STEM SMART Parenting

Alan Zollman; Lisa Hoffman; Emily K. Suh

doi:10.5771/9798881801168

Zusammenfassung

An invaluable resource for parents wishing to arm their children with the life skills necessary to succeed in a STEM-driven culture.

In today’s world of STEM, all children—even those with interests outside of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—need to develop specific skills in order to flourish in a complex landscape. Parents want to help their kids but are often overwhelmed by all the STEM products that aren’t necessarily as valuable as they claim.

In STEM SMART Parenting, educators Alan Zollman, Lisa Hoffman, and Emily K. Suh unpack the research on STEM learning into a reader-friendly, practical guide for parents and caregivers. It introduces activities and resources that help kids of all ages build the necessary STEM mindset, includes no-cost ideas that parents can use with their children to promote STEM thinking, and shows readers how to evaluate which STEM games, toys, and activities actually deliver what they promise.

With real-life examples, daily activities, and key takeaways, this book shows parents how to help their children, from toddlers to teenagers, cultivate critical thinking skills and become intellectual risk takers, prepared for a world where STEM proficiency is essential.

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Bibliographische Angaben

Copyrightjahr: 2025
ISBN-Print: 979-8-8818-0115-1
ISBN-Online: 979-8-8818-0116-8
Verlag: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Sprache: Englisch
Seiten: 204
Produkttyp: Monographie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

