Cobb

Thanks for the details on Gates.

I agree that it's very important to discuss the sciences with our children. I fondly rememeber playing a geography game with Danae during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics last month. As each country entered the stadium in Athens, an athletic representative held a sign aloft displaying the nation they represented. Danae and I sat in front of the TV with a globe and a world atlas. "Camaroon!" We flipped to the right page and searched frantically to find the West African nation. We repeated the "game" subsequently many times.

I must admit that a few times we had to turn to the glossary at the back to find certain Pacific Island nations and a few Eastern European nations as well. But it was a great experience...especially when we actually caught up to the procession and could rest for a minute as the huge German or Italian or Chinese contingent entered the arena.

Last night, Danae asked Kay if the Earth was a spiral(?). I can hardly wait until tonight so I can give her an geological and astronomical lesson.

Bryan B.

That's very cool. We're just getting into the swing of school things this week. I'm definitely going to try something like that.

When I got standardized test scores back, my kids did well with probability. I know that I consciously advocated that they play cards, rochambeau, roll dice and flip coins. It has paid off. It also helps when they ask you for something and your answer is 'perhaps'.

Also don't forget these tools.

This guy rocks. Thanks for the links, I'm going to pass this along to my science teacher hubby :)

Black futurists, such as myself, ALWAYS stress how important it is to get black children interested in the sciences. It is something that many black parents just don't get and need to get. Science opens your mind to so many possibilities. Reason why I became a futurist. :)

Thank you for pointing him out!

She-who-must-be-obeyed and I have enough of a time working with our oldest, especially, in trying to get her to see that what she is doing in school has "real world" importance beyond high school -- especially in terms of math and science...

My kid did well in English but not well in math. She struggled a bit. In high school, things switched. She tore up math and fell some in English.

Her appreciation for math and science happened once she had the chance to do hands on things in the area. Previous trips to science muesuems and the like didn't do it. The classwork did it.

It leads me to think that the make up of the child is what triggers the interest in math and science.

...that and different learning styles. If schools can offer a mix of styles so that each kid has the opportunity to latch on to one that works for them, we'd all be the better for it.

As a math geek, I'm loving it! Thanks for posting this.

what up dawgs