The Science Project

September 13, 2019 |

There was a milestone event in my house this week: my daughter’s first science project. I hate science projects. I think they rarely encourage anything scientific and while they can help a student learn about designing visual aids and their presentation skills, those skills aren’t taught prior to the assignment.

But what I really hate about those projects is parental involvement. I don’t do science projects. I will help with supply purchase. I will help with home technology issues such as printing pictures. But I don’t design. I don’t micro-manage. I offer advice once and then I shut up.

The process of watching my children do a project and then compare their work to another student’s parent’s science project is fascinating. They see that their is a disparity between the two projects and they then set their own bar higher next time. The next time they listen to my one piece of advice and hit the bar. Sometimes they exceed it.

This is a much better skill than designing visual aids. This is the skill of intrinsic motivation.

God teaches me this all the time. He tells me to love my neighbor but lets me figure out the best ways to do that. He never lays out all the steps for me. Sometimes I hit the mark. Sometimes I don’t. But always I learn.

Perhaps I don’t hate science projects as much as I think I do.

Until Everyone Hears,

Posted in #scienceprojects, #umc

What are your thoughts?