HELP: How to add java script to side bar and have it work?

I do not know if this is already hear or not and really do not want to search over 3,000 posts to find it, so this is my cry for help!

What am I not doing when I add to the sidebar at the top, if I put the code in at the bottom it works. I want to add to my sidebars and it is not working.

Thank you… And what is a good source for making sense out of php code for a laywoman?

Thanks.