STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. That part I always knew. I always thought that STEM was doing projects and letting students be creative in finding solutions. And then, I attended a STEM Academy for Administrators and my STEM world was flipped upside down.
STEM from the Start!
As I drove to the site of the first of five sessions that were to be spread over the course of the school year, I was a little apprehensive, I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect, but knew that I needed some SERIOUS intervention in getting STEM into my school.
Sure, I had purchased some STEM activities and accompanying resources for my teachers to use. The thought was that we would really just target our advanced learners whilst our other students were in remediation time (our school is a Mastery Learning school).
That first session had me swimming with the big league leaders in Utah! I was not aware that this academy wasn’t just for us naive leaders- nope- they had some of the most active leaders in Utah in attendance as participants. I felt totally out of place and wanted to leave. They were discussing topics and ideas that were WAY beyond my understanding.
My “Light-Bulb” Moment
That first session left me thinking a little but mostly just confused. What was my role? What did I really need to know and do to help my school? I continued to ponder on these thoughts as I prepared for the second session.
Our second session was held at a charter school that was founded on STEM principles. That intrigued me and I was excited to get there and learn. Watching the difference in how students approached their learning from what I was seeing at my own school was astounding. Students readily worked in groups, talked about solutions (we watched math and science lessons), and then presented orally to their classmates. Granted, these things were happening at my own school to a smaller degree, but the difference between my school and this school was ownership by the students in their learning.
I left this session with the proverbial light bulb shining above my head. The single most important thing I learned- the most vital component of STEM-isn’t the projects and activities. It is the way teachers teach. Now, maybe you already knew that, or, like me when I first started to piece it together, you are confused. Let me explain a bit more.
During our training sessions, we spent about 3/4 of the day listening to presenters, doing hands-on activities, and studying the STEM principles and standards. The remaining 1/4 of the time, we were observing real-time classrooms or watching videos of actual teachers teaching lessons. Afterward, there was a debriefing of what we had noticed and learned.
Principles of STEM
It took me a couple of sessions, but I started noticing something about what I was hearing and learning. The pattern clearly showed that it wasn’t about the activity the students were doing, it was about the mindset the teacher had- the questions, the expectations, the ability to let the students struggle as they looked for the answers. STEM isn’t about projects at all- it’s about knowing how to create interest and intrigue with students while integrating technology into all lessons. It is a STEM-centered MINDSET! EUREKA!
One of our homework assignments was to observe our teachers using a pre-made form. (See picture below. PDF versions is available on our Perk’s Page!)
This solidified my belief that STEM is about HOW you teach as much as it is about WHAT you teach. Now, instead of just looking for more materials to buy, I have begun the process of really observing my teachers for the “HOW” in relation to STEM. My school isn’t even CLOSE to being a top STEM integration school, but we are making small and systematic changes and we will continue to improve. And guess what? You can too!
Moving Forward
Regardless of what your understanding of STEM education has been in the past, it’s important to remember that moving forward, it is the MINDSET that makes the concept of STEM successful. You’ve got this!
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