Imagine moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmothers, grandfathers, and children of all ages engaged in science adventures to promote and extend the experiences in the classroom. Imagine families building bird houses, learning about Ohio's native birds, and designing and maintaining a bird sanctuary. These experiences have motivated me to continue to create Family Centered Science Adventures, and the changes it has brought about have richly rewarded my efforts. This innovative program encourages family involvement, increases academic achievement, heightens the child's self-esteem, and creates interest in future learning.
Involved parents become enthusiastic cheerleaders for their children's progress.
When this happens, the students respond with an abundance of creative energy and an inner sense of satisfaction. Trends of lower student achievement, the diminishing role of the family as a partner in education, and student loss of enthusiasm for learning were the motivating forces behind creating the Family Centered Science program. Working parents were being excluded from daytime school events and were losing precious opportunities to become involved in their children's education. Some children appeared to internalize this as a lack of interest in them, and their attitude and achievement began to suffer as a result. Ongoing assessment of the program is essential to assure its effectiveness.