Science Fair's

[Duckyiam71]

I have a fifth grader and you would think by now I would get use to these things. But I don't, just the mere mention of it, my heart races. My DS's is a GT student but he is horrible at doing the research. He loves to read but cant write worth a darn. For the past few years, I feel like I did the project. I guided him every step of the way. I feel like as a parent I should have not to almost re-write the paper. I dont know what to do. This year I feel like sitting back and just guide him and he gets the grade he gets. He rushes through everything and it would turn out like c**p if I did not help him. Just wanting to vent! But is anyone esle out there feel the pain or I am over doing it? Please dont flame me.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I hate science projects too...3rd kid is in HS now, and he'll be doing his 2nd or 3rd HS one this year. But, I never helped with any of them, or any other projects over the years.

(Well, OK...I helped a little. One project was when my DD was in 4th grade and had to interview an elderly person, and she decided to interview my father. But he wasn't in very good health, and I needed to fill in a lot of the information he couldn't provide; he died a few months later, and I'm grateful I have that report.

My DH once cut the Titanic iceberg out of styrofoam with a knife because we didn't want bloodshed.

And I helped glue letters onto the backboard of a Science Fair project, so that DD wouldn't be up ALL night.)

Honestly, they'd rather not have my help, because they've learned that they can, and have to, do things for themselves, and they want to do it their way. I've felt very comfortable sending my DDs off to college, without worrying about them (too much) because they've got pretty good time management/study/homework skills, which they learned themselves over the years.

I say let him start learning for himself ASAP.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

In some schools, science projects are REQUIRED to be done during school time, just so that they don't wind up being done by the parents.

Just food for thought.

 

[aprilgail2]

In some schools, science projects are REQUIRED to be done during school time, just so that they don't wind up being done by the parents.

Just food for thought.

HA! I WISH!!!! No way do the teachers want to have to deal with the science fair during school time---that pleasure here is all the parents! Last year our district changed the years it has to be done--used to be 4,5,6,7 and 8th grades...now its only 5th and 6th! I am SO happy!! When I went to see my godsons I was shocked at some of the projects...one 4th grader had a whole circuit board with flashing lights and wires etc....just so happened that his father worked for the electric company--yea guess who wired up that project?? My godson grew plants for his project LOL..oh well, at least he did it himself.
My daughter has the pleasure of doing it this year, and they require them to come in the evening for the presentation--I would LOVE to know how they think they can enforce me having to have my child at the school during after school hours.... have a few months to find out LOL.

 

[3boymthr]

I have a fifth grader and you would think by now I would get use to these things. But I don't, just the mere mention of it, my heart races. My DS's is a GT student but he is horrible at doing the research. He loves to read but cant write worth a darn. For the past few years, I feel like I did the project. I guided him every step of the way. I feel like as a parent I should have not to almost re-write the paper. I dont know what to do. This year I feel like sitting back and just guide him and he gets the grade he gets. He rushes through everything and it would turn out like c**p if I did not help him. Just wanting to vent! But is anyone esle out there feel the pain or I am over doing it? Please dont flame me.

Ooooh I feel your pain. My kids are the same way.

Not just for science projects but every project. Middle DS in particular always seems to get assigned subjects in which he has absolutely no interest so he won't put any effort into them (for the last couple of years his teachers have assigned the projects alphabetically and we're at the bottom of the alphabet so by the time they get to him all the good topics are gone ).

We just had a history project for middle DS about Bunker Hill and I basically did the whole project . If I hadn't he would have failed the project. It was ridiculous.

I'm to the point that I feel projects are a complete waste of a grade as far as my older kids are concerned (youngest is in 1st grade so no projects yet).

 

[snarlingcoyote]

HA! I WISH!!!! No way do the teachers want to have to deal with the science fair during school time---that pleasure here is all the parents! Last year our district changed the years it has to be done--used to be 4,5,6,7 and 8th grades...now its only 5th and 6th! I am SO happy!! When I went to see my godsons I was shocked at some of the projects...one 4th grader had a whole circuit board with flashing lights and wires etc....just so happened that his father worked for the electric company--yea guess who wired up that project?? My godson grew plants for his project LOL..oh well, at least he did it himself.
My daughter has the pleasure of doing it this year, and they require them to come in the evening for the presentation--I would LOVE to know how they think they can enforce me having to have my child at the school during after school hours.... have a few months to find out LOL.

Things have changed radically in the 10+ years since I taught, I'm well aware of that. If I were a science teacher though, I'd make science projects mandatory and require 80% of the work be done in class. Talk about a great way to spend at least half of one six weeks! And think of how much the kids would learn from each other's projects!

