Tag Archives: Parents

Education, Parenting

Parent’s Guide: Nurturing Your Child’s Curiosity in STEM

As a parent, you hold the key to unlocking a world of curiosity and exploration in STEM for your child. When it comes to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), your support can make all the difference in igniting a lifelong passion for these subjects. In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can play an active role in nurturing your child’s interest in STEM and empowering them to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

Nurture Your Child's Curiosity in STEM
Nurture Your Child’s Curiosity in STEM

1. Embrace Curiosity in STEM Together:

Encourage your child’s natural curiosity in STEM by engaging in their questions. When they ask about how things work or why the sky is blue, take the time to explore the answers together. Curiosity is the foundation of STEM learning and by showing your own enthusiasm for discovery, obviously, you create a positive environment that encourages them to ask more questions.

2. Foster Hands-On Exploration:

Additionally , you can provide your child with opportunities for hands-on exploration. Simple science experiments at home, building projects with everyday materials, and even cooking together can spark their interest in STEM concepts. These activities allow them to see science and math in action, making the subjects more relatable and engaging.

3. Encourage Critical Thinking:

Challenge your child’s problem-solving skills through puzzles, games, and brain teasers. Critical thinking is at the core of STEM subjects. Consequently, by regularly engaging in activities that require logical reasoning and analysis, you’re preparing them for the challenges they’ll encounter in STEM learning.

4. Expose Them to STEM in Everyday Life:

Point out STEM elements in everyday situations. From the technology in the games they play to the design of buildings, show them how STEM is all around us. This helps them understand that STEM is not limited to a classroom—it’s a part of their world.

5. Celebrate Mistakes and Learning:

Create an environment where making mistakes is part of the learning process. When something doesn’t go as planned, help your child understand that failure is an opportunity to learn and improve. This growth mindset is crucial in STEM, where experimentation and iteration are key components.

6. Explore STEM Resources Together:

Utilize books, documentaries, online resources, video games like Minecraft and even visits to science centers or museums. These experiences can introduce your child to new STEM topics and expand their horizons.

7. Support Their Passions:

Pay attention to what specifically sparks your child’s interest within STEM. Whether it’s robotics, space exploration, coding, or something else, support their passions by providing related resources, kits, or classes. (Check our robotics, game design and engineering classes here)

Conclusion:

In conclusion, as a parent, you’re a guiding force in shaping your child’s outlook on learning. By fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a positive attitude toward challenges, you’re setting the stage for a lifelong love of STEM. Remember, you don’t need to be an expert; your enthusiasm and involvement are what truly matter. We’ll walk with you and your child the journey of STEM discovery together, and watch your child’s skills flourish. 

Coding Education

Why Do Parents and Schools Disagree About Coding?

While parents across the country are pushing to get more coding in schools, recent research shows there is a serious disconnect between their sentiments and those of the schools. USA Today explores this in a recent article titled “Should students learn coding? Students, schools disagree, poll finds.”

Marco della Cava of USA Today writes, “Parents across the U.S. are eager for their children to learn coding and other computer-science skills, but their message hasn’t yet hit the in-box of school administrators. That’s the finding of a new Gallup study commissioned by Google that spotlights a potentially perilous economic disconnect as tech companies struggle to enlarge their engineering talent pools. In the works for 18 months, the survey, called ‘Searching for Computer Science: Access and Barriers in U.S. K-12 Education,’ polled 15,000 people ranging from students to superintendents. Among key and contrasting findings: while 90% of parents see computer science, or CS, as ‘a good use of school resources’ (and 67% say CS should be required learning alongside other core classes), fewer than 8% of administrators believe parent demand is high. They also cite a lack of trained teachers as a top barrier to offering CS courses. Three quarters of principals report no CS programs in their school.”

Meanwhile, in Kentucky, one businessman is certain that teaching coding isn’t just important for students’ skills; it’s necessary for our economy. WYMT 57 takes a look at this in a recent article titled “President of company says coding is a solution to the economy.” According to the author of the article, “The president of bitsource says that the company focuses on the technological needs of other entities, but also men and women in need of a job. Bitsource is new to Pikeville. The owners discovered a need for it when they were forced to search for business outside of the mountains. One co-owner, Rusty Justice, says it started with the need for a website, but then turned into something more. ‘We’ve always made our business in the coal industry and so we were looking for something to do to help these wonderful people we’ve worked with. We knew how talented and capable they were.’”

If you’re looking to provide your child with a quality coding education, your best bet is CodeRev Kids. At CodeRev Kids, we customize our lessons to fit your child’s specific needs.

Our students learn Computational Thinking, which encompasses a wide range of programming concepts and languages. Although we are known for saying we are the most educational tech camp out there, we also keep the focus on having fun. As a result, our students stay engaged while learning to blend creativity with technology.

With CodeRev Kids, students can choose from five different tracks, each of which begins with introductory concepts which then lead to intermediate and advanced topics. These tracks include everything from creating games to making apps to building robots.

If you think CodeRev Kids could be right for your child, get signed up today!