Helping Your Teen with the Choices Ahead

Making Connections

Dear Parents,

We’re sharing this brochure with your family to help with the important decisions your teen will be making over the next year and a half. Because we live in an age of global technology, this brochure emphasizes the importance of math and science courses. Even if students aren’t planning to go into scientific fields, math and science courses are critically important for a wide range of careers, college preparation, and basic life skills. Students need a good background in math and science to keep their options open in today’s workplace, and parents can play a critical role in helping their teens make the best choices for their futures.

Our 30 years of research on motivation reveals that parents can help their teens appreciate the value of math and science courses. One simple strategy is to help teens discover the connections between their schoolwork and things they really care about, like understanding how their cell phone works, preparing for college or technical school, or planning careers. We encourage you to read through this brochure and talk with your teen about these connections as he or she chooses courses for next year and begins to think about life after graduation.

We are also developing a Web site with additional resources for parents and teens. This Web site, choicesahead.wceruw.org, is password protected for WSFW families. You have received a user ID and password from WSFW, and will need both to access the Web site, which should be available by January 15, 2009.

We wish you all the best as you continue to help your teen succeed in school and beyond.

Sincerely,

University of Wisconsin-Madison Student Motivation Research TeamWisconsin Study of Families and WorkJudith Harackiewicz, Professor of PsychologyJanet Hyde, Professor of Psychology Chris Hulleman, Research Fellow, Vanderbilt University

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Table of ContentsHelping Your Teen Find Value in Math and Science .........................................Page 2

Challenges Along the Way ..................................................................................Page 3

Seeing the Connections:

Math and Science in Daily Life .................................................................Page 4

Your Teen’s Adult Life ..............................................................................Page 5

The Choices Ahead ....................................................................................Pages 6-7

Connections by Topic:

Math and Physics Connections ................................................................Pages 8-9

Biology and Chemistry Connections ........................................................Pages 10-11

Final Thoughts and Our Web site ......................................................................Pages 12-13

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Helping Your Teen Find Value in Math and Science

The ResearchDo you ever wonder what you can do to help your teen succeed in school and in life? Based on our motivation research at the University of Wisconsin, there’s a simple thing that parents can do: Encourage their teens to discover the connections between school and life. Teenagers do not always appreciate the importance or value of their schoolwork, and they don’t always see the relevance of their schoolwork to everyday life or to their futures. But our research shows that when they do perceive value, they become more interested in their schoolwork and work harder.

Connect To Your TeenIn this brochure, we’re offering a variety of suggestions about possible connections between school and life that might work for your teen. These are just examples – you will have the best sense for what will appeal to your teen, and what connections will be most powerful. It may be easier to help your teen make connections for some school subjects than others, and every student is different. Some teens may respond to connections with everyday life, whereas others will respond to connections with future plans.

Help Your Teen Discover the ConnectionsThe important thing is to help your teen make some of these connections for him or herself. Instead of telling your teen how relevant math and science are to everyday life and the future, it will be more effective if you help them discover the connections that are most meaningful to them. Helping your teen discover their own connections allows them to build on their own interests, and gets them more engaged in learning.

Scientific research shows that when students make their own connections between school and their lives they are even more successful in school.

Instead of telling your teen how relevant math and science is to their life and future, help them discover the connections that are most meaningful to them.

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Challenges Along the WayYour teen might not enjoy these kinds of conversations and he or she may resist your efforts. This is normal. By raising these issues through discussions with your teen, you may plant some seeds of discovery and, over time, help your teen find more value in their schoolwork.

Find Some Examples Your teen may not see all of the connections between schoolwork and life that you do, and this is where you can help. If your teen says, “This course has no relevance to my life,” or “I don’t see any point in learning this,” you can be ready with some good examples. This brochure is intended to help you come up with examples of how math and science might be particularly relevant for your teen’s everyday life (now and in the future), and college and career preparation.

Connect Math and Science to Your Own LifeYou could start by thinking about how you use math and/or science in your current job or daily life. You may find that you use math and science more than you realize! Talking with your teen about the connections you’ve made in your own work will help them see the connections between math and science and real life.

