Engaging kids in deeper learning and align their interests with school programs. Encourage them in deeper learning activities and not learn for tests for GPA.

1. Mentoring kids on how to
align their interests with school
programs.
Deeper learning takes time.
Satya Gunampalli
3rd Mar, 2013.

2. Are your kids entering high school? Too
much information and choices? Most kids
in 8th grade do not know what they want
to do in their life and that is
understandable.
As parents and educators, we all assume that when
kids are getting good grades, they are actually
understanding and learning the concepts. Are they
really learning what they need to be successful?
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3. Let us look at research data
I have no idea
what I want to
do in the future. Deeper learning happens only when
kids are allowed to explore and
experiment.
Learning takes time. When sufficient
time is not allocated to internalize
the concepts, kids forget what they
“supposed” to have learnt.
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4. US education – 2012 stats
4.0 million public school students are expected to enroll in 9th
grade.
3.4 million students are expected to graduate from high school.
1.8 million bachelor’s degrees but only 5% are Engineers and 33%
are STEM majors.
937,000 associate’s degrees; 1.8 million bachelor's degrees;
756,000 master's degrees; and 174,700 doctor's degrees.
• - Source: http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372
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5. 2005 Math and Science Proficiency – 4th Grade
http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/sei/edTool/09X.xml
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6. 2005 Math and Science Proficiency – 8th Grade
http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/sei/edTool/09X.xml
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7. 2005 Math and Science Proficiency – 12th Grade
http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/sei/edTool/09X.xml
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8. Graduation rates and available jobs
In 2012, 28% of high school freshmen, around one million
students, expressed an interest in pursuing a STEM career.
Unfortunately, more than half of those students (57 percent) will lose
that interest by the time they reach their final year of high school.
1/3 will end up with STEM degree and 5% with an engineering degree.
By 2018, There will be 8M STEM jobs, but not enough qualified work
force.
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9. USA ranking – PISA test (OECD)
17, 31, 23 (Reading, Math, Science)
Learning redefined for knowledge age 9

10. STEM jobs from 1950-2007
http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/sei/edTool/36Xa.xml
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11. No major change for United States
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12. College graduation rate by income in US
54% of higher
income group
30% middle
income groups.
9% lower
income group
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13. As a Parent, what
can I do to ensure
my kids are
engaged in deep
learning and are
ready for 21st
century challenges?
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14. 21st century learning: skills to master
Communication
Collaboration and team work
Critical thinking and problem solving
Creativity and innovation
Computational thinking
Cross cultural understanding

15. Align your kids capabilities and interests
with 21st century skills needed.
Taking too
many •When kids are
subjects or engaged, they learn better.
•Make sure they are bit
advanced challenged and their
courses is interests (and not yours)
not the match with school programs.
answer
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16. What if school programs are not
good?
There are many free MOOC courses online. Most of these are
8-10 weeks and require 5-6 hours a week work. (see
Coursera.org, Edx, Udacity)
If a course is suitable for self-learning using online resources, it is
better to do them online. Ex: Programming, web technologies.
Take school courses and programs that are not well suited for
online. Public speaking, debate and team working are best
done in school environment.
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17. Do not focus on grades but real
learning
Focus on grades and GPA makes kids learn for the tests. That is
the real problem with many education systems (US and India
included).
When deeper learning and mastering content is the
goal, grades follow with no effort.
Finland model proves this is the case.
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18. Role of parents and educators
To educate kids who are able to experience the
richness and excitement of knowing about and
experiencing the natural world; use appropriate
scientific principles in making personal decisions;
engage intelligently in public discourse and debate
about matters of scientific and technological
concern; and increase their economic productivity
through the use of the
knowledge, understanding, and skills of the
scientifically literate person in their careers.
- National Science Education Standards
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19. Skills/capabilities that all Fortune 500 need
and expect
• Bring passion to work place.
• Go beyond the job description
All
Employers and take initiatives
expect their • Identify problems
employees
to
• Come up with new ideas
• Find solutions and ways to
implement them.
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20. Learning takes time and motivation
Gap between jobs available and unemployed work force is
growing.
Unless parents provide opportunities for kids to learn 21st century
skills early on, it would be lot harder to catch up later.
Educational reforms are on paper for a long time and conflicting
interests in the society are effectively maintaining status-quo.
Parents have no options but to invest more time and be involved
with kids education.
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21. Our Mission is to help you and your
child succeed in 21st century.
Connect with us on Facebook and
signup for our customized news
letter. We provide useful project
ideas, tips and activities that can
help you engage your kids. Together
we can empower them to build a
better planet and a sustainable life
styles.
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