This article originally appeared on Vernier’s blog and is reposted here with permission.

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible over the United States, starting in Texas. This upcoming eclipse event is an exciting opportunity to incorporate phenomenon-based learning into your instruction and engage your students through inquiry.

Here are some tips for making the most out of this rare occasion as you study it with your students.

1. Never look directly at the sun, except if you are in the path of totality during the few minutes of totality

Look at the sun only through special filters or glasses designed specifically for that purpose. Do not use welding glasses or any other dark glasses, unless they are specifically made for looking at the sun. 

View a Total Eclipse with Glasses
Wear the glasses to look at the sun in the time leading up to the total eclipse, take them off just briefly during totality, then put the glasses back on. Totality will last up to four minutes, but the duration will vary by location. The brightness of the sky will dim to a point where planets may start to become visible. As totality ends, you will see what is called the Diamond Ring (the first rays of light from the sun sneaking by the side of the moon). This signals that it is time to put the eclipse glasses back on.

View a Partial Solar Eclipse with Glasses
Much of the US will have partial eclipses during this event. If you are in a region with a partial eclipse, be sure to never look at the sun without eclipse glasses.

Watch an Eclipse with a Solar Projector
Another way to safely watch the eclipse is to make a solar projector or pinhole camera. These systems project the image of the sun on a white screen, and you can safely look at it as much as you like. There are lots of great plans for how to set this up on the internet. Learn how to make a pinhole camera here.

Learn more about eye safety from NASA here.

2. Be prepared

If you are in the region of totality, eclipse day will be a day you will never forget. Plan ahead to make sure you leave lots of time to get to the location you have selected. There will be lots of people traveling to the zone of totality, and there may be major traffic jams.

If you want to sound knowledgeable about the eclipse, familiarize yourself with these terms:

• First Contact
• Second Contact
• Third Contact
• Fourth Contact
• Sunspots
• Corona
• Prominences
• Bailey’s Beads
• Shadow Bands
• Diamond Ring

It takes at least an hour from First Contact, when the moon first starts obscuring the sun, until totality (or the peak of the partial eclipse, if you are not in the zone of totality). You then have the same amount of time after the eclipse until the sun is completely unblocked.

There are many opportunities to investigate this phenomenon: temperature changes as the eclipse proceeds, wind speed variations as totality approaches, sky color changes as totality approaches, animal behavior changes, and more. You and your students will be very excited during totality and the time just before. It is easy to make mistakes in that situation, so practice taking data in a “trial run” before eclipse day.

3. Study the light level

As the moon gradually blocks more and more of the sun, you would certainly expect to see an associated change in the light level. Is there a direct relationship between the reading and the fraction of the sun that is visible?

• Visible light level measured with Go Direct^® Light and Color Sensor or Light Sensor
• UVA measured with Go Direct Light and Color Sensor or UVA Sensor
• Total solar radiation with Go Direct Pyranometer or Pyranometer
• Light color with Go Direct Light and Color Sensor

Compare the light levels before and after the total eclipse. The data above were collected in Oregon during the 2017 total eclipse. The eclipse was at totality at 10:18 am (PDT), and the sun continued to rise throughout the duration of the eclipse. The sun angle was 41 degrees at totality and greater after totality. Levels were higher after the eclipse, especially the UV levels because there is less atmosphere to dissipate the sun’s UV rays as the sun’s angle increases.

4. Investigate emission spectra

You often hear that the sky gets bluer as totality approaches during an eclipse. Is it really true? Use the Go Direct SpectroVis^® Plus Spectrometer with the Vernier Spectrophotometer Optical Fiber to collect an emission spectrum every few minutes as the eclipse proceeds and compare.

On a (rare) sunny day in March in Oregon, we captured an emission spectrum to demonstrate how to collect emissions spectra during an eclipse. Data were collected by pointing the optical fiber down at a piece of white paper on the ground. By varying the distance from the paper to the optical fiber, you can vary the intensity of the spectrum.

Sample data collected with the Go Direct SpectroVis Plus Spectrophotometer

When collecting data with the Go Direct SpectroVis Plus Spectrophotometer, the sample time was changed to 15 ms from the default 50 ms to avoid maxing out the reading at some wavelengths. To do this, choose Set Up Sensors from the Experiment menu. Choose the spectrophotometer, and then change the sample time.

The emission spectrum you see plotted is not a calibrated emission spectrum. That is, because the intensity at wavelength A is double the intensity at wavelength B, we cannot say that the energy delivered at wavelength A is double that delivered at wavelength B. The intensity is really a combination of how much light there is at that wavelength and how sensitive the detector is to that wavelength. If you always use the same instrument, you can compare the relative intensities at different wavelengths. For example, the widely reported phenomenon of the sky turning bluer as the eclipse approaches totality should show up in these spectra. The relative height of the blue intensities should increase as compared to the red wavelength intensities.

5. Examine temperature changes

Since we are interested in air temperature in this case, a sensor that responds quickly to changes in air temperature would be best. The Go Direct Surface Temperature Sensor or Surface Temperature Sensor will work best for this application.

The data above were collected during the 2017 total eclipse in Oregon.