KapitelSeiten

1. Contents Kein Zugriff
2. Acknowledgments Kein Zugriff
1. Why Focus on STEM Education? Kein Zugriff
2. What Qualities Do Kids Need for STEM Success? Kein Zugriff
3. How Can We Help Our Children Develop STEM SMART Skills? Kein Zugriff
4. What If My Kid Isn’t Interested in STEM? Kein Zugriff
5. There’s Not Just One Way to Be STEM SMART Kein Zugriff
6. Don’t Lose the STEM in STEAM Kein Zugriff
7. How STEM SMART Developed Kein Zugriff
8. How to Use This Book Kein Zugriff
1. “It’s okay if things are hard.” Kein Zugriff
2. Helicopter Parenting and Lawnmower Parents Kein Zugriff
3. Stopping the Lawnmower Kein Zugriff
4. Developing a Mindset for Productive Struggle Kein Zugriff
5. Words Matter: Don’t Raise a Praise Addict Kein Zugriff
6. Words Matter: Show Kids We Believe in Them Kein Zugriff
7. The Joy of a Challenge Kein Zugriff
8. S Is Not for Stubbornness Kein Zugriff
9. 1. 1. “It’s okay if problems are tough.” Kein Zugriff
    2. “Brains act like muscles.” Kein Zugriff
    3. “I believe in you.” Kein Zugriff
    4. “Looking back, what do you think?” Kein Zugriff
  2. 1. “This will be easy.” Kein Zugriff
    2. “Maybe this just isn’t your thing.” Kein Zugriff
    3. “I’ll just do it myself.” Kein Zugriff
  3. 1. Ask Questions to Help Children Find Alternative Solutions Kein Zugriff
    2. Ask a Child for Help Kein Zugriff
    3. Choose Activities Just Above a Child’s Current Ability Kein Zugriff
    4. Accept That Productive Struggle Is Inefficient Kein Zugriff
10. Productive Struggle Is Complex Kein Zugriff
1. “Mistakes are how we learn.” Kein Zugriff
2. Differences of Mistakes: Miscalculation or a Conceptual Misunderstanding Kein Zugriff
3. Perils of Perfectionism Kein Zugriff
4. Frank Talk about Fragility Kein Zugriff
5. STEM Anxiety Kein Zugriff
6. 1. 1. “Yet.” Kein Zugriff
    2. “Learning takes time.” Kein Zugriff
    3. “Help me understand your thinking.” Kein Zugriff
    4. “Let’s think about this for a minute.” Kein Zugriff
    5. “So what did we learn?” Kein Zugriff
    6. “We don’t have to be perfect.” Kein Zugriff
    7. “Isn’t this fun?” Kein Zugriff
  2. 1. “I was always bad at math.” Kein Zugriff
    2. “Don’t ask why—just get it done.” Kein Zugriff
  3. 1. Look for the Logic in Your Child’s Errors Kein Zugriff
    2. Narrate Daily Tasks for Children Kein Zugriff
    3. Encourage Accountability Rather Than Blame Kein Zugriff
    4. Ease the Pressure to Keep Learning by Making It Fun Kein Zugriff
1. “STEM is everywhere and for everyone.” Kein Zugriff
2. Why Do We Need the A in SMART? What Does “STEM for All” Mean? Kein Zugriff
3. Why All Children Need the A in SMART Kein Zugriff
4. All Means All Sexes and Genders Kein Zugriff
5. All Means All Races, Cultures, and Languages Kein Zugriff
6. All Means All Abilities Kein Zugriff
7. All Means All Locations Kein Zugriff
8. All Means All Interests Kein Zugriff
9. All Means All Social Groups, Not Just Nerds and Geeks Kein Zugriff
10. All Means in All Media—What Kids See and What Kids Hear Kein Zugriff
11. Beyond the Media: The Importance of Real-Life STEM Role Models Kein Zugriff
12. What Kids Hear from Us: Communicating Great Expectations Kein Zugriff
13. All Means in All Times and Places Kein Zugriff
14. 1. 1. “Interesting idea—maybe you could invent that!” Kein Zugriff
    2. “What problems would you like to solve when you grow up?” Kein Zugriff
    3. “I could see you doing that.” Kein Zugriff
  2. 1. “Stay within the lines.” Kein Zugriff
    2. “You’re just smarter than the other kids.” Kein Zugriff
  3. The Danger of What We Don’t Say Kein Zugriff
  4. 1. Make STEM Connections to Activities Kids Already Like Kein Zugriff
    2. Point Out How We All Use and Benefit from STEM Every Day Kein Zugriff
    3. Be Honest with Ourselves about Our STEM Stereotypes Kein Zugriff
    4. Introduce STEM Role Models Who Look Like Our Children . . . and Those Who Don’t Kein Zugriff
    5. Find Stories of Role Models to Paint a Bigger Picture for Your Child Kein Zugriff
    6. Remember That Children Can Develop STEM SMART Skills in Diverse Ways Kein Zugriff
    7. Give All Your Kids Opportunities to Contribute Kein Zugriff
    8. Tell the Untold Stories Kein Zugriff
1. “Go ahead and try it! Challenge yourself.” Kein Zugriff
2. Intellectual Risk Comes from Curiosity and a Sense of Wonder Kein Zugriff
3. Embrace the Questions Kein Zugriff
4. Adults Have to Take Risks to Allow Children to Take Risks Kein Zugriff
5. Rewarding Risk-Taking Means Giving Kids Time and Space Kein Zugriff
6. Breaking Our Own Boundaries Kein Zugriff
7. Expertise Is Not Always the Goal Kein Zugriff
8. When Children Aren’t Interested in Taking Risks Kein Zugriff
9. 1. 1. “I wonder how that works. I wonder why that happens.” Kein Zugriff
    2. “What a good question!” Kein Zugriff
    3. “Here’s a chance to learn something new!” Kein Zugriff
    4. “You can let fear advise you, but don’t let it control you.” Kein Zugriff
  2. 1. “That’s a bad idea.” Kein Zugriff
    2. “Don’t get dirty!” Kein Zugriff
    3. “You’re too slow.” Kein Zugriff
    4. “Don’t even think about it.” Kein Zugriff
  3. 1. Give Children Time to Tinker Kein Zugriff
    2. Create Intentional Environments That Reward Risk-Taking Kein Zugriff
    3. Value the Object of Your Child’s Unique Curiosity Kein Zugriff
    4. Think Tools Rather Than Toy Kits Kein Zugriff
    5. Give Children a Space in Which to Keep Their Discoveries Kein Zugriff
    6. Offer Opportunities for Kids to Share Their Work Kein Zugriff
    7. Preserve Analog Time in a Digital World Kein Zugriff
    8. Give Children Some of Your Unplugged Attention and Experience Wonder Together Kein Zugriff
