Sunday, January 01, 2017

Family Science

As essential academic skills, the "3 R's" (Reading, Writing, 'Rithmetic) dominate primary and secondary education at nearly every phase. This is as it should be.

However, a close second place should be assigned to STEAM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics.

Family science study can be a rewarding and fascinating family activity. Investing a relatively small amount of money in a scientific instruments of reasonable quality can open up entirely new worlds to impressionable and curious young minds. For example, keeping a good compound microscope at ready disposal in the family kitchen avails kids and adults alike of the opportunity to do real spur-of-the-moment science. Having a serious entry-level telescope standing by in the garage for use on those clear, dark, moonless nights when star gazing is most rewarding is a simple way to reify the infinite for youngsters and adults alike.

At all stages, the scientific method can be taught, utilized, and reinforced: Ask a good question, make a sensible guess about the answer, test that guess experimentally (or search the internet for information), confirm or adjust the guess based on what's learned, then repeat.

Having popular scientific magazines prominently displayed at home – and making sure your kids catch you reading and discussing them frequently – is another fun and engaging way to bring science into the home.

Why is it that so many scientists are amateur artists, musicians, painters, video programmers?

The arts are, of course, inextricably linked to the sciences. Affinity for one generally predicts affinity for the other. Music, dance, acting, visual arts, sculpture, architecture, and other diverse artistic disciplines intersect in fascinating ways with scientific fields ranging from physics and chemistry to anatomy and psychology.

Moreover, the dedication, sharply-focused thinking, and keen observational ability required to become a competent stage performer or fine artist are precisely the same "soft skills" central to advancement in STEM fields (but that's another post ...).

Parents can thoroughly enjoy home science along with their kids. The excitement of discovery is every bit as tangible and real when an adult first witnesses an oozing protozoa gobble up a bacterium as it is for a first grader or high schooler.

Full STEAM ahead!

For more ideas, see the following:

Science Tools and Manipulatives

Scratch Coding Resources

Robotics Toys, Aids, and Activities

The Miracle of Human Anatomy

Guidebooks: Science Experiments and Projects

Five Books Guaranteed to Make Kids Love Science

100 Best Science Books for Kids

Great Science Books for the Little Ones

Amazon's Best Selling Science Books for Children

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Copyright © 2006-present: Christopher R. Borland. All rights reserved.
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Thursday, December 01, 2016

Daily Math Time

In addition to daily Reading Time and Writing/Drawing Time, parents should spend a small amount of structured fun time each day with each child on math.

From the earliest age, children can be taught to say "one, two, three" as they're lifted into the air or as they touch their index finger to each of three similar objects. Counting objects to ten, twenty, and more naturally follows, as the child gains facility and understanding.

Math has been called the science of pattern, and patterns are everywhere we look. Simple binary patterns like on and off, sitting and standing, quiet and noisy are all easy to point out and ask your child about. Later on, more complex patters like colors in kitchen tiles or lines on the floor can be explored.

Geometry is everywhere also. Various shapes from dots to lines to triangles to circles can be identified in the surrounding environment ("Can you find a green rectangle on the road up ahead?"A red octagon?"

Comparative relationships such as "more than," "less than," and "equal to" can be introduced to young children and reinforced in a number of different ways (short, shorter, long, longest, etc.).

Eventually, the two basic arithmetic operations – addition and subtraction – can be explained and demonstrated as putting things together to form one larger group or separating large groups into smaller ones.

Once basic math facts are memorized, simple story problems can be created and solved on the fly, and positive/negative numbers (and operations with them) can be introduced.

Math manipulatives can play a central role is making Daily Math Time interesting, engaging, and productive for all concerned.

As always, the focus is on fun, lots of hugs and high-fives, taking things slowly and at the child's own pace, experiencing tons of success, and quitting structured time early to keep them wanting more (start with just a few minutes a day, and build slowly from there).

