There was nothing better than checking my Google Alerts to find something familiar come across. The Sun Gazette is the newspaper I watched my parents read daily during breakfast. Now, living in Texas, I was overwhelmed by nostalgia when the this article came across my email.
It seems to be a wonderful trend in many areas, including Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Local universities and colleges are conducting festivals and open houses for young learners. Typically centered around STEAM concepts, many exhibits feature hands-on activities for students to experience. As educators, we know that there is no better learning experience than "doing," and these festivals are allowing children to do just that.
In the article, Bill Lundy, a teacher from St. John Newman said,
Image by Pat Crossley, Williamsport Sun Gazette
It seems to be a wonderful trend in many areas, including Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Local universities and colleges are conducting festivals and open houses for young learners. Typically centered around STEAM concepts, many exhibits feature hands-on activities for students to experience. As educators, we know that there is no better learning experience than "doing," and these festivals are allowing children to do just that.
In the article, Bill Lundy, a teacher from St. John Newman said,
"We’re preparing them for jobs that don’t exist to use technology that has yet to be invented, to solve problems that they don’t even know are problems, so we’re really teaching these kids how to think.”What an impactful statement, that shows the true importance of exposing children to these technologies early in life. Our students today, are the future of tomorrow. By giving them problem solving skills, inspiring questioning and critical thinking, students are able to adapt and prepare for the future work force.
I couldn't agree more! This is such a powerful statement and a huge challenge for both teachers and students today. Technology is always changing so it makes it challenging at times to keep up. But to try to help students become ready for jobs and technology that hasn't yet been invented it becomes particularly challenging. It is important that we as teachers are taking as much PD as possible and staying up to date on new technology and teaching tools. Thanks for sharing! -Lauren
ReplyDeleteThat must have been so nice to find an article that was familiar to you. I think that it is very important to teach students how to think and not just content. STEM is a way to do both. Every year our school hosts a STEM night that is similar to the ones described in the article. We get to spend time with students and their families while participating in activities that are STEM related. It is always a hit with the families, I can't imagine how cool it would be if the students were able to do the same thing with colleges.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful event for students! Looking at that photo takes me back to my fifth grade science fair. We all took our projects to a large college event area to be judged by real scientists, technicians, and engineers. I can remember speaking to the judges vividly, and remember asking them about their careers in awe. We even had the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities like these students did. This article is a great reminder that there are so many talented people behind every new and innovative technology tool. These events are a great way for students to envision themselves in their shoes one day!
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