While teachers play a vital role in helping students develop a passion for STEM, they can’t do everything themselves. The key to STEM success is collaboration. Schools, teachers, and parents must all do their part collectively to help students pursue their STEM interests and turn their skills into lifelong careers.
Creating a STEM-Driven School Culture
Schools must put time and effort into developing STEM curricula and programs to foster STEM learning. It can be difficult for teachers to help their students pursue these interests if there isn’t support for such programs at a foundational level. It’s also worth noting that this includes elementary schools, as it’s important to foster STEM learning at a young age.
Increasing STEM awareness and creating a STEM-driven school culture equips educators with the tools and resources they need to provide the necessary foundation in STEM learning and achievement.
System-level changes are crucial to sustaining STEM-focused classroom gains — and these changes often start with leadership. School leaders must encourage mindsets and practices that focus on STEM education and inclusion.
For example, leaders can model appropriate risk-taking behaviors and encourage mistakes, which are foundational to STEM innovation and the pursuit of expanding students’ minds and encouraging them to reach new heights.
Universal involvement should also be invited, meaning everyone should be encouraged to get involved in STEM programs and practices, including custodians, cafeteria staff, office personnel, and parents. The more people involved, the more it fosters a STEM-driven school culture.
Finally, a key element in fostering innovation through youth education in STEM is preparing students for a professional future in STEM. This can be achieved by providing occupational counseling to help students prepare for their future.
Pursuing an advanced degree in academia isn’t easy (even though it can be rewarding) — and that’s especially true for one that is STEM-focused, such as computer science or automation testing. Careers in this arena are becoming more popular, but working in this field requires sharp skills in mathematics, statistics, and programming. However, early planning can help.
Counselors can help students plan by discussing the academic preparation needed for an advanced degree, such as prerequisites and foundational knowledge they will need. At the high school level, this can also include helping students with their college applications and preparing them for their admissions exams, as well as helping them apply for STEM scholarships.
How Teachers Can Foster STEM Learning
To support STEM interests, teachers must foster a STEM mindset in their students. This doesn’t just mean teaching science, technology, engineering, and math. Rather, it’s more about cultivating the right skill with the right mindset.
This means inspiring curiosity and inviting students to ask questions and seek answers. Design open-ended projects that don’t have clear results and help them embrace their failures and learn from them. This is key to developing problem-solving skills. For example, teach students computer science by introducing them to children’s program languages like Scratch and encourage them to make their own creations.
While STEM subjects seem more technical, having a creative and open mind is an important part of innovation. So, it’s also helpful to encourage students to get creative and think outside of the box when working on projects.
It’s also important to foster diversity and inclusion in STEM education. Diversity is a key driver for innovation, so it’s important to encourage students from all walks of life to pursue their STEM interests to help break down barriers.
Supporting STEM Pursuits Outside of the Classroom
Fostering STEM learning should go beyond the classroom. While teachers are educators, they can only do so much, and parents need to carry those efforts into the home to further support their child’s interests in STEM.
To support STEM habits at home, parents can create STEM spaces where their child is encouraged to get messy and creative. Workbenches where they can tinker with different projects, for example, are a great way to encourage curiosity and hands-on learning. If they’re going to be experimenting in a garage or another storage area, make sure to store chemicals safely and prioritize safety. Once that’s done, they should be free to tinker.
Even when they aren’t working on a project, it’s helpful to encourage curiosity and questioning in everyday settings. For example, whenever a question is asked, rather than giving a direct answer, parents can encourage their children to investigate and do their own research to come up with an answer or solution.
While parents might want to limit screen time, they can also use computers, TVs, and other devices to support STEM thinking. There are countless videos, shows, and online courses, including games, that make STEM learning fun and help kids develop the skills they need to be successful in STEM careers.
Some people connect to STEM through graphic design. Kids interested in art can experiment with software through graphic design software classes, where they can gain valuable skills and express themselves. By leveraging software and digital artistry, children can get a better understanding of the complementary nature of art and science.
As their kids get older, it’s also important for parents to encourage self-discovery when identifying personal interests, which is crucial when high school-aged kids are choosing a STEM major. Let them take the initiative to discover on their own what makes them happy. That said, it doesn’t hurt to offer some guidance when it comes time for them to start applying for their first internships and jobs.
Wrapping Up
STEM success relies on a collaborative approach. Revolutionizing science is not easy and requires hard work and critical thinking skills, which is why it’s important to foster a mindset for this type of learning both at school, in the classroom, and at home. The more people show support for a child’s interest in STEM, the more likely they are to continue pursuing those interests and turn them into successful, lifelong careers.
