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Every year we hear about how school budgets are getting cut or money meant for public schools is being diverted to private school vouchers (I'll hold my opinion as this is not a political blog.) Or maybe a private school is trying to save money. If funding drops something needs to get cut. Usually the first thing on the chopping block are the so called "enrichment" classes, Music, PE or Art. Some teachers, parents or administrators believe these classes are unnecessary and th

Why Tinkering Is the Best STEAM Teacher This story is a bit of family lore. A legend, if you will... It's the 1950s. My grandfather, Ed coming home from work. As he is walking into the living room he spies a... concerning scene. My mother Linda, a child herself at the time is sitting on the carport of their house surrounded by parts... of the brand new television the family had just gotten. Linda froze. To his credit, Ed didn't freak out. He surveyed the situation and calmly

Picture this: You are in the kitchen cooking dinner. Your child is there with you and isn't interested in tonight's "science" lesson (see last week's blog.. :) ) Your kid starts drumming on the table. First softly, then loader as they get into it. After a minute you turn to tell them to stop... but you don't. You stop and listen. Tour child isn't just drumming randomly. They've found a pattern in the drumming. They've found a RHYTHM! Instead of stopping them you hand them a p

I remember watching Good Eats on the Food Network. Even more than the food and Alton Brown's banter I loved the SCIENCE of it. My nerdy little brain was fascinated by learning about the physics and the chemistry. To this day, when I make pancake batter I stir for 10 seconds and then "walk away. Just... walk away." Today, many parents worry about getting their kids into science and math. Meanwhile the kitchen is literally one of the best science labs you can have and most sle