Dear Holly Oak Family:

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education are getting the lion share of attention these days, for good reasons.  No one can argue the impact of being good at one or all of these topics of learning now and in the future of our children.  Today’s strongest economies are based on being the best in these areas.  More and more the practical use of these academic areas is showing up in our everyday lives.

Over and over again, leaders and policy makers for education show that we are falling behind in science and math achievement of our students as a total number. We are competing with nations many times our size. We don't have a single brain to waste. Math and science are keys to the future, and it takes hard work, dedication, and perseverance to learn the material. We must demystify math and science so that all students feel the joy that follows understanding.

In our own way, we are doing our part to serve our students to be ready to compete in the future.  The math our students learn is getting increasingly difficult, and being expected of children at earlier ages.  Problem solving and algebra readiness is important at our level so that the students are ready for the rigors of middle and high school.  That means that students must take care of the math facts on their own time because we cannot take up our valuable teaching time for concepts to practice math facts.

We also want our children to learn and use the “real” language of mathematicians.  As students get older, the vocabulary of mathematics is crucial in a deeper understanding of various concepts. Using easier terminology might aid in gaining understanding, but the rest of the world uses the more rigorous words.  For example, counting is really one-to-one correspondence, and the numerator and denominator of fractions cannot merely be the “top and bottom” number. The equal sign leads to various inequalities. Numbers are not just whole, but positive, negative,

In science, the students do more reading in science, and learn how scientists “discover” things using a logical way of thinking called the scientific method.  While they learn the facts and concepts in the various areas of science (life, physical, and earth), they also acquire the rigorous vocabulary of science.

The annual Science Fair might seem like a chore, but its real purpose is to get students excited about the world around them from a science point of view.  It can be fun, and that attitude must be value-added from the adults if a child is uncertain about doing a project.  The project carries the weight of a “graded” assignment, but its intent is to get children to think in a scientific way. Make it fun.

Noticing and categorizing trees, plants, insects, and animals is a type of scientific curiosity.  Researching the many topics of planets, space exploration, and the universe can be very fascinating.  Finding out how architects and engineers prove that their buildings, roads, and bridges are safe is interesting. Being able to understand weather and climate is useful and interesting.  Understanding how things work is very cool.  There is no end to exploring different ideas, and very satisfying to quench the thirst of curiosity.

It’s always true that people give more effort to things that they like.  If we can get kids to like science, then they will work hard in these areas.  If they work hard in these areas, they will be ready to compete for the jobs of the future.  If our children don’t, then the children in other countries will, mostly because they aspire to the standard of living that our children take for granted.

Working with families to create a brighter future,

Christopher Corpus

Head Hawk