Science Fair is in the air
Science Fair is in the air! It's that time of year again where kids are speculating, testing, and concluding anything and everything! Yes, the Science Fair. All around Corpus Christi the library branches are displaying their Science Fair book collections, teachers are sending home paperwork, and kids are busy thinking up or working on science experiments. Whether in private or public school, there is no denying that it is in the air and what a great way for students to really get a chance to be their naturally inquisitive selves! By the way, did you know the Science Fair is not just for public and private school kids? That's right, even homeschoolers can participate!
Surprised? Well, you shouldn't be. Homeschoolers too must educate their children afterall! The misconception lies in thinking that we don't for some reason.
Either way, public, private, or homeschooled, parents have a role in supporting their children through this time. Let me give you an example.
I was once talking to a mom about the Science Fair and during our conversation she went on to tell me that she was probably going to just let her daughter turn in her son's old science fair project. Afterall, she didn't have the time, patience, or desire to really help her daughter through the whole process. Plus, she said, she won't win anyway and it's only for a requirement she must fulfill for her class, so why should it matter. OUCH!
I won't even begin to go over what I truly believe of her comments (teaching her daughter to lie, cheat, steal, disrespect the teacher, disrespect herself, disrespect of rules, and essentially calling her daughter not good enough). No, I won't go there because this is a family site and I'd rather not go down that same path, but you can imagine how utterly heartbroken I felt for this little girl! How heartbroken are you for her?
Yes, Science Fairs are work. Yes, science projects do take a tremendous amount of time and effort. Yes, they don't always work out. Yes, parents do need to be involved and more importantly, Yes, your kids need your support in this.
Whats really critical for parents to remember is that these science fair projects are their child's projects, not theirs. There is a fine line parents need to be aware of when it comes to supporting their children through the Science Fair season. I would never presume to tell you how to support your children through this process, but I can tell you what works in our family. Of course, that won't help you unless you are just like us and unless your children are just like our own (which I highly doubt)!
What I can tell you is this, take a deep breath, look for guidelines in your child's student folders from their teachers, and work out an action plan. If you're homeschooling, make a timeline of important dates, then help your children reach those benchmarks in their timeline.
Since all around Corpus Christi, children are prepping for the Coastal Bend Science Fair at Texas A&M University. That's a great place to start to see what role, if any, you should have in your child's science fair project.
In addition, below are some addtional sources you can look at. Remember, what your child puts into the Science Fair is what they are going to get out of it and what you, as their parent, decide to do to suppot their efforts can make the difference on whether they will learn about what's happening around them or whether they'll just learn to take the easy road.
Whoever said being good was easy?
Additional Parent (and student) Resources:
Discovery Education, Science Fair Central
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