1. “Think before you trust.” Kein Zugriff
2. Stop and Think: What Does It Mean to Think Critically? Kein Zugriff
3. Evaluating Online Information Kein Zugriff
4. Outside the Box: Encouraging Divergent Thinking Kein Zugriff
5. Sorting through the Junk (Science): Separating Fact from Myth Kein Zugriff
6. 1. 1. “What do you think? Why is that?” Kein Zugriff
    2. “I wonder where they got their information.” Kein Zugriff
    3. “How could we verify if that is true?” Kein Zugriff
    4. “Let’s look at this from another perspective.” Kein Zugriff
    5. “Stop and think.” Kein Zugriff
    6. “I think you can answer this yourself. Take a few seconds and think it through.” Kein Zugriff
  2. 1. “Don’t ask why. Just get it done.” Kein Zugriff
    2. “Because I said so.” Kein Zugriff
  3. 1. Shift Your Default Response from Answering to Asking Kein Zugriff
    2. Consider Kids’ Odd Ideas Kein Zugriff
    3. Encourage Kids to Record Thoughts and Ideas Kein Zugriff
    4. Spot Bad Arguments Together Kein Zugriff
    5. Would You Rather? Kein Zugriff
    6. Consider Activities Such as Speech and Debate Kein Zugriff
  4. 1. Look Beyond “Kits” to Toys That Allow Divergent Thinking Kein Zugriff
    2. Utilize Reliable Digital Resources to Teach Media Literacy Kein Zugriff
    3. Spot Faulty Arguments Together Kein Zugriff
    4. When in Doubt, Ask a Librarian Kein Zugriff
7. The Role of Rationality Kein Zugriff
1. SMARTIE: Internally and Externally Focused Life Skills Kein Zugriff
2. Internal Skills: Keeping Yourself Together and Getting Things Done(Self-Regulation and Executive Function) Kein Zugriff
3. External Skills: No STEM SMART Kid Is an Island Kein Zugriff
1. 1. Does This Activity Allow Both Success and Challenge? Kein Zugriff
  2. Does the Material or Game Require Time and Effort to Accomplish a Goal? Kein Zugriff
  3. Does the Activity Allow for Improvement and Confidence Building over Time? Kein Zugriff
2. 1. Does the Toy or Product Have Only One Set, Scripted Procedure, or Does It Allow Creativity? Kein Zugriff
  2. Does the Resource Have More Than One Solution? Kein Zugriff
  3. Does the Activity Require Trial and Error? Kein Zugriff
  4. Does the Activity Require Strategic Guessing? Kein Zugriff
  5. Does the Activity Reward Trying Again and Adjusting Strategies after Failure? Kein Zugriff
  6. Does the Resource Have a Built-In Feedback Loop? Kein Zugriff
  7. Do Kids Know How Mistakes Have Improved Our World? Kein Zugriff
3. 1. Does the Toy or Resource Support Your Child’s Natural Interests? Kein Zugriff
  2. Have You Looked for Books, Media, and Toys That Feature Children from Diverse Backgrounds and with Diverse Abilities? Kein Zugriff
  3. For Children Who Love History, Have You Considered Stories That Depict Stem Smart Skills from Different Periods in Time? Kein Zugriff
  4. Do Our STEM SMART Stories Have a Wide Variety of Storytellers? Kein Zugriff
  5. Have You Considered Resources That Support STEM SMART Skills Even If They Don’t Focus on STEM Content? Kein Zugriff
  6. How Can You Arrange a Way for Children to Keep and Showcase Their Collections? Kein Zugriff
4. 1. Does the Resource Give Children Time to Tinker? Kein Zugriff
  2. Do You Play Games That Reward Taking Risks? Kein Zugriff
  3. Are You Willing to Allow Acceptable Risks? Kein Zugriff
  4. Does This Activity Encourage Child-Led Play? Kein Zugriff
  5. Does the Activity Encourage Initiative? Kein Zugriff
5. 1. Does the Activity Reward Divergent Thinking? Kein Zugriff
  2. Does the Toy Allow Children to Create Their Own Questions and Solutions? Kein Zugriff
  3. Does the Activity Allow Children to Organize Their Thinking? Kein Zugriff
  4. Does the Activity Allow Children to Spot Problems in Critical Thinking? Kein Zugriff
  5. Does This Activity Encourage Patient Observation Rather Than Instant Gratification? Kein Zugriff
6. 1. Have You Considered STEM SMART Playthings That Aren’t Toys at All? Kein Zugriff
  2. How Can You Increase the Amount of Unplugged Attention You Can Give Your Child? Kein Zugriff
7. 1. You Can Find Video Games and Apps Designed for Every Activity under the Sun. But Should You? Kein Zugriff
8. It Ain’t the Toy That Makes the Difference Kein Zugriff
1. Changing Pressures in Schools Kein Zugriff
2. Why It’s Good That Schools Teach Differently Now Kein Zugriff
3. STEM SMART at Different Ages and Stages Kein Zugriff
4. STEM Enrichment and Acceleration Kein Zugriff
5. How to Talk with Your Child’s Teacher Kein Zugriff
6. Supporting STEM SMART Schools Outside the Classroom Kein Zugriff
1. Why a STEM SMART Identity? Kein Zugriff
2. How Do Kids Develop STEM SMART Identities? Kein Zugriff
3. 1. Growth Mindset Self-Identity Kein Zugriff
  2. Belonging Kein Zugriff
  3. Purpose and Relevance Kein Zugriff
4. 1. Don’t Give Up Kein Zugriff
  2. Expect Success and Name Success When You See It Kein Zugriff
  3. Talk the Talk Kein Zugriff
  4. Walk the Walk Kein Zugriff
  5. Watch Who Has Control Kein Zugriff
  6. Look Out for Learned Helplessness Kein Zugriff
  7. Keep Developing Your Own STEM SMART Mindset, Tenacity, and Thinking Skills Kein Zugriff
  8. Remember Role Models Must Be Honest Kein Zugriff
5. It’s Their STEM SMART Identity, Not Ours Kein Zugriff
6. STEM SMART Is a Process, Not a Product Kein Zugriff
1. Chapter 1 Kein Zugriff
2. Chapter 2 Kein Zugriff
3. Chapter 3 Kein Zugriff
4. Chapter 4 Kein Zugriff
5. Chapter 5 Kein Zugriff
6. Chapter 6 Kein Zugriff
7. Chapter 7 Kein Zugriff
8. Chapter 8 Kein Zugriff
9. Chapter 9 Kein Zugriff
10. Chapter 10 Kein Zugriff
Bibliography Kein Zugriff Seiten 179 - 194
Index Kein Zugriff Seiten 195 - 202
About the Authors Kein Zugriff Seiten 203 - 204