traditions... [2] see below for a sample of my methodology http://www.sohcahtoa.org.uk/pages/probability-sorting-statements-by-likelihood.html http://www.sohcahtoa.org.uk/pages/probability-sorting-statem... http://www.sohcahtoa.org.uk/pages/rolling-two-dice-experiment.html http://www.sohcahtoa.org.uk/pages/rolling-two-dice-experimen...