 

[clh2]

Mom of a HS sophomore here:

She had some years were it was all projects...all the time. This was HER homework. Not mine, not her dads.

We would offer to help for certain things - I didn't like DD using a hot glue gun at all, so I would glue what she needed done. I also got her to the store for stuff that she needed for the projects. That was about it.

If your son or daughter fails a project (or does poorly on it) is that the worst thing? That lesson, is a lot easier to learn when they are in elementary school, as opposed to middle school. or in high school.

 

[kacaju]

For the past few years, I feel like I did the project. I guided him every step of the way. I feel like as a parent I should have not to almost re-write the paper. I dont know what to do. This year I feel like sitting back and just guide him and he gets the grade he gets. He rushes through everything and it would turn out like c**p if I did not help him. Just wanting to vent! But is anyone esle out there feel the pain or I am over doing it? Please dont flame me.

I am not going to flame you, but you really do need to let him do it himself. If he fails it is because HE did not do the work. If his work looks like c**p it is his c**p, not yours.

Why are you afraid to let him do this on his own? Do you feel it is a reflection on you if he does poorly? If he truly is struggling in writing a paper, how will the teachers know what help to give him if you correct it before the teacher sees it?
Again, I am not flaming you, but trying to see why you feel the need to help him so much.

I would use this year as a learning year, do not punish him at home for bad grades. Let him learn to do this projects himself this year. It is going to take some time since he is used to you helping him so much.

My 4th grader is running for Student Council President. The other day she came home to tell us they practiced their speeches. Her speeech, which she wrote herself is short about 1 1/2 paragraphs, but she wrote the whole thing herself.
She said there is a boy who is running whose speech was 3 pages long. His Mom wrote the whole thing and she said he was very upset at school after reading it. He does not like his speech and he says his Mom won't let him change it.

Sometimes as parents we think we are doing the best for our kids by helping them out. The best help we can give them is the tools to learn how to help themselves.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I would LOVE to know how they think they can enforce me having to have my child at the school during after school hours.... have a few months to find out LOL.

Ours is on Saturday morning. I never heard of it being an issue. Do you know now you can't make it, or are you just determined to make waves by making them try to enforce it?

I am not going to flame you, but you really do need to let him do it himself. If he fails it is because HE did not do the work. If his work looks like c**p it is his c**p, not yours.

...

Sometimes as parents we think we are doing the best for our kids by helping them out. The best help we can give them is the tools to learn how to help themselves.

Middle DS in particular always seems to get assigned subjects in which he has absolutely no interest so he won't put any effort into them

...

We just had a history project for middle DS about Bunker Hill and I basically did the whole project . If I hadn't he would have failed the project. It was ridiculous.

Wow. Those middle school projects, I'm sure, aren't the first assignments your DS had no interest in, and it won't be his last, including JOB assignments. Heck, I remember telling my kids when they were little, and the garbage men tossed the garbage cans after they were emptied..."See that? That's not the way to do a job. Whatever you do, do it well."

There are a whole lot of things in life that people have to deal with that aren't interesting or entertaining. The younger kids are when they find that out and how to deal with it, the better.

The only thing that's ridiculous is that YOU did the project. Good luck to your son handling college, if he goes...and real life.

 

[Duckyiam71]

Thanks for all of the replies. I appreciate the support. We are off to a great start! He has a project picked out and seems really interested in it. BTW I have a cricut and honestly NEVER thought of using it. Through work, I have judged several science fairs and you can tell the ones parents helped(did it) vs parents who did not. Part of the grading was the childs presentation and they could not talk about it. I am taking the positive approach this year and the timing of the project is not over Christmas break! Thanks again!
KACAJU- 4th grade has Student Council Presidents...wow! They do not have anything like that here til middle school. Good luck!

 

[kacaju]

Sounds like he is off to a good start!! Just remember, if he starts asking for help keep encourging him to do it himself, plenty of positive words to him!!

Yes, they do run for offices here in 4th grade. She will move to the middle school next year (grades 5th to 8th) so it is really to help prepare them for next year when the student council does more.
She did tell me that the boy whose Mom wrote his speech did get to change some of it.\
Elections are next week!!

 

[Rora]

I'm an elementary school teacher and I even hate ASSIGNING science fair projects. They scared me as a child and still do as a teacher. I feel terrible for my kids and wouldn't assign them if I wasn't forced to.

OP- good luck to your son (and you!!). There are plenty of helpful resources online!