PARENT PASSAGEWAYS

Are you wondering why your kid's homework looks different than yours did in those good or not so good old days? The times they are a changin' as fast in schools as they are in industry.

As a member of an industry that cruises at the speed of advancing technology, you already recognize the need for coworkers and supervisors who can apply what they know in new situations every day. The "use it or lose it" warning applies as much to mental muscle as physical. In fact, when it comes to learning, kids may not get a new skill or concept in the first place unless they have a chance to use it in situations that have real meaning for them.

You can keep up with the changing look of today's classrooms by considering that the Wyoming State Standards, which are the instructional goals that are to guide all teaching and learning, emphasize process as well as content. These days exploring ways to get your child classifying, analyzing, evaluating, and drawing conclusions is just as important as quizzing him or her on the states and capitals.

What's inside?

When he's forgotten his gym clothes for the umpteenth time, you might wonder if anything is contained within your child's mind! But, actually, you know there's a lot of information already crammed in there. Find out what your kids know before you begin a learning investigation with them. Ask them to tell you what they know about the topic or issue you are studying together. What questions do they already have the answers to, and what questions can they generate before you begin?

Did you ever have a teacher that drove you crazy by answering your question with another question?

It just might have been a roundabout way to get you to think more about an issue and see the complexity of and connections among ideas. Your own children will benefit more from being lured into finding their own answers than being given the answers. Make them do the hard work! Here are some question starters to experiment with.

• What would happen if ...

• How would things be different if ...

• How is this like ...

• Why do you think ...

• If you broke this issue or problem into parts, what would they be?

• How could you make this solution even better?

Prediction Power

Making predictions is a great way to start a learning adventure. Whether you are Minequesting or posing good questions on any topic with your children, ask them to think ahead and predict a possible answer to the questions you are about to investigate. Their predictions will reveal how they think as well as what they already know and don't know. Committing to a prediction can also give kids a reason to keep searching to prove themselves right ... or wrong!