Use All Your ResourcesYou might not know a lot about a particular topic, and it can be hard to generate specific examples from your own life. It might be easier to talk about the relevance of math and science for college preparation or for life in the modern world. Be creative, and don’t hesitate to ask others to be resources. Here are some possibilities:

Your spouse• Family members and friends• Mentors, teachers, and coaches• Our Web site: • choicesahead.wceruw.org

Ask your spouse, other family members, friends, or mentors to

discuss the relevance of some topics with your teen, and you can discuss

others.

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Math and Science in Daily LifeYou can help your teen discover the importance of math and science by pointing out how knowledge in these areas impacts his or her daily life, and how it will be relevant to your teen’s adult life. Math and science courses can help us understand the technology we use every day. For example:

Cell PhonesPhysics • helps us understand why our phone calls are dropped in certain locations, such as in a valley or inside an elevator (because it is difficult for radio waves to travel through metal), and math helps us decide on the best rate plan, and which extra features we can afford.

Chemistry• helps us understand how electricity and water can interact to damage the phone, and why the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen won’t work right if it gets too hot or cold (the liquid crystals that make up the picture are susceptible to temperature changes).

DrivingPhysics• helps explain why sports cars can go around corners at high speeds (because of their lower and wider stance) but SUVs flip over, and an understanding of biology helps engineers design crash-proof seats that keep us safe without damaging our internal organs.

Chemistry• and physics help us understand how hybrid cars can charge their fuel cells and provide better mileage than gas-burning engines, and math helps us understand the cost-benefit trade-off of buying a hybrid car (more expensive to buy but less expensive to run).

Math and science courses can help us understand the technology we use every day.

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Your Teen’s Adult LifeMath and science will become even more important in your teen’s adult life as he or she becomes more independent and assumes more responsibilities.

Socializing with FriendsWhen hosting a party, preparing appealing and • tasty food that won’t make guests sick requires your teen to understand chemistry and biology (e.g., how heat and refrigeration affect dairy products, fruits, and meats differently).

Biology• and chemistry knowledge will help your teen understand how nutrition and sleep impact their alertness and brain functioning when working out, playing an instrument, dancing, or playing a game with friends.

Shopping Your teen will use math skills when:

Buying a home entertainment center or a • computer (e.g., financing with a ‘zero’ money down offer may seem like a better deal at the time, but usually costs more in the long-term)

Figuring out the unit cost for food, such as soda: • if you have the choice of buying a 20 oz, 2-liter, 12-pack, or 24-pack, which purchase is actually the best deal per ounce of soda?

Life On Their OwnWhen starting their independent life, your teen will need to understand:

How to choose their first apartment. • Math and geometry principles (area: length, width, height) will help your teen determine how much furniture they can fit into a 200 square foot apartment, whether their couch will fit up the stairs, and how many cans of paint are needed to paint the walls.

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The Choices AheadHere are some examples of how math and science may be important to your teen’s future, whether they are thinking about entering the workforce and starting a career, or continuing their education at a technical school, community college, or four-year college or university.

CareersTaking math and science courses in high school helps teens begin the career planning process by helping them discover which topics are more or less interesting to them, and by giving them a solid foundation of basic job skills. For example:

Veterinarians • need math skills to calculate proper dosages of medication, and an understanding of biochemistry to avoid potentially harmful drug interactions, as do doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.

Welders• use physics and chemistry principles to understand how different metals react to heat, as do mechanics who need to know how the moving parts of a vehicle are affected by friction.

Farmers • need to understand principles of biology and chemistry to maximize crop yield, maintain the proper acidity of the soil, and use fertilizers correctly, as do landscapers, gardeners, and marine biologists.

Medical imaging technicians• use powerful imaging equipment – X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – to look inside the body without surgery, and need to be familiar with the physics concepts of x-rays and magnetic resonance to determine bone damage, diagnose disease, and develop treatment for various illnesses.