6. Compare the wind speed.

During a total eclipse, you often get changes in temperature and there can be wind speed changes, as well. Use the Go Direct Weather System to measure the wind speed in one direction only. Mount the sensor on a tripod (not included) and orient it so that it points into the wind.

7. Take pictures

First, make sure that you never look through a camera directly at the sun. Don’t even point your camera toward the sun without a solar filter on it. You could damage your eyes.

• Be sure to bring a tripod to steady and mount your camera.
• Except during the brief period of totality, only photograph the sun through a filter designed specifically for that purpose.
• During totality, do not use a filter.
• Use a long focal length lens.
• Consider taking photos or even a video of the excited people around you during the eclipse.

The tremendous variation in light levels before and during the eclipse can make photography challenging, so don’t forget to enjoy the experience. There will be plenty of great photos available after the event from professional photographers. You might want to concentrate on capturing photos or videos of the excited people around you during the eclipse.

Share your data and pictures with us!

We encourage you to collect data and send it to us. It will be interesting to compare data taken by different student/teacher groups in different regions of the country. You can also post data and results on social media with the hashtag #VernierEclipse

Are you ready for the 2024 total solar eclipse? Explore Vernier eclipse resources.

Related:
For more news on STEM, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM hub
Launching a districtwide computer science program for all grades
5 helpful hacks for managing a STEM classroom

Key points:

• Every student can be a math person—we just need the right resources
• Friday 5: STEAM education in action
• How this middle school teacher gets students to challenge themselves in math
• For more news on math learning, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM hub

Say what you will about the universality of numbers and symbols; I’d politely argue that it does not follow that mathematics is a universal language. The problem for many struggling math students is that often those “universal” numbers and symbols hide in surrounding contexts of unfamiliar vocabulary, settings, and narratives.

As math educators, we can help those students by finding ways to relate their classroom learning to more recognizable cultural frames of reference that are authentic to the range of experiences in the room. In the process, math can actually become a universal thread to connect many types of content and learners. Number sense and quantities are some of the very few things that tie us together in a common experience.

Through my own work in the classroom with students and educators, I’ve discovered a few key ways to change the narrative around math.

Math is joyful!

Math should be an exciting space to be in, one that’s connected to experiences outside of the textbook or classroom. It should be joyful. But for multilingual students like me whose native language is not English, the math classroom can be a daunting place.

I’m a first-generation Dominican American. My mother’s emphasis on speaking Spanish in our home was one of the best things to happen to me—because of her decision, I’m bilingual today. But although I was a stellar student academically, I struggled in math. The linguistic supports I received in other content areas were not as present during math, in large part because of the assumption that math is a universal language.

Despite these experiences, I found my love for math as I became an elementary teacher after earning a master’s degree in education. My years as a classroom teacher and instructional math coach showed me that math not only is fun, and can be found everywhere, but every single person is capable of learning and excelling in the subject.  

Through my years in the classroom, I saw many students who reminded me of my early learning self–cautious and or apprehensive of math and their abilities to learn it. While educators provide many scaffolds to help our students learn math, we need to make sure that we integrate content and language into those frameworks. We should teach—and students should learn—them simultaneously.

Every student can be a math person

As a society we’ve considered math a gatekeeper to opportunities. Excel in math and you can pursue a wealth of STEM and other rewarding careers.

Unfortunately, we’ve also conveyed the idea that “some people are not innately math people.” This mindset and belief system could not be further from the truth. In many cases, struggling students simply have not had equitable access to math due to language barriers, underperforming schools, socio-economic issues, or other challenges. But we now have a wealth of resources and proven methodologies to ensure that every student knows and believes from the beginning that they are, in fact, a math person.

Instead of being an opportunity-killing gatekeeper, math can be the bridge builder, a pathway to choice and opportunity, and the thread that connects students to richer learning and life experiences.

Relate math to your students’ cultural frameworks

Educators can start by employing a culturally sustaining pedagogy, tapping into the unique experiences that each learner brings into the classroom. We must invite our students into the learning process as their whole selves, complete with their individuality, differences, and cultural diversity. Then we need to relate the math to each student’s cultural frame of reference, encouraging them to develop (and sustain) their own cultural and mathematical identities while seeing themselves as capable learners.

Utilizing digital learning tools to help improve and support meaningful student participation in math discussions is a key way to bridge this gap. Incorporating translanguaging during class can also encourage students to use their full linguistic repertoire to navigate the content. Language is complex, and we know that navigating it doesn’t always adhere to the silos of one or two. Students may know more or need more help than they’re able to express in any single language.

Math connects content and learners

All students benefit from storytelling and other integrating techniques; relevant and thought-provoking conversations elevate student voices and engage learners. Using storytelling during math instruction can:

• Provide context and make numbers on a page come to life. Math isn’t just 2 + 2 = 4. It’s two baskets for a four-point lead at halftime.
• Bridge mathematical learning to a world beyond the classroom. Teachers can help students see how math animates science, history, music, social studies, art, and sports.
• Restore, affirm, and sustain positive mathematical identities.

In teaching math, we also can’t lose sight of early numeracy. We need to be aware of unfinished learning–not every student comes into class at grade level; taking the time to learn about the whole child and their unique points of view will go a long way in nurturing their joy for learning and, in particular, mathematics.

