How do you promote STEM education?

Schools should encourage young students and toddlers to read science books and participate in fairs by making projects, models and posters to foster a thinking of innovation and curiosity. I remember during my childhood days, my school teachers used to push us to participate actively in maths olympiads, science projects and ensured they were a part of our curriculum. This instilled in me a hunger to know more and shaped my personality.

STEM education starts with Science... and this needs to start at elementary (primary) school. Many K-7 teachers lack the confidence to deliver relevant science lessons, and they often lack the resources as well. One way we are empowering teachers to deliver hands-on engaging science lessons is through a shared community library of resources. This allows schools to all access quality resources at a fraction of the cost. It's a novel way of raising scientific literacy and the uptake has been phenomenal. We've modified and improved the model for 11 years. I'm happy to share ideas on how you can make this a reality in your community as well. Regards, Chris from New Zealand.

Inspiring students and children to create, invent, and solve problems with hands-on learning can foster a love of STEM early on. I was with my nieces and nephews a few weeks ago when I brought home a squishy water beads kit that deepened science awareness and exposed us to chemistry concepts. Not to mention, they loved the calming aspect of squishy beads with some SEL integration! When we poured water into a container with the clear squishy beads, my four-year-old nephew blurted out "What the heck?!" once they 'disappeared.' We had the best time embracing science, STEM, and 'magic' into our at-home science kit :) They were eager for more! Instilling excitement early on is key to building a solid STEM foundation.

I sponsor a Summer STREAM Camp!!! We read STEM books connect art and math and complete Science technology and Engineering activities and field trips . Grades prek-6. Leadership development 7th and up

From climate change to water scarcity, the demand for innovative solutions is clear. Educators must inspire students to be problem solvers and awaken their passion for making a difference. By showcasing real-world solutions from leading businesses, we demonstrate how STEM skills are applied practically. Young entrepreneurs have already made groundbreaking contributions, like apps reducing water usage and sustainable irrigation tech. This underscores STEM's transformative role in addressing global challenges and empowers students to make a meaningful impact.

Text sets are a wonderful way to make cross-curricular connections and deepen knowledge around STEM concepts. Incorporate texts from a variety of genres and media to gradually build depth of understanding, vocabulary, and academic language. We know that rich content knowledge supports reading comprehension and language development as well, making STEM-focused text sets a powerful instructional strategy for multilingual learners and developing readers as well.

Recently, I had the opportunity to demonstrate an app designed to save water to a group of students. Among them was a young girl who initially showed little interest in the topic. Her passion lay in becoming a designer, and she saw little connection between her aspirations and the world of water conservation. However, as I delved into the importance of design in the success of the app, her curiosity piqued. I explained how the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design were crucial elements in making the app user-friendly and effective. Suddenly, she saw the potential for her skills as a designer to contribute to sustainable businesses and initiatives.

Every young individual harbors the potential to be a changemaker. With proper guidance and resources, they can drive innovative breakthroughs and societal progress. As the world evolves, so must our educational approach. Traditional methods fall short in preparing future leaders; we must bridge the gap between education and the real world to ignite passion in youth; they must have their own answer to WHY they want to do it. Only then will STEM education hold true meaning for them.