When writing contracts for company mergers, • corporate lawyers use math skills (e.g., algebra formulas, proportions) to determine what percentage of the profits each group will receive.

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More CareersArchitects• use physics and math to design buildings that are not only visually appealing, but also functional for the people who live and work in them.

To help patients recover from knee injuries, • physical therapists need to understand how fast the body heals over time (biology), and how much force acts on the knee when walking (physics).

Hairstylists • need to have computer and math skills to maintain client records and record earnings, and a basic knowledge of biology and chemistry to use hair care products safely.

Preparation for College, Technical Schools, or Other Educational ProgramsMost teens realize that math and science courses are important for college entrance requirements and relevant to standardized testing, but they don’t always appreciate that math and science courses are also important for a wide range of skills and applications:

Teaching them • problem solving and analytical skills that can be used in their college courses and everyday lives.

Discovering • which topics are more or less interesting to them as they consider possible college majors and careers.

Keeping their options open • when considering majors and careers. Some level of math and/or science background is required for many (if not most) academic programs, and taking extra math and science in high school opens even more opportunities for your teen.

Making it easier to learn more •advanced math and science content in college, technical school, or on the job.

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Math and Physics ConnectionsMath A basic knowledge of math can help us do many things that are important in our daily lives, such as budgeting, shopping, and keeping track of sports scores. More advanced math is important in occupations such as computer programming and finance.

Occupations

Computer scientists • – Math skills are crucial for computer programmers when designing new software to track business inventories.

Finance and insurance• – Not only do financial planners, investors, and insurance salespeople need basic math skills, but they also need to understand more complex algebra and calculus in order to calculate interest rates, analyze business markets, and project future performance.

Engineering• – Trigonometry and calculus are used in engineering occupations, such as when mechanical and industrial engineers design and build new buildings. Aerospace engineers use calculus when analyzing projectile motion paths and designing fighter jets.

Daily Life

Managingfinances• – Understanding the nature of exponential growth, interest, and compound interest (algebra and pre-calculus) can help people manage their finances better in terms of picking the best bank account, deciding which credit card to apply for, and choosing which type of car loan or mortgage to get.

Recreational sports • – Understanding geometry and trigonometry principles (angles, shapes, tangents) can help your teen improve their skills in recreational activities (e.g., hitting a golf ball, sinking a pool shot, throwing a bounce pass in basketball, or running the shortest distance around a track).

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PhysicsA basic knowledge of physics can help us understand many of the things that we use or that affect us in our daily lives: the weather and environment, technology (computers, cell phones), and transportation (airplanes, hybrid vehicles).

Occupations

Video game designers • use physics principles to plan how a spaceship, missile, or vehicle should move in a game, as well as principles of proportion and space (geometry) when designing scenery so that it appears 3-dimensional.

Meteorologists • – Physics is used to understand how the wind will blow (calculating wind direction and speed requires understanding atmospheric pressure differences and the earth’s rotation) and to accurately forecast tornado formation weather (color coding of winds at different speeds using Doppler radar).

Nurses• need an understanding of physics principles (e.g., gravity, force, pressure) to inject medicine without creating dangerous air bubbles, and keep an IV (intravenous) fluid drip working properly.

Engineers• use the principles of gravity, engine dynamics, aerodynamics, and friction when designing spaceships that keep astronauts safe and accurately propel them to their destinations, as well as when designing high speed ‘bullet’ trains.

Daily Life

Recreational activities• can require the application of physics principles. For example, accurately kicking a soccer ball requires knowledge of vectors, trajectories, and wind resistance, and skateboarding tricks require an understanding of friction, speed, and mass.

Cell phones• use an amazing range of physics, such as knowledge of radio and sound waves to communicate your voice, magnets and magnetic energy to power the microphone and speaker, and LCD technology (alignment of molecules by an electric field) to show you who is calling.

