Press Release
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Ending a Myth with Our Efforts!
April 4, 2008
“It is a myth that mathematics and sciences are difficult or only for smart people.”
Thanks to the cooperative effort between the University of California, Berkeley; Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS); and The Tech Museum of Innovation in San José, on Friday, March 23, several families from San José were able to attend free math and science classes at The Tech Museum. In addition to having fun and learning while interacting with their families, children had time to work with their parents and other members of the community, enjoying one very entertaining morning as well as the opportunity to have a free lunch together.
The families that took part in these classes were able to enjoy free admission to the museum. This opportunity allowed them to know the facility and enjoy the rest of the afternoon experimenting, learning, and playing with the rest of the family.
“The classes target families with children, ages between 7 and 11 years old, which means from the third to the fifth grade. However, these classes are not only for the children; we also encourage parents, uncles, aunts, and grandparents to participate,” says José Franco, Director of this LHS program.
While talking to Silvia de la Vega, a veracruzana housewife who has been in the U.S. for 12 years, we were able to find out what some of the families thought about these classes. “You have to try it, and it is not as difficult as it used to be for us,” Silvia comments. “Learning now is more entertaining. It is not as difficult as when I was going to school!” Silvia was surprised that she was able to participate, and appreciative for all that she learned. “It was very practical and easy to understand,” she adds, while mentioning that the classes helped her to remember some concepts. "We were in the geometry class and I discovered, along with my daughters, that we can find geometry everywhere!”
Silvia has two daughters, 6-year-old Melissa and 8-year-old Alejandra. They are enrolled in kindergarten and third-grade classes at Gardner School in San Jose. The class at The Tech was an opportunity for Silvia to work with her two daughters and do something that will possibly open doors to new opportunities for them. “The Papel Picado activity was very entertaining," she remarks. "My daughters were surprised with all the designs that they could create, and when we unfolded the Papel Picado, the designs were all the same! We discovered a way of playing and learning that involved geometry.”
Silvia wants to return and be a part of other classes that the Tech Museum offers. She and her two daughters took part in a raffle where they estimated how many objects were in a box. “They were teaching us about mathematics when they were asking us to estimate how many small animal toys were in the jar, and we won the raffle. The prize was two passes to return to the classes, so now I can bring my two nephews,” adds Silvia, thrilled at being able to involve other members of her family. “The teachers are bilingual and very kind, and we can learn about measurements, by playing with water and filling small glasses!”
The class leaders, Sara Pérez and Pedro Hernández, also shared their opinions about these classes from the teacher’s perspective. Sara works as a third-grade teacher at Gardner School. Her parents are of Mexican descent, and she speaks Spanish and English. What motivated Sara to conduct these classes is that she believes in the intention and the vision of the program, implemented by LHS, to bring to the community support in the areas of math and science. She says, “What inspires me to do this is the parents’ participation and the way they appreciate receiving the tools that will allow them to help their children to achieve academic success. It moves me to see these parents interacting with their children in a more significant way, having conversations, laughing, working together as they solve a problem, and competing in a friendly and respectful way while they play an educational game.” Sara thinks these classes are important because many parents do not know how to help their children, some of them because they never studied the subjects that are taught in U.S. schools. Nevertheless, these classes are based not on the subject that's being taught, but rather on finding ways to help children and families to think academically. “These are classes in which they all take part. They all share, and the facilitators are not there to say to anybody, ‘Yes, you did this right or this wrong.’ We only teach them skills to help their children while we guide them through the different activities.” Sara emphasizes that because the facilitators also speak Spanish, no language barrier exists. “Children can still be learning new concepts, even if they are thinking in Spanish, and they can transfer the same understandings to their classrooms.”
The classes are taught at The Tech Museum from 10:30 a.m to 12 noon, and we hope every time to see more families taking part in them. These classes are the result of a community that works together and is interested in bringing and sharing resources to be within everybody’s reach. We want to thank The Tech Museum and Lawrence Hall of Science for this initiative that benefits us all!
To register, please talk to Bill Bailor at 408-795-6186 or call Alysia Caryl at 408-395-6191.
About Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley
The mission of the Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) is to inspire and foster learning of science and mathematics for all. LHS is the public science center of the University of California, Berkeley, and an innovative leader in the field of science and mathematics education. LHS engages students and their families in exciting science and mathematics at LHS as well as in their classrooms, schools, and communities; designs and disseminates effective instructional materials and exhibits; and creates distinctive learning and leadership opportunities for educators. LHS is committed to serving all, especially those with limited access to science and mathematics.
Director: Elizabeth K. Stage
Communications contact: Verónica Urdaneta, LHS Public Information Officer, (510) 643-3849
