Provide a general description of the learning experiences in which the STEM students were most successful. Additionally, generally describe the learning experiences that need improvement for greater student success.
At Fairforest Elementary School, we strive to provide challenging, engaging, exciting STEM experiences for ALL of our students. Our STEM curriculum is not a pre-made program that we have purchased, nor is it an exclusive class that selects participants based on aptitude or achievement. As a school with a very diverse, often underserved population of students, we know that it is vital to introduce all of our children to the real-world concepts of STEM and its significance outside of our school walls. In our efforts to give our students a meaningful, authentic STEM experience, our teachers have taken on the challenge of building their own curricula, which are integrated across subject areas and are designed to meet the needs of each unique class at our school.
During the 2014-2015 school year, our faculty participated in a year-long professional development designed to help us bring STEM experiences into the classroom. As a result of this training, our teachers began working with grade-level colleagues to improve upon previously designed lessons and units, by seeking out authentic, engaging connections between content area learning and the real world. While this shift has not come about quickly or without obstacles, the results have been outstanding. Fifth grade students built scale-model trenches in their classrooms during their study of World War I. Third graders learned about the devastation caused by earthquakes, by building houses on Jell-o foundations. Kindergarten students conducted "surgery" on a pumpkin to investigate and discuss the characteristics of living things. As teachers began to shift their focus from direct instruction to more student-led inquiry, our children responded with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a greater willingness to identify and solve problems.
The efforts of our school and district in terms of technology integration have also been instrumental in our continuing success with STEM. During the 2014-2015 school year, our district adopted a learning management system (itslearning), which has enabled teachers to explore the concepts of blended instruction and place more responsibility and opportunity for learning in the students' hands. Much like our STEM initiative, this has been a gradual process, but one that has had a huge impact on our students and teachers. Teachers required training on how to use the learning management system, but most of our educators have discovered ways to make this technology truly helpful for their students and themselves.
Additionally, the number of devices that we have placed in students' hands has had a huge impact. In grades 3-5, we are now at a 1:1 ratio for students and laptops. In grades K-2, all classes have a laptop for every two students. Technology integration has long been a focus of our school and district; Promethean boards (and the required teacher training) have been present in our schools since 2008. However, this next step of placing the devices and resources directly in our students' hands--rather than at the front of the classroom--has made a huge difference in our ability to bring STEM and inquiry-based learning to our children.
STEM experiences outside of regular class time have been highly successful for our students as well. Since 2009-2010, our school has partnered with Michelin in order to provide mentorship, tutoring, and STEM-based activities for our school. The involvement of our Michelin volunteers ranges from individual tutors, to "push-in" classroom helpers, to guest speakers and demonstrators. yet all volunteers work with their assigned teachers to create the best possible experiences for the students in their classrooms.
Before and after school, students have opportunities to continue their STEM learning. Our school offers several extracurricular clubs and activities that focus on at least one aspect of STEM and enable students to explore and take charge of their own learning and accomplishments. These clubs include an online newspaper staff, Minecraft Club, robotics club, comic book club, and math club. These activities have proved to be wildly popular among our students this year, and our teachers have been encouraged to see this level of enthusiasm and understanding transferring over to the regular classroom as well.
Finally, our school has been fortunate to add two new positions this year: a full-time reading coach and technology integration specialist. These STEM educators have created several school-wide events and activities which have focused on literacy instruction as well as STEM concepts. All students participated in a school-wide "Goldilocks Challenge" in December and completed the Hour of Code. Many also attended a family STEAM Night in January. These events have helped to keep teachers and students focused on STEM and engaging problem-solving activities, while removing some of the burden of time and planning from classroom teachers. Additionally, our reading coach and technology integration specialist have been able to assist teachers as needed throughout the year, by helping to plan activities and teaching model lessons at the teacher's request.
Although we have made great strides in terms of STEM education and student-led inquiry at our school, we know that improvement is always a possibility, and it is something that we constantly strive for. Our STEM training and learning management system arrived at the same time for our teachers, so there was a great deal of change taking place in one school year. While we have been successful in making a gradual shift in instruction and keeping morale high, it is inevitable that our STEM educators have, at times, experienced frustration and/or resistance to change. We are fully aware that high-quality STEM instruction is an ongoing process, and that our work as educators is never "done." Common planning time, integrated curricula, collaboration among and between grade levels, and the continuous desire to bring the best to our students have served us well over the years...and will continue to do so as we take our next steps as a STEM school.
