If your child is still in elementary school, you must consider teaching them STEM as not only is it going to shape their future, but it makes learning a lot more fun for them. If you are interested in getting to know more, here is all you need to know about STEM in elementary education:
What Is STEM, And Why Is It Important?
It is an acronym that translates to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. This concept talks about teaching the core principles that the modern world runs on. The subjects taught in STEM are very important to lead a successful personal and professional life in the world today. If you take a look around, you will see that these four principle subjects make up most of the jobs and different academic areas in universities.
STEM: What Does It Cover?
However, STEM is not just limited to the teaching of these principles. There is a lot more under the surface. STEM is the name of the teaching methodology that focuses on giving children the education they need without following traditional methods.
STEM focuses more on the practicality of education rather than its theory. Teaching children about different subjects in a more interactive and engaging way helps them retain more information and understand its use in their practical lives.
Benefits Of Early STEM Education
If you start STEM teaching at an early age, you will see many benefits that are not very prominent later on. Children in their earlier years of life are more impressionable, and you can teach them a lot. This is why it is always a good idea to start teaching STEM during these early years. Here are some of the benefits that early STEM education can bring:
Instills A Passion For Learning
Children are very passionate and creative, and going to traditional schools often puts a stop to this. But since STEM education gives students a lot of space to grow and think, they get more passionate about learning. STEM in the early years does not feel like going to school and sitting in front of a teacher explaining things. Instead, it is like sitting in a group with your peers and learning things by engaging their senses.
If your student is passionate about learning in the early years of their lives, then it is more likely for them to be passionate about learning later on too.
Teaches Children To Use Their Creativity
Creative skills are often suppressed in traditional schools. This is because students in these schools are often not asked to think about the answer, but they do get the answer from their teachers. This stops them from thinking and using their creativity. They are often asked to memorize different things, which puts an end to their creativity. This is why STEM is very important in the early years of your children’s lives.
Improves Communication Skills
Communication skills are a must-have if you are a child. Learning to communicate earlier will make sure that you get better at talking to them when you grow up. STEM makes children work in groups, which is a great way for students to practice communicating their thoughts and idea. If you incorporate STEM in the early years, your students will have more advanced communication than people around them.
What Are STEM Activities For Elementary Education
If you are an elementary teacher and are looking for activities that you can incorporate into your classes, then these activities can be of great help.
Matching Games
Teaching math is probably the most difficult task with STEM since teachers need to explain concepts in great depth. Diving deeper into these concepts is always boring for students, which is why you can use number matching games to teach them about different concepts instead. There are many ways you can do this. You can either use whiteboards and markers, or you can use post its.
LEGO
Who does not love LEGOs? These are among the most popular toys for children, and you can use these to teach your children about construction and building. You can ask your children to construct different things such as building, boats, and whatnot so that they can use their skills to come up with different structures. These activities are very important and can even sharpen fine motor skills for your students.
These activities and more can nourish the minds of your students and give them the best exposure.
If you are looking for more activities, you may find many of them online on different platforms. However, you can find the top STEM curriculum in Outschool, with over 400 reviews!