Key points:

• New learning tools encourage all children to see themselves as engineers and problem solvers poised to make a difference in the world
• First-ever National STEM Festival welcomes student innovators
• Elementary-level STEM education fosters our future innovators
• For more news on engineering curriculum, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM hub

Bringing public science learning beyond its onsite exhibits and programs, the Museum of Science, Boston has launched Youth Engineering Solutions (YES), a collection of preK-8 engineering and STEM curricula designed to engage students in authentic, hands-on challenges connected to their lives and communities.

YES draws on more than three decades of research and development by the Museum’s PreK-12 education division, under the leadership of founding director Dr. Christine Cunningham, senior vice president of STEM Learning at the Museum of Science.

Applying a new model for equity-oriented and socially engaged engineering learning developed by the education division, YES encourages all children to see themselves as engineers and passionate problem solvers poised to make a difference in the world. 

The demand for high-quality, standards-aligned learning resources for students and their educators is tremendous. Nationwide, the pandemic has exacerbated preexisting educational inequalities and led to steep academic declines in both math and reading that have not yet stabilized. According to National Assessment of Educational Progress test results, roughly two decades of academic progress has been lost during the pandemic.

Free of charge and aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), YES curricula respond to this great need. Each unit challenges students to address a significant real-world problem. Drawing on scientific knowledge, learners brainstorm designs, and then build, test, and analyze them iteratively to generate original solutions. As they collaboratively engage in real engineering practices and persist through failure, students strengthen their STEM and language proficiency, simultaneously.

“We are dedicated to empowering children to become lifelong STEM learners and practitioners,” said Tim Ritchie, president of the Museum of Science. “Equity-oriented and socially engaged, Youth Engineering Solutions is the newest program of our award-winning curricula division. It will be available to educators free of charge to ensure equal access and provide opportunities for students, everywhere, to reach their full potential as budding engineers.” 

YES units situate every lesson in a societal context, spurring students to consider the impacts of both scientific problems and engineered solutions on different individuals, groups, and systems. Through engineering challenges that have many viable solutions, learners are encouraged to value diverse approaches and reflect on the social, environmental, and ethical implications of their proposed designs. 

Twelve initial units have been released in elementary, middle, and out-of-school, the latter supported by the National Science Foundation. Each begins with a story, comic, or video featuring diverse narrators who situate the problems under consideration in context, model engineering behaviors, and introduce age-appropriate engineering design processes. Through YES curricula, students will engineer sun hats, nightlights, filters to reduce plastic waste entering the ocean, eco-friendly slippers, medicine coolers, rescue shuttles, and more.

Generously funded by MathWorks, each of the YES Middle School units is accompanied by two computer science modules that demonstrate how computational thinking approaches and tools can facilitate engineering problem solving. These computer science modules leverage free MATLAB interactives, enabling students to engage with a programming and numeric computing platform used by scientists and engineers across the world. 

“We have spent four years working collaboratively with teachers to develop materials that encourage students to bring their talents, ideas, and creativity to generate solutions to real-world engineering problems,” said Cunningham. “We are pleased to share these resources with the goal of educating the next generation of STEM and engineering leaders who will thoughtfully shape the world in which we live for the good of all of us.”

YES units and curricular materials, including a Teacher Guide, Student Engineering Notebooks, Classroom Slides, Family Resources, and Assessment Tools, are available for educators to download free-of-charge at yes.mos.org. As part of the Museum’s Year of the Earthshot, a yearlong focus on the climate solutions that will help us live more sustainably on Earth, many of the units feature environmentally themed challenges. 

Youth Engineering Solutions (YES) has been generously supported by the Museum’s Premier Partner MathWorks and the National Science Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Pennsylvania State University.

This press release originally appeared online.

Key points:

• STEAM education creates capable and insightful students
• Elementary-level STEM education fosters our future innovators
• 4 ways to use ChatGPT in your STEM classroom
• For more on STEAM education trends, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

STEAM education–science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics–prepares students for success beyond high school by helping them develop much-needed durable skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving.

An integrated STEAM education also puts students on the path to success with higher test scores, stronger attendance records, better disciplinary records, and increased engagement and graduation rates.

STEAM education is trending at an opportune time: The COVID-19 pandemic caused learning loss across the board, and a STEAM-centered curriculum that engages students while weaving important 21st-century education principles into real-world lessons is critical for success.

Let’s take a closer look at STEAM education:

What is an example of STEAM education?

Makerspaces are a great example of STEAM learning, letting students combine creativity and art elements into more traditional STEM topics. School makerspaces have emerged as centers of creativity, problem solving, collaboration, and more. These skills–often referred to as soft skills, but also known as durable skills for their importance in the workplace–are a focus of 21st-century classrooms. These days, school libraries often include makerspaces and librarians are becoming well-versed in the coding, robotics, engineering, and tinkering skills necessary to help students bring their ideas to fruition. Let’s look at some STEAM education facts: Here are 5 resources (digital and non-digital) for school makerspaces that might be worth a look.

What does STEAM do for education?

