STEM education and engineering are a growing area for elementary classrooms. Many schools and districts across the United States are adopting a STEM program and are encouraging the development of STEM skills. At Pinehurst Elementary School, in Moore County, Mrs. DeMestre is a 5th grade teacher that has fully adopted the use of STEM education! She uses STEM/engineering to enhance her students' understanding of various concepts. If you are wanting to adopt a STEM program in your classroom, check out the responses of Mrs. DeMestre and her students.
Introducing the engineering design process and letting your kids learn through play and experimentation can be scary at first. It is an entirely different approach to teaching. Below are some responses from Mrs. DeMestre and her students on how they handle this challenge!
1.) What does STEM/Engineering in your classroom look like?
"Chaos... in the absolute best sense of the word! Among the inevitable clutter of supplies and building materials, it looks like collaboration and critical thinking at its finest. Students are engaged in small group conversations aimed at tackling challenges and finding creative solutions."
2.) What do you and your kids like most about STEM/Engineering in the classroom?
"What I love most about STEM in our classroom is the innovation. I am always impressed by the variety of approaches to reach a common goal."
Even though there are the inevitable challenges that come with providing this type of education in your classroom, there are also sweet rewards. Not only are students engaged and focused on the task, but STEM challenges foster the use of higher order thinking and application skills. As educators we always want our students to learn, but to enjoy the process of learning. Mrs. DeMestre's 5th graders have fully endorsed the use of STEM/engineering in their classroom. One student reports, "I love building things and being challenged." Another student says that, "STEM challenges teach us to look at a problem in a different way." "You can be creative", and "having to build on a budget because we get to do math" are only some of the many positive responses to this type of learning.
3.) Do STEM/Engineering lessons enhance your students understanding of concepts taught? If so, how?
"STEM lessons definitely enhance students' understand of concepts taught. Each phase of the engineering process requires students to dig deeper and apply what they know. One of the most powerful aspects of the lesson is the "Improve" segment, when students are asked to make revisions for improvement."
4.) Would you recommend to other teachers the use of STEM in their classroom? If so, why?
"Absolutely! STEM is an opportunity for failures and feats to be equally valued. In our classroom we say, "Mistakes are expected, respected, inspected and corrected." Celebrating failure is critical in our endeavor to grow risk-takers."
5.) What is your favorite memory of a STEM/Engineering lesson in your class?
"It is impossible to choose just one favorite memory... LEGO Story Starters are always a huge hit! I love being able to incorporate STEM into our Social Studies curriculum. We use the LEGO Story Starter kits to design scenes depicting major causes of the American Revolution."
With STEM education the opportunities are endless! We are producing independent, inquiring, and critical thinking minds that will expand our future as a nation. The process can be messy and it requires an all hands on deck approach; however, your students and school with reap the benefits of providing this type of learning environment.
~Deanna Boesch
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