When you watch an athlete, you are seeing the principles of physics in motion. The bat hitting the baseball, the spiraling football, the bend in the vaulter’s pole, and the tension of muscles as a weight is lifted illustrate some of the basic laws of physics, like momentum, equilibrium, velocity, kinetic energy, center of gravity, projectile motion, and friction.

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Biology and Chemistry ConnectionsBiologyDid you know that only one out of every ten cells in your body is human? The other 90% are bacterial cells! No wonder doctors and nurses need to know so much about biology in order to help us when we get sick or hurt.

Occupations

Botanists• (plant biologists) conduct research that helps increase and improve our supply of medicines, building materials, and foods – all of which can help address major social issues such as hunger, homelessness, and disease.

Public health professionals• depend on their understanding of biology to help solve pollution problems, such as disposing of industrial waste or preventing pesticides from leaking into the water supply.

Daily Life

Medicine• – We often think of bacteria and fungi as “germs” or things that make us sick, but they are also the source of the strongest weapons we have against bacterial disease – antibiotics. Microbiologists grow useful fungi and bacteria to produce medications. You may have directly benefited from bacteria and fungi if you have ever taken antibiotics for an infection, such as strep throat.

Biotechnology• – Have you ever wondered why you never see wild corn plants growing in the forest? Most of the plants we use for food have been bred for so long that they no longer resemble their wild ancestors. A dramatic example is the transition of the wild plant teosinte (pictured, above left) to cultivated modern corn (pictured, above right).

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ChemistryChemistry principles are applied in our daily lives to keep our drinking water clean, produce cleaner-burning gasoline and jet fuel, and create new products from recycled ones (such as new roads made from recycled car tires). We also use principles of chemistry in our jobs. For example:

Occupations

Nutritionists, dieticians,• and other healthcare providers use chemistry to help us understand what kinds of foods we need to eat regularly in order to be healthy.

Biochemists • and food scientists study how best to combine chemical compounds in order to make our food healthier. For example, most breakfast cereals are fortified with several types of vitamins and minerals.

Construction workers • – Although making and pouring cement may seem like a simple process, it is one that requires an understanding of chemistry. The different materials required to make cement, including limestone and clay, form a chemical bond and harden. Chemical compounds are added to “suffocate” the cement and make it harden and retain strength, even when submerged under water.

Daily Life

Clean water • – Chlorine and other chemicals are used to keep swimming pools safe and our drinking water clean. A lot of drinking water comes from groundwater and aquifers that already have pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals contaminating them, and water filtration systems help to remove these chemicals. A basic knowledge of chemistry (and math) can help you understand which types of water filtration systems do the best job for your money.

Recycling • – Advances in chemistry (and biology) have fueled the recycling revolution. Almost 100% of used aluminum cans may be used to make a new one, and completely new products can be made from old ones – such as making playground benches and jungle gyms from recycled plastic bottles.

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Final ThoughtsAs a parent, you have more power to influence your teen’s beliefs and values than you may think. It is a popular notion that teens tend to ignore their parents when it comes to most aspects of their lives. However, research shows that parents do influence teens’ major life decisions, such as educational and career choices.

When teens who aren’t interested in science or math find themselves wanting to solve a problem (e.g., making faster cars, designing more waterproof snowboarding pants, or curing cancer), they may eventually realize that a career in science will help them solve these problems. If they don’t have the science background from high school, however, it can be hard to catch up in college when they become more interested. This is one reason that it is so important to take additional science and math courses before the end of high school.

We hope that you will encourage your teen to take as many math and science courses as possible in high school, and that the resources provided here and on our Web site will help you and your teen with the important choices ahead.

Our Web SiteYou will find many more detailed resources, including information on pre-college planning, career options, and programs of study, on our Web site:

choicesahead.wceruw.orgPassword protected for WSFW families

Research shows that parents tend to influence teens the most for major life decisions, such as educational and career choices.

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Contact Information

If you have questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email:Judith Harackiewicz, jmharack@wisc.edu

Janet Hyde, jshyde@wisc.eduChris Hulleman, chris.hulleman@vanderbilt.edu

Wisconsin Study of Families and Work