And yet your child has brought home some complicated science work. It might be a full-blown science project or just analysis of data, but you’re drawing a blank.
Problem: You fall asleep during every documentary. Your answer to “Why is the sky blue?” is “Because it is”. You can’t find hydrogen on the periodic table (it’s the first one). And yet your child has brought home some complicated science work. It might be a full-blown science project or just analysis of data, but you’re drawing a blank.
Solution: Science might seem intimidating (and when you get to the advanced levels, it probably is), but its basic premise is simple: find a way to learn something new about something you have questions about. Anyone can do that. However, there are also some more practical tips so you are able to help your child:
- (One more time) the effort is half the battle
- Swallow your pride
- Establish a schedule
- Look for answers together
- Do investigations together
(One more time) the effort is half the battle
This has been the first point for the other two subject areas and it’s the first point here because it’s so important. The willingness for you to help your child not only has educational benefits, but also social and emotional positives. When you’re a parent, time is your most valuable asset. So don’t be afraid to tackle science. It’s time well spent.
Swallow your pride
At the beginning of the school year, be honest with your child’s science teacher and ask for any resources they can provide that could help you help them. Perhaps more than the other subject areas, science teachers embrace technology. The tools they use in the classroom, including online videos and simulations, can help you as well. Trust me, they’ll be more than happy to help.
Establish a schedule
Procrastination is an annoyance in your child’s other subjects; procrastination in science could make projects impossible. Plants need time to grow. Materials need to be acquired. Make sure you’re keeping up with what’s expected and major projects that are coming up. There’s nothing worse than finding out that you need two frogs to breed by tomorrow morning.
Look for answers together
Just like in the other subject areas, there are more than enough resources online to help any student (or their parent). Don’t be afraid to acknowledge that you both don’t know everything and search together. Naturally, your first stop might be the Discovery Channel. The National Science Teachers Association also has gathered a wealth of links. Then there’s always YouTube.
Do investigations together
There’s no reason why science has to begin and end at homework time. Just as they might have some questions that need answers, perhaps you do as well. Spend some time together playing with science outside of the context of schoolwork. There are plenty of books and websites on fun, home-based experiments. It’s a much more profitable hobby than video games.