As STEM has risen in prominence over the past decade, arts education has yet to achieve the same recognition and integration. In order to provide a rich, robust, and inclusive curriculum for youth, STEM needs to evolve to STEAM. And in many ways, that transition is already taking place as technology and engineering drive the next wave of art and creative expression. You can’t have one without the other. As our digital world encompasses new storytelling mediums across design, audio engineering, music production, digital art, and more, new unique skill sets are required to prepare young people for careers of the future. STEAM education principles need to become embedded into media production, music production, and graphic design to enable the next wave of innovation and creativity needed for these major technological shifts. STEAM education lesson plans can incorporate so many learning principles. Here’s why creativity is essential in today’s curriculum.

What is STEAM and STEM activity?

Much STEM and STEAM activity happens in labs. A STEM or STEAM lab is an environment where students, irrespective of grade, can come together and actively participate in hands-on STEM and STEAM learning. These educational spaces encourage active learning and problem solving. In these STEM laboratories, students can develop their science, engineering, and mathematics skills by using technology to create, collaborate, and complete projects–learning and applying knowledge to find new solutions. Imagine a technology-enhanced learning environment where everything is student-centered and supports theme and project-based learning–that’s a STEM lab! And these are just a few STEM and STEAM education examples. Here are 4 ideas to consider when creating a STEM or STEAM lab.

What is the value of STEAM education?

Science, technology, engineering, and math are broad but dynamic subjects that contain innumerable and specific learning concepts. Arts and sciences have traditionally been perceived as different subjects with few commonalities, and STEM programs often omit the arts from the conversation. But with a STEAM-centered curriculum, students are trained to introduce design, agile thinking, and creative solutions to solve social and scientific problems and bring new inventions to fruition. What’s more, a multi-subject approach to a STEAM education promotes deeper conceptual learning and career self-determination, and prepares youth for interdisciplinary STEAM careers in a rapidly changing workplace. So, what’s the impact of STEAM education? A STEAM learning approach encourages collaboration to understand and distill new concepts. By integrating the arts, a STEAM-centered curriculum uses tools such as quantitative visualization or fine arts imagery to deepen one’s understanding of science, math, and technology. Here’s why students will benefit from STEAM learning.

What are 3 benefits of STEM?

A new study at the University of Missouri–in partnership with Harvard-Smithsonian researchers–shows that when colleges host ‘STEM Career Days,’ the students who attend are far more likely to pursue a career in a STEM-related field. The findings not only highlight the benefits of college recruiters introducing high school students to STEM-related opportunities, but they can also help increase and diversify the STEM workforce in the United States. The benefits of STEAM education and STEM learning help students develop much-needed skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration. Students learn how to navigate challenging situations regardless of what career field they pursue. STEM learning benefits are invaluable.

Key points:

• Classroom management fosters an environment where students feel encouraged to explore and experiment
• Elementary-level STEM education fosters our future innovators
• STEM programs can’t keep up with AI–let’s focus on Power Skills
• For more news on STEM education, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

Every classroom is a busy place, but STEM-specific classrooms are built on collaboration, communication, and hands-on inquiry. Things are bound to be extra noisy and energetic. This isn’t a bad thing–it’s “the sound of learning,” as a coworker of mine once put it! However, it does mean that STEM classrooms require skilled management to keep students focused on their tasks. So, how do we as educators foster an environment of engagement and creativity without stifling our students’ curiosity?

In my experience, educators looking to create a STEM-centered classroom can take advantage of five teaching hacks which allow them to manage students while still fostering a growth mindset:

Hack 1: Material management

The first challenge in a STEM classroom is material management. To streamline material usage, students should know where materials are located, how to access them, when they can use them, and the appropriate ways to use them. Providing visual aids like stop signs and bin cheat sheets enhances understanding. This creates a clear picture of where and how their learning takes place.

Hack 2: Teach collaboration

Building a collaborative environment is fundamental in STEM education. Effective communication skills are vital for creating an inclusive atmosphere where every voice is heard and valued. This means teaching students not just how to speak, but how to listen as well. When speaking, students should be clear, concise, and prepared to ask deeper questions. When listening, they should avoid interruptions, withhold judgment, and learn to take verbal cues.  

Hack 3: Keep it real

Interest-driven learning empowers students to independently question, explore, and solve real-world problems. Consider addressing issues like earthquake safety, oil spill cleanup, or snow removal. These lessons not only impart practical information, but they also show students their education is something that can be applied to the real world–including their homes and communities. Best of all, it’s great for fostering students’ critical thinking, curiosity, and confidence.

Hack 4: Cultivate curiosity

Cultivating curiosity is crucial for student engagement and passion for STEM. Educators can model curiosity by introducing diverse perspectives, offering choice, and asking proactive questions. For instance, you could test them with the viral image of the blue dress to teach them about different perspectives, then ask them to ponder the science behind the image. This hack is great for promoting independent thinking and increases classroom participation!

Hack 5: Nurture growth

If you never fail, you’re not trying new things. Encourage students to embrace failure as a part of the learning process. Show them the positive power of failure by sharing inspiring stories of individuals who learned and persevered from their disappointments (Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, and Oprah Winfrey are just a few!). By empowering students to fail like a champion, we teach them how to set goals and learn from their experiences.

