I joined the Youth Exploring Science program when I was in the 8th grade. To become a member of the program, I had to take a six-week orientation class where I learned different science concepts and performed science experiments. I learned a lot during the orientation classes and was amazed that the things I see everyday could make a good science experiment.
When I completed my six weeks of orientation classes, I moved up and starting working in the St. Louis Science Center main building. I worked all throughout the summer with the public. I enjoyed my working experience a lot. I’ve learned a lot of things working with others.
Working this fall in the YES Program, I had the chance to experience Jump Rope Math by Maryann Stimmer. I never imagined that I could learn essential math skills while jumping rope, having fun and getting exercise in all at the same time. I also got familiar with objects we all have used on the playground, at the gym, or for athletic training and vehicles for collecting and representing data. In the activity I developed, collected, and represented data, including constructing and interpreting graphs. I started to realize again that math could be fun and wanted to share this new appreciation with the community.
We had the chance to teach Jump Rope Math to children at an after school program. I learned the entire activity and got to teach it to kindergarteners. As we worked on the activity, I taught the children about how I use math everyday and how math is a basic skill that is needed throughout life to be successful. My co-workers and I showed the children how we jump rope. We noticed how all the ropes were not the same. We investigated the jump ropes we were using and we shared our findings. We combined all the information and made a graph that included all the data we collected from the entire group.
It was great to work with the younger children because I learned ways to teach them and keep their attention; they can be very easily distracted! I had to explain and detail the information in ways that they could understand it. The kindergarteners really enjoyed Jump Rope Math. They enjoyed jumping rope and made a game out of the activity. When we tried to graph the results with the kids, they did not understanding graphing at first. However, we explained the concept to them and then they were more familiar with graphs as we completed Jump Rope Math.
I really enjoyed the experience I got working with the children. It gave me a chance to help others and share the information I learned. I felt like a teacher and that is what I want to be when I grow up. I really enjoyed exploring Jump Rope Math and the opportunity I had with the younger children and their reactions to the activity.