Effective Change in STEM Education

Interested in creating a more hands on learning environment for your students but do not have the resources to provide the enrichment?  At Fair Oaks, a few teachers have gotten together on Donors Choose to ask for science equipment and over the past 3 years we have acquired a wealth of material to enhance science education for our school.  Materials like digital microscopes, safety goggles, bacteria growth dishes, human anatomy figures, board games and more are just some of the things that have been donated to make a more engaging and hands on experience for our students.  All the items are equally shared between the upper grade teachers and everyone benefits.

Hands on realia is one way to engage students but it is not the only.  At an elementary level it is important to know that their interest in the science fields and understanding that all of them are scientist is the number one goal for STEM.  Many believe it is too hard and the vocabulary is too much of a barrier to pass.  But when you approach science from their interest levels, they often forget they are doing science.

Recently, students in my class, who are all highly interested in soccer, had to build a soccer kicking machine.  They worked together to engineer a machine that could kick a Ping-Pong ball various distances accurately and effectively.  Many had no idea they were applying science skills to the task.  But when reflecting on the lesson, they then discovered that the process of collaborating, building, and replicating a procedure over and over was in fact the scientific method.

Lastly, students need to understand that they can be successful in the field, otherwise they will never apply themselves for the skills will seem useless to learn.  Students need to be taught a history of science that we as educators never learned before; a cultural perspective.  When students learn that people just like themselves, who grew up in similar ways, with similar families became famous scientists, they then have hope for themselves.  For all teachers out there, I wish you to try this as a first step in building a STEM classroom.

To help you, here is a list of a few scientists who students may be interested to learn more about.  I recommend a weekly scientists that students learn about who did not come from a rich affluent family and may have a handicap with socially or mentally.

Alexander Graham Bell - learning disability
Thomas Edison - slightly deaf
Albert Einstein - Aspergers
Henry Ford - dyslexic
Stephan Hakwking - motor neuron disease
Dr. Temple Grandin - Autisim 

I know there are many minority scientist as well that should be shared and discussed.  Please share your favorite scientist that you think students should learn about and tell us why?  Together we can create a list of scientist for students to explore.