It’s important to remember that classroom management isn’t about maintaining order but creating an environment where students feel encouraged to explore, experiment, and engage with the material. By taking advantage of these five teaching hacks, educators can give students the freedom they need while still providing them with structure and a positive learning environment. Above all, remember to have fun. It’s in STEM classrooms like these that the next generation of great thinkers are grown!  

Key points:

• Virtual field trips can help engage students in critical STEM education
• 8 virtual field trips for STEM education
• How to elevate climate literacy for future scientists
• For more news on virtual field trips, visit eSN’s Digital Learning page

Climate change is an increasingly important subject in school curriculums. Today’s students will almost certainly inherit a climate-affected world and will need to understand the mechanisms of global warming if they are to grow into climate-conscious, civic-minded members of society.

However, many students are dissuaded from pursuing environmental science due to mundane textbooks and complex diagrams. This is a serious issue, as students will need an in-depth understanding of greenhouse gases and ecological damage in the future.

Educators can engage students and build excitement around environmental science using the latest virtual reality (VR) technology. This tech can even take students on virtual field trips, meaning they can virtually visit climate-affected areas from the safety and comfort of the classroom.

Building empathy

Educators can build interest in combating climate change and help kids understand the stakes by utilizing virtual reality headsets. These headsets can take them to climate-affected regions and bring them face-to-face with the Earth’s most fragile ecosystems. This can be a transformative experience that builds empathy with folks who live overseas and in areas most likely to be affected by climate change.

VR headsets can help students understand the stakes for other animals, too. Laura McGinty, a high school biology teacher in Seattle, learned this firsthand when she incorporated VR tech in her classroom. She found that students were moved by the “rich, real experience” that VR provides and finally understood that climate change was decimating penguin colonies and destroying ecosystems around the globe.

This sentiment is echoed by Mitchell Tartt, who heads the Conservation Science Division at the National Marine Sanctuaries. Tartt explains that few students will ever get the chance to scuba dive and see the devastation that climate change causes to coastlines and coral reefs. However, VR acts as a “phenomenally effective learning tool” that helps students connect with issues and ecosystems that they do not have a chance to encounter first-hand.

Climate change in the classroom

Climate change represents a meaningful threat to ecosystems around the world. However, any teacher who has addressed the issue in class knows that it can be a little dry. This is a real problem, as students need to be engaged in their learning if they are to understand the mechanism of climate change.

Virtual reality can spark interest in climate change and unleash the creativity of students by giving kids access to information in innovative ways. For example, educators who want to help students understand solutions to climate change can take their classroom on a virtual field trip to Boeing’s base in Seattle via the ecoAction Virtual Field Trip.

The ecoAction Virtual Field Trip gives students an opportunity to learn more about water use, resource preservation, and waste management without leaving the classroom. The ecoAction shows students possible career pathways in STEM, too, which may help traditionally underrepresented students imagine themselves in roles related to climate science.

When leveraged correctly, VR-driven climate field trips can help students understand how climate change will affect their day-to-day lives in the future, too. For example, teachers can use VR to simulate extreme weather conditions that affect drivers like snow, heatwaves, and flooding. This can give students practical experience with dangerous driving conditions such as lack of visibility from a blizzard whiteout scenario and may even save a life during a storm or heatwave.

Increasing STEM engagement

Virtual reality experiences can help kids become climate conscious and understand the mechanics behind global warming. This can meaningfully improve STEM engagement, as students who connect with STEM via VR and climate change are more likely to understand why the field is so important.

Virtual field trips can also increase inclusion and boost diversity in STEM. Virtual field trips that support the climate curriculum can help traditionally underserved students overcome common barriers to engagement like poor funding and inequity of opportunity. Teachers who bring VR into the classroom ensure that students are still able to learn from hands-on experiences without having to pay expensive travel fees.

Boosting diversity in STEM can minimize the risk of bias in coding algorithms, too. This is crucial, as many of tomorrow’s problems will be solved with a combination of human ingenuity and artificial intelligence. As such, minimizing the risk of bias should be a priority for STEM leaders who want to combat climate change with high-tech solutions.

Increasing diversity and boosting participation in STEM is particularly important today, as climate-literate communities will likely be more resilient than climate-illiterate areas. Communities that are climate-literate can prepare for the future by making collective efforts to minimize the impact of global warming. Teachers can easily boost climate literacy by using VR to:

• Represent data in unique ways that help visual learners better understand the issue
• Provide real-time updates to the class as the semester progresses
• Bring the sights and sounds of climate-affected animals into the classroom using apps like iNaturalist

These VR-integrated pedagogical techniques give students hands-on experience with climate science and make lessons feel real. This can be particularly beneficial for students who struggle to engage with traditional STEM lessons. Real-time eco-system updates and visual experiences can help students connect with the lesson plan and will build excitement around the field of environmental science.

Looking ahead

Virtual field trips can help students become climate literate and improve engagement in STEM classrooms. This is critical today, as many of the challenges we face require an empathetic, informed approach to critical thinking and climate advocacy. VR experiences can improve inclusion and boost diversity in STEM, too, by ensuring that all students have the opportunity to see climate science in action.

