Guiding Curiosity: Nurturing Young Scientists by Sonia Cota-Robles Ph.D.

The United States lags behind most other first-world nations in rankings of our children’s science literacy. Science lessons in many schools risk elimination to make room for preparation for standardized testing in math and reading. While teachers, school administrators, and politicians scramble to determine how to catch up and improve science education, parents, especially of our youngest children, are left out of this conversation. This is odd as parents may be our most significant assets in channeling children’s joy of discovery and building foundations for learning science. After listening to the national discussion about how our schools are failing our children, Drs Gamble and Cota-Robles decided to offer an alternative perspective. Schools cannot be solely responsible for a child’s science education. Parents and other family members make major contributions, but may not be aware of the type or the extent of their influence because their part is often marginalized, especially in the realm of science. This book is an outgrowth of the authors' professional expertise in parenting young children. It also reflects their experience as a mothers of children with unique interests and personalities. It is the authors' most strident wish that parents be familiarized with their important role in improving science literacy. It is also their wish that they not be made to feel overburdened with yet another expectation to be a superior parent, but rather that they experience the joy of discovery with their children while nurturing relationships based on shared interests.