A
STEM/STEAM
Programs in Elementary School
s you begin your quest for
the best school for your
child, your head may be
swimming with a plethora of guidelines.
Wait! Have you heard about STEM or
STEAM? These acronyms will pro-
vide your child with the 21st century’s
curriculum of learning that is not only
entertaining but leads your child into a
future career path.
— by Tania Cowling
Today you will find leaders of com-
panies and organizations who promote
STEM/STEAM education. We have
also seen a big influx of women in this
field, since STEM has become a popular
acronym.
Why Get the Kids
Involved in STEM
Education?
“One of the things that I’ve been fo-
cused on as President is how we cre-
ate an all-hands-on-deck approach to
science, technology, engineering, and
math… We need to make this a priority
to train an army of new teachers in these
subject areas, and to make sure that all of
us as a country are lifting up these sub-
jects for the respect that they deserve.”
— President Barack Obama
Back in 2009, president Barack
Obama launched the Educate to Innovate
initiative so our children could move up
the ladder in math and science skills. The
President and our government recruited
and prepared 100,000 teachers in STEM
education to pass along this love of sci-
ence, along with the other components of
STEM, to our children. With a focus on
STEM/STEAM teaching, our students
can further their education and move
into rewarding and highly paid careers in
science, technology, engineering, math-
ematics, and the arts.
20 WNY Family December 2018
All of this data was compiled before
the current economic boom under Presi-
dent Trump, with many manufacturing
companies now returning to America
and needing workers with STEM skills.
Regardless of timeframe, data shows
that the set of core cognitive knowledge,
skills, and abilities that are associated
with STEM education are in demand in
nearly all job sectors and occupations in
the U.S.
What are the
Benefits of a
STEM/STEAM
Curriculum?
In fact, according to a 2016 report
titled “STEM 2026: A Vision for Inno-
vation in STEM Education,” prepared
by the U.S. Department of Education,
analyses indicated that through 2021,
major American companies will need
to add a total of nearly 1.6 million em-
ployees to their workforce: 945,000
who possess basic STEM literacy and
635,000 who demonstrate advanced
STEM knowledge. Other data analyzed
for the 2016 report suggested that at
least 20 percent of U.S. jobs require
a high level of knowledge in any one
STEM field. Even outside the tradition-
al STEM job sector, there is a need for
STEM competencies and skills.
STEM/STEAM stands for science,
technology, engineering, math, and the
arts. It’s a unique approach to teach-
ing and learning that centers on each
student’s learning style and interest.
Students sometimes get bored with just
plain subjects taught one by one. With
STEM/STEAM, subjects are integrated,
allowing kids to think and develop high-
er learning skills that relate to the real
world.
Teachers still teach basic subjects,
but now they are blended to solve prob-
lems. Before, lessons and exams were
just memorization and no linkage to real
life. Now, with STEM teaching, chil-
dren can give feedback and participate
between students. It’s a very hands-on
way to learn.
STEM emphasizes collaboration,
communication, research, problem solv-