Key points:

• A national STEM festival will encourage STEM engagement among students
• See article: Elementary-level STEM education fosters our future innovators
• See article: STEM programs can’t keep up with AI–let’s focus on Power Skills
• For more news on STEM education, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

EXPLR and the U.S. Department of Education have announced a public-private partnership in co-hosting the first-ever National STEM Festival in April 2024, a nationwide effort to identify and encourage the next generation of innovators in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department has prioritized high-quality STEM education for the nation’s students to ensure 21st-century career readiness and global competitiveness. EXPLR and the Department are committed to creating equitable opportunities for STEM learning for students from all backgrounds.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is thrilled to have the U.S. Department of Education team up with EXPLR to host the first-ever National STEM festival,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “To Raise the Bar in education, we must provide all students with rich and engaging STEM learning experiences that unleash their love of learning and problem-solving skills. This event is an exciting opportunity to celebrate our future scientists, creators, and innovators, and to help more students recognize they too belong in STEM.”

The festival’s themes include environmental stewardship, future foods, health and medicine, powering the planet, space innovation, and tech for good.

“EXPLR is passionate about helping kids realize their potential,” said EXPLR CEO and National STEM Challenge Co-Director Jenny Buccos. “Through the National STEM Challenge and Festival, we are shining a spotlight on this nation’s brilliant young minds, including those from underrepresented backgrounds. Genius should never go overlooked.”

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

When Salvador Quijada, a seventh and eighth grade math teacher at Philip’s Academy Charter School, thinks back on his own journey as a mathematician, he gives credit to one high school math teacher who pushed him to take on AP calculus. Quijada said his teacher’s belief that he could succeed allowed him to challenge himself in ways he might not have otherwise considered.

Now, Quijada channels that positivity into his lessons. Last year, he approached Philip’s principal, Yasmeen Sampson, and asked to pilot a new, accelerated program to help prepare more students for Algebra 1.

State test math scores remain a cause for concern, as Newark’s overall passing rate sits at 15% for students in grades 3 to 9. Both traditional public and charter schools in the city have prioritized increasing math proficiency during the 2023-24 school year.

Quijada believes that giving students the opportunity to work on more difficult equations fosters excitement for the subject. He said that this year, his accelerated students have appreciated the opportunity to tackle challenges and have flourished in Quijada’s classroom.

In a recent interview with Chalkbeat Newark, Quijada, who is in his seventh year teaching at the preK-8 school, spoke about his passion for math and his desire to pass it down to Philip’s Academy Charter’s young mathematicians.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

How and when did you decide to become a teacher?

I was a student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and came to Philip’s Academy as a part of a work-study program to tutor. I enjoyed seeing the scholars grow an appreciation for mathematics and thought of my favorite math teacher who inspired me to pursue a career in mathematics. Due to all of these factors and a lot of thinking, I decided to change my career path to become a middle school mathematics teacher. It has been the best decision. I enjoy coming to work and helping my scholars in any way I can!

What’s your favorite lesson to teach and why?

My favorite lesson is how to solve and write algebraic equations because algebra is the foundation to all mathematics. The scholars always enjoy it because they get happy from solving a tough equation and finding the value of an unknown variable!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received, and how have you put it into practice?

The best advice I’ve ever received has been to get the kids to talk in class. It seems like such a counterproductive situation, but it promotes engagement and higher learning when the kids talk to each other. They learn the most from each other! The kids are able to talk through a problem and provide reasoning for their thinking, and this allows for mistakes to be understood a lot better. We do a lot of group collaboration, especially when using our vertical learning surfaces — working on problems on our windows or whiteboards, which has the kids up and moving.

What new issues arose in your classroom during the most recent school year, and how did you address them?

There were a lot of students that needed an additional push in terms of their mathematics. Another teacher and I saw many students who excelled in mathematics, so we wanted to bring an accelerated version of the seventh grade curriculum. We wanted to provide a challenge and help them succeed further and avoid plateauing. We brought up the idea to Principal Sampson, and she encouraged us to move forward with it! I did the research to find the right curriculum. The kids are definitely enjoying the work and the challenge that the class brings. They are collaborating, discussing, and working hard.

What’s something happening in the community that affects what goes on inside your classroom?

Newark always has so much going on! As a Newark resident, I see new restaurants, shows, and opportunities for culture and arts. We have taken students to the museum, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and to Prudential Center events. I typically teach STEM classes for electives, but we have been working to expose students to more holistic experiences, so I requested to teach drumming. In this class, we look at a variety of drumming styles from all around the world and learn different beats to immerse ourselves in different musical genres.

How do you approach news events in your classroom?

I like to be transparent with the kids and talk through things. Our Leader in Me classes promote time dedicated to discussions and social-emotional learning, which are extremely important. The scholars always share their feelings and great perspectives as young citizens of the world.

Tell us about something you’ve done as a teacher that you’re especially proud of.

I am especially proud of creating a classroom environment that encourages respect, learning, and engagement from everyone who enters. I always want my scholars to feel comfortable and safe, even when making mistakes. I try to emulate my favorite teachers throughout my life. In my first year as a teacher, I had a student who always challenged me and made it difficult to teach. I had to really learn how to work with him and get to know him to best support him. Once I was able to build a relationship with him, it became much easier to teach him. Now, seven years later, I still keep in touch with him and enjoy hearing all of his accomplishments.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

Related:
Here’s why STEM Career Days are a great idea
Why diversity and STEM education are critical to our future workforce
For more news on STEM, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

Key points:

• Inquiry-based learning helps students connect math to real-world relevancy
• See article: How schools can respond to ChatGPT with inquiry-based learning
• See article: I’m a first-year teacher. How can I find success in the classroom?
• For more news on inquiry-based learning, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching page

One of the joys of being an educator is embracing all the differences every student brings to the classroom, while teaching them to celebrate those unique traits in themselves and each other. Yet, schools have only recently started using math instruction incorporating students’ perspectives and experiences, through approaches like inquiry-based problem-solving.

