Changing Their Perception and Make Learning Math and Science Fun For Your Children

As a child growing up, math and science were mybelieve they are more than capable of achieving in
favorite subjects. I enjoyed math and science so muchmath and science. With some hard work, they can be
that I earned a Bachelor's of Science in chemicalsuccessful, but they can't be afraid to do hard work.
engineering. When I tell people what my degree is,The second barrier to academic achievement is a child
what I do for a living, and that I run an organization thatdoesn't think math and science are fun. Although we
promotes student achievement and career explorationknow not every subject area is fun, we can do things
in math and science, I get some of the sameto make learning fun for our children. In both the
comments time and again--"you must be smart", "I hateclassroom and at home, we can engage students in
math and/or science" or "I could never do well in mathhands on activities in those subjects. Students can see
and science". No matter what audience or setting I amapplications of these concepts through conducting an
in, I hear more negative comments about math andexperiment or other hands on activity. In addition, there
science than positive ones. It is no wonder why someare plenty of Web sites, such as and where you can
of the lowest test scores in standardized tests in thisfind educational games that teach students concepts
country are in math and science and that so many ofand make learning fun. Take your child to the
our children don't succeed in those subjects.planetarium or a laboratory public open house, set-up a
I am a believer that everyone has the ability to achievetelescope in your backyard, buy a chemistry set, etc.
in any subject area; it just takes patience and hardThe final barrier that we must overcome in math and
work. This applies especially to children because theyscience academic achievement is not allowing our
will rise to the level of our expectations and what wechildren to succumb to peer pressure that achieving in
support and encourage them to do. Unfortunately,math and science isn't cool. Unfortunately we are in a
there are many barriers to a child's ability to academicclimate where excelling in athletics and/or performing
achievement in math and science. It is our job asarts are celebrated more than academic achievement.
parents, educators, and mentors to remove all barriersWe must let our children know that it is perfectly fine
to a child's success because all children should beto achieve in math and science and give them positive
academically successful, especially in math andreinforcement and encouragement to do so. If they
science. Academic achievement in math and scienceget an award for their academic achievement in math
teaches students skills, such as problem solving, criticaland science, go to the awards assembly. If they want
thinking, reasoning, and much more that areto go the extra mile in math and science by
transferable to other areas in life.participating in a math or science bowl or fair, help
The primary barrier to academic achievement is athem prepare for those events and most importantly
child's perception of math and science and his/herattend their competition. Most children overcome peer
ability to achieve in these subject areas. Math andpressure with the love, encouragement, and support
science are subjects that many students say arefrom the adults in their lives.
"hard", and once they determine in their minds thatSo adults, no matter what your role is in the lives of
something is hard, automatically there is a negativethe children in your network, let's do what we can to
association with it. We must teach our children that justget more children academically achieving in math and
because something seems hard, it doesn't mean that itscience for all children can achieve with hard work and
is impossible to do well in any subject area. Make themthe right mindset.