I talk with a lot of parents about our programs and what we’re studying and often get responses that sound something like, “Well, I don’t know much about that.” or “Wow, that’s just something I never learned in school.” They give me that kind, smile as if to silently say, “Science is complicated, hard, even a little intimidating and I don’t think I’d be able to do that.”
The problem is that science, technology, engineering, and math are all of those. They’re one part complicated, another part difficult, another part intimidating, but I would argue a huge part exciting and fun. Too often as parents we let our own fears about being wrong or not knowing the answer stop us from taking the leap. Don’t do that. Take the leap. Be wrong. Make mistakes. You’re human just like the rest of us and it’s just fine.
Ten years ago I was a 4th grade teacher who had no real computing experience other than using a computer to complete school projects. I had a vision though. I wanted to teach students how to build their own websites. I thought that it would be a valuable learning experience for students to have full creative control to make the site look the way they wanted, act the way they wanted, and show off all their hard work. There was only one problem: I knew basically nothing about building websites. Fast forward ten years and I’m a STEM coach who was the project manager overseeing the complete redesign of my previous school’s whole website. When it was done, we were awarded “Best School Website” by CABE.
This afternoon I am starting an after school engineering club. I am NOT an electrical engineer. The last experience I had with building circuits and making devices like this work was a little set of resisters and wires I got in a science kit when I was eight. I am learning as I go and will most definetly not have the answers to the questions that students start to ask. That’s the fun. We will be learning together and I will be a guide for them. If all goes according to plan, we will be building complex circuits with USB controlled external motherboards controlled by computer-based Javascript code. Sounds complicated, hard, and intimidating right? It is!
When we worry what will happen when we don’t know the answer, we hesitate and avoid. But students want us to take that risk with them. They want to explore the unknown. It’s in their nature. I can’t tell you how many times my son has asked me something and I will say, “I don’t know buddy.” to which he will follow up with, “Well then look it up on your phone!” You see, he knows that there is an answer out there and that if I don’t know, there’s a way to find the right answer. Sometimes we learn that answer by looking it up. Sometimes we find that answer by finding someone who knows it already. And sometimes we discover that answer by taking a risk and figuring it out first hand.
The next time your student asks to try something that seems a little complicated, hard, and intimidating, embrace the opportunity to learn along side your child. It may not be the straightest line, it may not be the prettiest path to success, but I assure you it will be a rewarding experience along the way.
-Mr. Reed-Swale