We say “recently” because the traditional approach to math instruction — where teachers demonstrate the procedures to solve problems while students memorize and practice them — goes back decades. It is how most of the educators teaching math today remember learning math themselves. That’s not to say we should abandon the procedural aspects of math; quite the opposite. Research indicates that procedural and conceptual knowledge develop iteratively. They build upon each other: Increases in one type of knowledge lead to increases in the other.

Math lessons and ongoing practice grounded in inquiry-based learning emphasize conceptual understanding using real-world contexts. They use applications that tap into students’ curiosity, exploration, and critical thinking. This approach empowers teachers to incorporate students’ differences in interests, readiness levels, and experiences into their instruction in ways that teaching facts and procedures do not always account for. This results in greater student engagement and classroom collaboration.

When choosing inquiry-based learning resources, we recommend educators seek out those that make math relevant to students using these five strategies.

1. Contextualize math concepts

As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. So when we tell students that they need to learn math because it is everywhere, our lessons and assigned practice need to demonstrate that with regularity. Doing so eliminates the dreaded question that has echoed in math classrooms: “When will I ever need this?”

It is difficult for a student to engage in a lesson if they think it has no relevance to their life. Equations and concepts can quickly become opaque symbols and jumbles of words, but bringing them into the real world in relation to something your students are already familiar with can remove the intimidation factor. Practical applications of math, such as cooking, sports statistics, or budgeting, take the abstract and make it tangible while also reminding students that they are likely more familiar with what you are teaching them than they first thought.

a2. Encourage student-driven projects

Math concepts can become much more interesting if we allow students to tie them back to things they already find interesting. Student-driven projects — inspired by activities, passions, games, books, movies, music, food, or even celebrities — connect students to the facts and figures while further connecting them to the source of inspiration. The project may answer a question they have always wondered about, give them a deeper appreciation for the subject, or help them discover a new angle on a familiar topic.

Aside from fostering student ownership of learning and enhancing intrinsic motivation, student-driven projects also promote peer collaboration. They take a subject that can sometimes feel like an individual undertaking — listening to the teacher, trying to understand what they are saying, and then practicing procedural steps — and turn it into a group activity where students learn math while learning about each other. They may even walk away from the project having met a peer with the same interests.

3. Use current events and historical data

While it is important for students to see math concepts being used in their immediate lives, math instruction can also help them to think critically about world issues so that they become more active participants in society. It is another opportunity to show students that math truly is everywhere, from the flour in the measuring cup sitting in front of them to the economic trends that determine the price of the flour. To help build their math skills, encourage students to research issues they care about, like economic data, climate, state and local elections, or health statistics.

4. Integrate data analysis and visualization

Gone, we hope, are the days of students making graphs, charts, and infographics from artificial data sets. We can make math come alive when we let students interact with real numbers they have gathered. Having students get up from their desks to collect and analyze data using surveys, measurements, and online databases allows them to experience where the numbers that end up in graphs, charts, and infographics originate.

Understanding the entire process and discussing their findings is just as valuable as knowing how to create those kinds of number visualizations.

5. Create problem-solving challenges

Once students realize they encounter multiple math concepts daily, they can move on to more complex, real-life challenges that illustrate how prevalent and important math is beyond the classroom. For example, ask students to calculate costs for a community project or optimize resources for a charity event. It will involve them in higher-level math and engage them with causes that matter to them. Alternatively, get your students’ entrepreneurial wheels turning by having them design a budget for a hypothetical local business.

Putting it all together

Procedural learning is like a framework outlining all the steps necessary to get to an answer, while conceptual learning expands that structure into something useful. By useful, we mean knowing math beyond the algorithms and computations needed to meet state standards. Given math’s cumulative nature, methods like inquiry-based problem-solving give students access to multiple problem types in various contexts to ensure a transfer of knowledge that leads to success in subsequent math courses. They also help students develop meaningful values and traits — like collaboration, communication, and perseverance — that they can apply in other parts of their lives.

Key points:

• Early exposure to STEM education is critical for students
• See article: Building a STEM pipeline needs to start in kindergarten
• See article: Here’s why STEM Career Days are a great idea
• For more on STEM education, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

In today’s fast-paced world, STEM education has become imperative for global progress. Traditionally, the spotlight on STEM education appears to occur in high school and late middle school grade-levels. However, recognizing the pivotal role elementary schools play in shaping a child’s educational journey is essential–early exposure to STEM concepts not only cultivates a passion for these subjects but also lays the groundwork for future academic and professional pursuits.

Elementary school years mark a critical phase in a child’s cognitive development. It is during this period that introducing STEM education thus becomes paramount so as to establish a solid foundation of fundamental concepts and problem-solving skills. These foundational years offer a unique opportunity to spark curiosity and creativity, thereby providing the basis for more advanced learning in later grades and beyond.

