WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MY CHILD ACHIEVE THE STANDARDS?

Here are some ways you can help your child to learn and enjoy mathematics, science, and technology:

Expect your child to succeed.

Make sure your children know that you have high expectations for them. If they know you believe in them, they will develop the courage and desire to succeed.

Encourage your child's enthusiasm for learning.

If your child has a special interest in math or science, ask your child's teacher what you can do to help that interest grow.

Take an interest in your child's schoolwork.

Ask your children to explain what they are doing in class. Talk about the work they bring home. You don't have to know all the answers. Just be a good listener.

Encourage your child's curiosity.

Ask a lot of questions, and encourage your child to ask questions. Think about how to find answers to your questions. Look things up, or make up an experiment. Let your children see that it is exciting to learn new things.

Point out how people use mathematics every day.

Children will try harder to learn mathematics if they believe it is important in their lives. Point out people using blueprints, building and measuring, making change, using computers, keeping sports records, or investing money. Make them aware of the way you use mathematics at home and at work.

Point out how people use science and technology every day.

In the kitchen, for example, talk about where foods come from, have children help with measuring ingredients, think about how foods change through heating, imagine how tools and appliances were developed, and think about what the future might hold. Brainstorm about new things to invent, and describe how your inventions would work.

Have an upbeat attitude.

Even if you didn't like science and mathematics when you were in school, try to be positive with your children when talking about these subjects, or when talking about their schoolwork.

Talk aloud and solve daily problems together.

Let children see how to reason about ordinary things like How many packages of party favors should we buy for the party? or How long will it be 'til we get there? or Should we buy a larger or a smaller container of milk? or Should we take the highway or the back roads? Help your child understand ways to think through a problem.

Use the Internet at home or at a local library.

For school assignments or hobbies, help your child to understand the process of looking for information on the Internet; or let your child help you to find resources related to family activities and interests. Be open to new ways to use technology in your everyday life.

Encourage your child to collect things.

Children who collect things invent systems for classifying and sorting their collection. If they collect natural objects such as leaves, rocks, or shells, they learn to be observers of nature. If they collect things like stamps or coins or even baseball cards, they end up practicing a lot of arithmetic.

Work together to build interesting structures.

Have fun building things with everyday materials. Examples: How high a structure can you build using 50 straws and a roll of tape? What geometric shapes can you make using toothpicks and gumdrops? What patterns can you make using beans and macaroni?

Watch TV programs about math, science, and technology.

Watch programs together, and talk about what you watched.

Play games and work on puzzles.

Help your children to think about successful strategies.

Participate in special math, science, and technology events at your child's school.

Attend family nights at school, such as evenings devoted to Family Science, Family Math, or Family Tools and Technology. Consider participating in school or community activities during April's Math, Science, and Technology Month.

Go places and see things.

Go for a walk in the woods, or along the beach. Take your child to museums and zoos (see the pamphlet What Resources are Available for Families? for a list) and get on their mailing lists.

Talk about careers.

Explore possible careers with your children and help them become aware of all the fascinating jobs available to girls and boys who learn science, mathematics, and technology.