Additional resources and ideas follow:

Math is Everywhere ... and it's Fun!

Math Fact Cards, Apps, Calculation Training Sites

Scratch Coding Resources

Early Math Toys, Aids, and Activities

Early Puzzles, Problem Solving, Math Games

Math Exploration Station

Math Worksheets and Drills

Children's Books for Teaching Math

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Copyright © 2006-present: Christopher R. Borland. All rights reserved.
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Tuesday, November 01, 2016

Daily Writing Time

The three essential academic skills are: reading, writing, and basic mathematics. Without firm command of these domains, students will find it difficult to achieve success and take pleasure in learning.

The importance of reading to children on a daily basis is widely understood. Less well appreciated is that small amounts of structured daily time at home devoted to developing number sense ("numeracy") and writing skills can have similarly profound positive effects and confer equally powerful academic advantages on children.

As soon as a child shows interest in scribbling, Daily Writing Time can be inaugurated as Daily Drawing Time. Learning to correctly grip crayons, pencils, and pens (like holding a Chop Stick) is the first order of business.

Next is the creation of basic shapes as part of the child's improvised artistic creations: dots, straight lines, crosses, angles, corners, boxes, triangles, circles, hooks, human figures, etc.

Once basic shapes are mastered, learning to read and write ABC's comes next. Following this, children can be encouraged to write and illustrate short stories containing one to several sentences (parents can model the fun of authorship by creating and reading to their son or daughter short, simple, hand-illustrated books featuring that child in the starring role).

Finally, learning to use the computer keyboard to speed the writing process and compose multi-paragraph essays occupies Daily Writing Time.

"But won't my child learn all this in school?"

Yes, of course.

Nevertheless, the head start you provide by teaching your child very basic academic skills at an early age, well ahead of time, will promote success, engender confidence, and develop powerful associations within your child's mind between academic learning and close, happy times with Mom and Dad.

The benefits of regular academic play time at home (always emphasizing fun and commensurate with a child's natural inclinations and abilities) are many and profound, and the value of engaging, daily learning time with Tutor Mom or Dad is inestimable.

Below are helpful resources to enhance Daily Writing Time:

Reusable Dry Erase Pockets and Educational Templates

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Copyright © 2006-present: Christopher R. Borland. All rights reserved.
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Saturday, October 01, 2016

Daily Reading Time

Reading is the foremost, fundamental academic skill, and the importance of parents taking the time each day to read books with each of their children is well known.

Daily Reading Time is an opportunity for parents to connect individually with each child, and share with them a love of books and imagination. Reading periods needn't be overly long, but should be a regular, daily activity from the earliest possible age, conducted at the same time each day, if at all possible.

Mom and Dad can read to their children the books they most loved when they, themselves, were so young and impressionable. This is one of the thrills and joys of parenthood not to be lost among the rush of personal and family busyness that can easily overtake life with young kids.

Multitudes of fantastic story books are available to grace your children's early lives, but don't forget great kid-oriented nonfiction titles, too. Reading carefully selected early nonfiction nurtures a child's innate curiosity about the world and fosters a questioning mind that will be a valuable asset in later years.

Aside from the obvious benefits of making learning fun and developing critical academic skills at an early age, Daily Reading Time often remains a cherished, life-long memory of childhood, of loving time each day with Mom and Dad, of scintilating exploration of worlds both imagined and real.

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Copyright © 2006-present: Christopher R. Borland. All rights reserved.
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Thursday, September 01, 2016

Scratch Coding Resources



Scratch is a fantastic way to learn algorithmic thinking and develop basic coding and program design skills.

Simple enough for young children to master (rudimentary reading skills are required), a Visual Programming Language (VPL) like Scratch is all you need at first and will take early learners a long way before they'll want or need to start writing their own code in a traditional language like Python or Java.

Books and online resources abound for those interested in using Scratch to get started on the path toward learning to code. Below are some I recommend:

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