STEM is for Everyone

When some people hear STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), they immediately think, "That's not for me; it's for the nerdy dudes." That's wrong! As the lines between sciences and art have been blurred. Today, computers are all around us and ingrained in our daily lives. We use, wear, and apply computers daily, from banking to education. There is a massive demand for workers with STEM skills, and with the rise of AI and machine learning in our everyday devices and work tools, the knowledge and application of STEM are even more relevant.

What exactly is STEM?

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The term was coined by the National Science Foundation (NSF), initially called SMET, but a scientist noticed it sounded like SMUT and thus rephrased it?to STEM. (Thankfully, because STEM sounds a whole lot better!) STEM goes beyond the studies of this subject independently and intertwines them mainly towards scientific observation and application. Also, STEM fosters critical thinking, collaboration, resilience, and other soft skills required for a productive life.

"STEM?education includes?approaches that explore teaching and learning among any two or more of the STEM subject areas, and between a STEM subject and one or more other school subjects" The?United?States?Department?of?Education? (2007)

Breaking down the STEM

Science: This Is the observation of the world around us.

Mathematics: This?is the study of numbers, statistics, and sequence. It can help with understanding?Budgets and Finances.

Technology: These are the devices, applications, and software we create to make life easier, convenient, and enjoyable.

Engineering: This is the design process and how we build structures in?the world

Getting Started with STEM in Schools

STEM involves the practical application of knowledge, which encourages students to learn, think, and create things. This applies to all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy Knowledge , whereby students go beyond merely understanding to creation, combining all the learning outcomes into a new whole.

Simple activities like "sink or float" can encourage preschool children to think, make hypotheses and thoughtful guesses, investigate by experimenting to see if an item will sink or float, and then explain what happens. This activity takes the child through the same process of conducting a scientific experiment, which is the essence of STEM in Education.

SciTech Institute , a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing STEM education and workforce awareness in Arizona and beyond through its partnership with code.org , encourages students of all ages to learn about computer science by getting their feet wet, building simple applications in a project called an "hour of code" (I am far from being a techie, but I tried it and got some cool cats dancing to Harry Style's As It Was)

STEM is a fusion recipe that prepares students for the jobs of tomorrow. This educational framework aims to develop knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge in real-world scenarios, making students creative problem solvers and more valuable to the workforce. The field of STEM is?continually evolving?and is now called?STEAM,?making room for the Creative Arts. With the rise of 3D printers, AR, and VR technologies, the distinction between science and the arts will continue to narrow, so a multidisciplinary approach works best for today's students. STEM skills will remain at the heart of human innovation, from cutting-edge medicine to revolutionary technology, and the economy will rely on these tools.

We have specially trained tutors who can guide your child's journey in STEM with real-life scenarios and practical applications. You can also take advantage of the Arizona Department of Education's Achievement Tutoring Program , which offers FREE tutoring in math, reading and writing for eligible K-12 students, with Tutor Doctor Chandler-Gilbert-Ahwatukee as one of the providers.

Kimberly Selchan, Resilient One, and Tutor Doctor Regional Owner

My mission: “To help today's youth become tomorrow's successful adults.”