| There is a currently a collaborative push for | | | | all backgrounds have got to feel confident in being |
| teachers who can boldly and passionately educate | | | | able to instruct and make it interesting for |
| in science. Recently, President Obama announced | | | | students. What about the President singling out |
| several public-private partnerships that would | | | | the need to engage girls? Here’s just one sign |
| make investments of more than $250 million to | | | | that factors out that problem: Barely 17% of |
| help get more than 10,000 new math and science | | | | undergraduate engineering degrees are awarded |
| teachers ready to teach and offer added | | | | to women. |
| guidance to more than 100,000 existing | | | | |
| instructors. The current administration’s | | | | All of this points out that our schools even now |
| crusade is called “Educate to Innovate” | | | | fail to properly educate kids in the science and |
| and is pursuing numerous avenues to augment | | | | math they will need to achieve significant |
| U.S. students’ footing in science, technology, | | | | accomplishments in their adult professions. |
| engineering and mathematics. (See the full White | | | | American students’ rankings in science |
| House news release for details on how universities | | | | continue to go down compared to those of |
| and private businesses are working together on | | | | various other nations, which does not bode well |
| the issue.) | | | | for our ability to innovate and compete in the |
| | | | | future, as noted previously by Gravitas |
| In a prepared statement, Obama said, "Passionate | | | | Publications. There is a necessity to use engaging |
| educators with deep content expertise can make | | | | science resources at an early age, especially for |
| all the difference, enabling hands-on learning that | | | | those who instruct privately or at home. To |
| truly engages students — including girls and | | | | make certain both the students and the teacher |
| underrepresented minorities — and preparing | | | | are at ease, use resources that include |
| them to tackle the ‘grand challenges’ of | | | | “how-to” manuals for non-scientist adults |
| the 21st century such as increasing energy | | | | who are doing the teaching. |
| independence, improving people’s health, | | | | |
| protecting the environment and strengthening | | | | A case in point is that Gravitas Publications ( was |
| national security.” | | | | begun in 2002 because one home-school mom - |
| | | | | who actually was a scientist with a Ph.D. - could |
| Just as there is an effort on the national level to | | | | not find age-appropriate, engaging textbooks that |
| teach professional instructors, home schoolers of | | | | built a real basis for understanding science. |