Science at home

I know this post is a little outdated, but I finally got the chance to read through President Obama's 2011 State of the Union Address (sorry Mr. President, it's hard to keep up on current events as a Mommy).  I debuted this blog around the same time as his speech, and when discussing this site with co-workers, they mentioned President Obama's address and how educating our youth in science and math is important.  I think President Obama nailed this one on the head, and I support his view that education doesn't happen just at school; the whole family needs to be involved.

My favorite quote from his speech, "We need to teach our kids that it’s not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair."

What got me thinking about his State of the Union speech again was that yesterday, President Obama spoke at Facebook.  He gave this quote during the town hall meeting, "...I always hear stories about how we can't find enough engineers, we can't find enough computer programmers. You know what, that means our education system is not working the way it should, and that's got to start early."  He continues with explaining about their recent science fair held at the White House because science IS cool!  Yay!  Way to go the Obama's!

~On a side note, maybe I should hold a virtual science fair on this blog.  What do you think?  When The First Lady planted a garden at the White House, everyone followed.  Let's do the same for science!  (If it took me four months to get around to reading the State of the Union Address, it might be a while for the virtual science fair, but stay tuned).

I too agree with our President and that we have to start early, and "There has got to be a shift in American culture."  I feel that if we wait until the kids are school-aged to instill a love of learning (especially about science and math), we've waited too long.  Also, if parents aren't excited about learning, it is extremely hard for their children to be excited about learning.  So, turn off the tv (and the internet - easier said than done, I know), and encourage learning.

Personal background regarding a failing education system and successful outcomes:

My nerdy best friends from high school
(Front: soldier, optometrist, tech guru, mathematician/librarian, engineer. Back: scientist, lawyer)

I grew up in a school district (Clark County, NV) that was bursting at its seams in the 1990s.  My elementary school classes averaged ~30 kids/class.  I had double sessions and year round for my middle school years, and I had my fair share of crappy teachers.  All in all, you can come from a horrible school district and still do well if surrounded by the right people (family, good friends, good teachers). I am so very thankful for the support of my family, friends, mentors, and former teachers who have helped shape me into who I am today.  I hope that I too can give my son the support he needs to succeed in this challenging world.