For some reason in 6th grade I was put in the average math group. I really don’t know why. After a few weeks I went to the teacher and told him I should be in the advanced group. He made me do a problem that the advanced groups was currently doing. I solved it, and he moved me. That was the only time that I can think of where I was I we looked for my math ability. I never thought it was a gender thing, but I don’t know. I think there were other girls in the group if I remember correctly.
Overall, I did not see gender preferences for academics in my schooling. Girls and boys had access to all classes. Girls took shop (I did) and boys took Home Ec. In high school I had male and female science teachers. My accounting teacher was a woman. In Jr. High in PE the girls cycled through playing football (co-ed). There was a term where you learn various sports and play for two weeks. Two weeks of football, two weeks of soccer, two weeks of basketball, etc. You learned the rules, scoring, and you played. I think it was really good.
If you scored very high on IQ and knowledge testing, they probably were trying to track you for academics and college. In Jr. High they tried to increase my reading comprehension to track me into honors classes.
A lot of students in shop can’t do the advanced math classes, but if they think a student can, the school would likely encourage the math to reach their protection. They probably would view shop as a waste of time if taken for more than a semester. My wood shop class was one term (9 weeks) and I do use the knowledge I learned in there more often than one might think. I’m very glad I took the class. I never would have known the name of the various tools and machines, sanding, staining, and other basics about carpentry. I wish I had taken a term of auto shop, although somehow I do know the basics regarding cars. I use what was taught to me in Home Ec also. These basic classes should be for everyone. In Jr. High there was time for math, science, and woodworking class in my school.