A deep understanding of math and science is increasingly important for all students to become educated citizens and consumers. Wouldn't it be nice if all adults had enough math and science knowledge to thoughtfully analyze the debates around such ideas as global warming? In addition to our education system working to develop students' math and science skills, parents are an essential part of the equation too. Locally, the math + science = success™ campaign was launched in June 2012 to give parents ideas about how to encourage an appreciation and knowledge of math and science. As part of this campaign, the website, http://ift.tt/1qpAhzK, has countless resources for parents, students, and educators. Specific resources from this website are marked in this article with an asterisk. (*) So, what can parents do to support their child's math and science success, and how can these resources help? First and foremost, never tell your child that you are not good at or you don't like math or science. Make sure your child knows that all people have the ability to learn math and science. New brain research shows the brain is like a muscle; the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Acknowledge that sometimes schoolwork can be difficult but working hard and persisting through the struggle will lead to success. The harder the brain has to work, the more brain cells grow. To encourage this perseverance, always praise your child for their effort even more so than accomplishments. Homework time occasionally results in students struggling. Parents can help in the homework process without actually doing the work for the child and without having complete understanding of the content.1. Ask your child questions as they are working to encourage persistence and support understanding. These questions might include:a. What words or directions do you not understand?b. What do you already know that can help you get started on the problem?c. Can you draw a picture or make a diagram?d. Where can we find help in your textbook or notes?e. What problems like this one have you done before?f. If you make the numbers easier to work with, does that give you an idea of how to approach the problem?2. If your child uses physical manipulatives in class to solve math problems such as base ten blocks, algebra tiles, etc., you can encourage your child to logon to the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives* and represent the problem visually. These visual models help support students' conceptual knowledge and give them a different way to approach the problem.3. Encourage your child to work with a peer group to get assistance. When your child is in elementary or middle school, you may need to make arrangements for a study group, but this structure will encourage collaboration with others as he/she moves toward high school and college.4. Online resources are another option. The Math Forum* includes previously asked homework questions answered by Dr. Math. At the secondary level, if you or your child needs a review of the content before being able to tackle the homework, math and science online tutorials are available at websites such as the Kahn Academy.* In general, stay connected with your child's school experience. Ask specific questions about their school day to try to combat the standard responses of 'Nothing' or 'I don't know' when asked what they learned. A Family's Guide, published by NCTM, suggests the following questions:*What was the most interesting idea or fact you learned?*What was the most challenging thing you did today?*What did you feel most successful with?*What was the funniest think that happened today?Learning in schools today may look different than what you experienced. To understand what is now required of students at each grade level, PTA guides* and parent roadmaps* are available.Obviously, elementary and secondary students require different intervention on the part of parents so here are some suggestions specific to each level.Parents of elementary age students:* Elementary students need to become fluent in basic facts. Rather than using flashcards, make it fun. Play old-fashioned board games like Monopoly or Yahtzee which require the use of math facts. Online games are also an option such as those on CoolMath* or MathPlayground.** In addition to your nightly story time, include a nightly math problem. Sign up for Bedtime Math* daily emails for a math problem customized to your child's age level that relates to a science context.* Be aware of when you're using math and science in everyday life and share those opportunities with your child. Additional help with how to recognize these experiences and use them as learning opportunities can be found on websites such as That's Math* and Try Science.* Two publications by the US Department of Education also provide these type of experiences entitled, Helping Your Child Learn Math and Helping Your Child Learn Science.Parents of middle/high school students:* Encourage your child's participation in both school clubs and local events related to math and science. Local happenings are on the website under the category: Regional Programs, Competitions, and Resources in STEM.** Begin exploring career opportunities that involve math and science. Many websites offer videos, simulations, or explanations of STEM careers which can be found under the category: Career Connections to Math and Science.** Stay actively involved in your child's course placements. Make sure your child is engaging in math and science content appropriate to their grade level. Encourage your child to continue to take both a math and science course during their senior year. Many colleges require four years of both math and science and a lapse of one full year in either subject can result in some backsliding.
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Entities 0 Name: National Library of Virtual Manipulatives Count: 1 1 Name: Math and Science Count: 1 2 Name: NCTM Count: 1 3 Name: Helping Your Child Learn Science Count: 1 4 Name: PITTSBURGH Count: 1 5 Name: PTA Count: 1 6 Name: Regional Programs Count: 1 7 Name: PA Count: 1 8 Name: Kahn Academy Count: 1 9 Name: US Department of Education Count: 1 10 Name: Try Science Count: 1 11 Name: Dr. Math Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1pat7f3 Title: Remind: New name, same mission Description: Today, we're excited to announce we are changing our name from Remind101 to Remind! We started this process as a way to simplify ourselves, but it also pushed us to reflect about our evolution as a company and why we exist. We built Remind to make it easy for teachers to connect with students and parents.
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