We need more young voices in science and math. I dream of children doing science alongside adults. Kids can contribute a lot to any project! They bring divergent thinking, creativity, and peacefulness to any working environment.

Joseph is a seven-year-old homeschooled boy. He loves science, engineering, and science fiction. He loves to ask questions and to tinker with things around him. He also loves climbing trees and splashing in puddles. Enjoy his poem!

Baby civilization

Some think we are smart,

Some think we are dumb,

But our civilization

Is still very new

And in some place

In a vast Universe

There is a big old civilization

Five thousand times older than us.

We are just new,

We are just new.

Some people think

We are smart, too.

But actually,

We are just new –

Remember that,

Remember that.

We are just new,

We are just new,

Like a new born baby.

With her mommy and daddy crew.

The civilizations

That are older than us

Old smart aliens,

Looking at us.

They think:

“Oh, how little,

Little civilization,

Does not know how to move,

Use it hands, legs,

Can not clean after itself,

Pees all the time;

You can’t stop it –

It’s how normal baby grows.

That is the Earth,

That is the Earth”

That’s how we

Live on the Earth.

But sometimes,

we do very bad things:

Like throwing sand

Into people’s eyes.

Of course, of course

We need to know

Stop doing that

Before we die.

Because we are doing something bad,

That if we did not, we’d be glad.

You know, you know,

That if we go

Five trillion light years

From the Earth

You will reach a place,

You will reach a place,

Where there is a new civilization

You have never seen.

But you guess what,

But you guess what –

It’s like a nanny

Looking at us.

Cleaning up,

Giving us food,

Running around

To everybody else.

Those other little civilizations

That are just born –

She needs to care about all,

About every single thing.

We are just one,

Just one of them,

That is just born,

Just newly here.

We know, we know –

The newly Earth.

What do you want? When it comes to math, what are your dreams for your kids? We started the parent meeting from these questions.

Affirming your values helps with well-being, thinking, and connecting with others. What do people want for the kids? Connections of math to all aspects of life; pursuing your own meaningful paths in math; support with struggles and help with flying high; seeing the wonder and beauty of math…

And every parent named numerous problems with her own math experiences, and wished her kids a different fate.

When we worked on questions that can help with dreams, it quickly became clear that what we want is still in the realm of sci-fi. This world is still far, far away from giving us ready answers for our questions, such as:

• Where do kids find help for THEIR math – art math, dump truck math, the math of infinity (when you are four)? Is there a system that can guide you from one concept to the next, given your interests, your learning history, and your favorite things in life?
• How come there are no “math play” or “math support” groups, and how do you form them?
• What about the epidemic of math anxiety?
• Is there an easy and quick way to find stuff rich in math and relevant to your passion – books, games, activities?

The above list is what people care about. Curriculum developers, take note! No math curricula even attempt to tackle such questions.

That’s why we have to take matters into our own hands. If we know what we want for our kids, it’s up to us to take steps toward it! A thoughtful discussion is a good beginning.

P.S. More good parent questions are at “Ask Moby Snoodles” – give it a try!