TEACHING STEM WITH CONFIDENCE SERIES

Part 1: Empower Future Innovators to Unleash the Power of STEM Education

As we step into a future propelled by technology and innovation, the significance of STEM education grows ever more profound. STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, forms the bedrock for equipping students with the necessary skills to thrive in today's workforce and the ability to thrive in the unpredictable workforce of the future.

Jobs in STEM fields are in high demand, and they offer some of the highest-paying and most exciting career opportunities available. However, many jobs will be created in the next decade that do not even exist today; Therefore, STEM skills must be presented to students in ways that teach them more than a list of algorithms in math or facts in science. While these core skills are necessary, their true value lies in the fact that they are the starting grid for creativity and innovation. Encourage students to cultivate a STEM mindset, fostering curiosity, questioning, and creative thinking, instead of solely seeking the "correct answer." Teachers should embrace lessons and activities that may not always have a definitive "key" to solutions, promoting a comfortable learning environment.

STEM skills are essential for success in all areas of modern life, and they are particularly important for students who are interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

As we move into a world that is increasingly driven by fast-paced innovations in technology, it is becoming more important than ever before for students to have a strong foundation in STEM subjects. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence is not a surprise. However, few people not in the IT field expected it to make such an accessible and dramatic entry into daily life as it has in recent months. This should serve as a wake-up call to educators that we must start infusing the STEM mindset into all classrooms to better serve the students in our care. Too many students find that they are ill-equipped to choose a career when they enter college. Their pathway is often blocked by their level of comfort and expertise in mathematics. By providing students with a strong foundation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, teachers can help to build the skills and mindset that students need to be in a position to have more options and opportunities with respect to their careers.?

What Does it Mean to Teach STEM with Confidence?

This series of articles is based on the author’s recently published book, Teaching STEM with Confidence: Practical Tips and Strategies for New and Experienced Teachers, a guide that provides practical advice and strategies for teachers to confidently integrate STEM into any subject classroom. The book is designed for both new and experienced teachers who are looking for effective and practical ways to feel confident teaching STEM.

Preparing to Empower Future Innovators

What is STEM?? STEM education refers to an interdisciplinary approach to teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in an integrated and cohesive manner. It aims to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills while encouraging creativity, innovation, and curiosity among students. STEM education is essential in today's world as it prepares students for the challenges of the 21st century and provides them with the necessary skills to succeed in the workforce.

STEM education is not only about teaching these four subjects individually. It is about integrating them into a single learning experience. The National Science Foundation (NSF) began using the term "STEM" to refer to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in its reports and publications in the early 2000s. The exact date of its initial usage by the NSF may vary, but it was during this time that the term gained traction and recognition within the educational and research community. The NSF has been a strong advocate for STEM education and has played a significant role in promoting and funding STEM initiatives in the United States. For example, a project that involves building an autonomous vehicle or a robot requires knowledge of various STEM concepts such as programming, mechanical engineering, and electronics. By integrating these concepts, students can see the connections between them and how they work together to achieve a common goal.

In STEM education, teachers encourage students to explore and experiment with new ideas and concepts. They also help students develop a growth mindset, which is essential in STEM fields. A growth mindset means that students believe that their intelligence and abilities can be developed through hard work, dedication, and perseverance. This mindset is critical in STEM fields as it encourages students to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and persist in the face of challenges. STEM education is not only beneficial for students but also for teachers. It provides teachers with an opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other. STEM education is a relatively new field, and there is always something new to learn.

As recently as 2012, only a decade ago, teachers attending the National Science Teachers Convention were learning about STEM. At this convention, groups of teachers came by booths with the word STEM in their company or program titles because their administrators had told them to bring back something "STEM" related. The questions they asked ranged from, "What does that even mean?" to "Do you have any STEM furniture?" and "I was told to bring something STEM back. Help?"

How, then, is the first step in this journey? Educators, many never having been exposed to the inner workings of careers outside of academia, ?can start by becoming comfortable with an idea that drives innovation in industry: "Fail fast, fail often." The underlying idea behind "fail fast, fail often" is that failure is not something to be feared or avoided but rather embraced and used as a stepping stone towards improvement and innovation. It encourages a mindset of resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning, fostering an environment where experimentation and creativity can thrive.

While a "STEM" class is often a very good class for students taught by an imaginative STEM literate person, it is not the embodiment of what STEM should be in our schools.

Reflections: Across the Curriculum

Some of you may remember a movement known as "Reading Across the Curriculum that acknowledged the importance of reading as a fundamental skill that is applicable and beneficial across different disciplines. It facilitated the integration of reading skills and literacy development across various academic subjects beyond just English/language arts classes. English/language arts classes. Inte ra in a STEM mindset across the curriculum can help students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills, which are essential for success in any field.

When I taught middle school, I always reminded myself how surprised I was on the day that I realized my students could not set up a simple graph. I walked immediately to our math teacher's room to say we had to do something differently. Jackie was also astonished because her walls were covered in graphs like the ones our students could not create in my science classroom. We will revisit this because it was my first real lesson on what it means to generalize learning.