Provide examples of how the STEM educators and facilitators implement and sustain the core tenets of an effective and age-appropriate STEM curriculum.
Much of what we do at Fairforest Elementary to implement and sustain an effective, age-appropriate STEM curriculum depends upon two constant expectations for all of our educators: we must know our students well, and we must care about providing them with the best possible opportunities. Since our STEM program is school-wide, we don't offer any isolated "STEM-focused" classes or recruit students for any particular program. Rather, we strive to bring a high-quality, STEM-based education into all areas of the classroom. Our level of success as STEM educators and facilitators depends upon our willingness to work collaboratively among and across grade levels, stay current on effective tools and practices, and our ability to monitor and tailor our instruction to meet the needs of each student in our classrooms.
Grade level and related arts teachers have common planning times, which allow for teachers to meet and work together on upcoming projects. Additionally, these common planning times regularly include meetings with our school's reading coach and/or technology integration specialist, in order to ensure that all teachers are confident and prepared to challenge their students with inquiry-based activities.
Our teachers are also willing to invest the extra time and effort that it takes to stay up-to-date on the best tools and strategies for the STEM classroom. Recently, our educators have participated in a variety of trainings, conferences, and professional development programs, including:
Most importantly, our teachers make it a top priority to build meaningful relationships with their students. This is possibly our greatest strength in terms of bringing a successful STEM curriculum to our school. Since our STEM educators are constantly building inquiry-based lessons and units from scratch--taking into account each student in his or her class--activities are designed with individual children in mind. Every STEM educator at our school teaches students from a variety of typically under-served populations (ESOL, special education, and poverty), along with a number of students who are gifted in multiple areas. When our STEM educators come together for collaborative planning, they share ideas and then apply them in the way that is best suited to their particular classes. One teacher may carry out an activity in an entirely different way than another, because he or she has determined what is right for a unique set of students, their strengths, and their needs. At Fairforest Elementary School, we teach children, rather than standards or curricula; this focus on our students enables us to easily integrate the real-world connections and the inquiry that characterizes STEM, in a way that is exciting, engaging, and accessible to all.
Grade level and related arts teachers have common planning times, which allow for teachers to meet and work together on upcoming projects. Additionally, these common planning times regularly include meetings with our school's reading coach and/or technology integration specialist, in order to ensure that all teachers are confident and prepared to challenge their students with inquiry-based activities.
Our teachers are also willing to invest the extra time and effort that it takes to stay up-to-date on the best tools and strategies for the STEM classroom. Recently, our educators have participated in a variety of trainings, conferences, and professional development programs, including:
- SCCGE Conference (“Super Duper STEM Projects for Gifted Learners,” “Project Based Learning for the Gifted child,” and “Creating a Digit-Rich Classroom for GT Learners”)
- PSSCA Conference (“School Counselor’s Role in STEM Career Development”)
- Common Core Math Training with District Math Coach
- EnlightenSC Energy-Focused Education
- SC EdTech Conference
- Energy and the Environment- A STEM Workshop for Teachers
- Muse Machine at USC Upstate ("Stem to Steam")
- Roper Mountain's Science Plus Institute (Grade 3 Earth Science)
- Lego Training ("Build to Express" and "Lego Storystarter")
Most importantly, our teachers make it a top priority to build meaningful relationships with their students. This is possibly our greatest strength in terms of bringing a successful STEM curriculum to our school. Since our STEM educators are constantly building inquiry-based lessons and units from scratch--taking into account each student in his or her class--activities are designed with individual children in mind. Every STEM educator at our school teaches students from a variety of typically under-served populations (ESOL, special education, and poverty), along with a number of students who are gifted in multiple areas. When our STEM educators come together for collaborative planning, they share ideas and then apply them in the way that is best suited to their particular classes. One teacher may carry out an activity in an entirely different way than another, because he or she has determined what is right for a unique set of students, their strengths, and their needs. At Fairforest Elementary School, we teach children, rather than standards or curricula; this focus on our students enables us to easily integrate the real-world connections and the inquiry that characterizes STEM, in a way that is exciting, engaging, and accessible to all.
STEM at Fairforest Elementary School
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