STEM education encourages children to inquire, observe, and seek solutions. Through hands-on experiments and activities, students learn to think critically and apply scientific principles to real-world situations. This early exposure fosters a lifelong love of learning and a keen interest in the natural world.

STEM education places a strong emphasis on creativity and problem-solving–skills crucial for addressing complex challenges in the modern world. By introducing students to the engineering design process and encouraging hands-on projects, we nurture a generation of innovators who are well-equipped to develop solutions to pressing global issues. STEM subjects often involve trial and error, demanding persistence and a growth mindset. Through early exposure to STEM, students come to understand that failure is an integral part of the learning process. They develop resilience and a willingness to tackle difficult problems–skills that are invaluable not only in STEM fields but in all areas of life.

The job market is swiftly evolving, with an increasing demand for STEM-related skills. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations in STEM fields are projected to grow at a faster rate than non-STEM occupations over the next decade. By providing early STEM education, we equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in a competitive job market. Furthermore, statistics reveal a gender gap in STEM fields, with fewer women pursuing careers in STEM compared to men. By introducing STEM education at the elementary level, we have the chance to challenge gender stereotypes and inspire girls to explore these fields from an early age. Research indicates that girls who receive early STEM exposure are more likely to pursue STEM-related careers in the future.

Early exposure to STEM education at the elementary school level is a pivotal step in preparing students for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. It lays a strong foundation, fosters curiosity and critical thinking, equips students with the skills necessary for success in the ever-changing job market, and addresses gender disparities. By investing in STEM education from an early age, we are nurturing the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders who will shape the world of tomorrow.

Key points:

• Schools should focus on teaching skills that have enduring value
• See also: Here’s why STEM Career Days are a great idea
• See also: Building a STEM pipeline needs to start in kindergarten
• For more news on STEM learning, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

First came headlines about AI-driven cheating. Next emerged a flood of time-saving tools for teachers. 

Attend any education event today, and one phrase will echo in the halls: artificial intelligence.

AI’s presence in education is undeniable. However, the real question lies in its long-term impact on how we learn and work. With rapid acceleration of technology, predicting the job market 15-20 years from now becomes a daunting task. 

Past educational trends aimed to keep up with emerging technologies. From typing and computer skills, to coding, robotics, and drones–there’s been a sense of urgency about introducing STEM into schools, and for good reason. 

But something about AI is different. Namely, its remarkable speed.

With AI constantly evolving and improving, the traditional model of keeping up with the latest technological trends becomes impractical. 

So, if schools can’t keep pace with AI’s rapid development and are uncertain about the future job landscape, how can they give students the head start they need for success?

Teaching what’s timeless: Power skills and mental models

The solution lies in embracing the timeless.

Rather than racing to keep up with the ever-evolving AI technology, schools should focus on teaching skills that have enduring value, regardless of how technology evolves. 

These “meta-skills” are more commonly known as soft skills, or Power Skills. This “meta-knowledge” is encapsulated by the set of understandings called Mental Models. 

Power Skills are foundational abilities that empower students to acquire and apply other skills necessary for success in diverse challenges.

Take, for example, leadership. Regardless of technological advancements, leadership remains a critical skill, shaping how individuals navigate challenges and collaborate effectively. 

Mental Models provide students with tools to understand the world around them. Concepts like first principles thinking or supply and demand offer timeless insights applicable across various contexts.

For example, systems thinking is a category of Mental Models that helps students see the big picture, and how different parts of a system interact and influence each other. It helps students understand, for example, how new technology affects various domains, such as the economy, society, and the environment. 

When Power Skills are paired with Mental Models, students are equipped to learn and thrive in any environment.

Opportunity amidst uncertainty

To think in extremes for a moment: Even if jobs become optional, Power Skills and Mental Models retain their intrinsic value. 

Society will need people who have the foundational skills needed in any endeavor and situation. Even if careers as we currently know them are not a foundational part of life, Mental Models will still help us understand the world around us.

Rather than viewing the AI-driven era as a burden, schools can seize this opportunity to refocus their educational approach. 

While staying informed about new technologies remains essential, there’s no need for an arms race in STEM curriculum alignment with the latest tech headlines, especially in the age of AI.

Schools can help students adapt by teaching timeless Power Skills and Mental Models. This approach ensures students are not merely equipped to adapt to specific technologies but are prepared to thrive–no matter what the future holds. 

Key points:

• It is imperative that we bring STEM to those without easy STEM access
• STEM careers are set to grow by more than 10 percent by 2031
• See related article: 3 best practices to create a STEM-focused school
• For more news on STEM education, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

STEM allow us to push the boundaries of innovation, enabling people to step foot on the moon, develop lifesaving health care, and advance clean forms of energy. We also have STEM to thank for how we live, from asking our smartphone’s voice assistant to play our favorite music to connecting with our parents on a video call.

Each year, we dedicate November 8, National STEM Day to encouraging students to explore and pursue their interests in STEM fields of study that propel our world forward.

Understanding the growing need for STEM education

While there has been a 62 percent growth rate in STEM education and degrees earned across the board in terms of race, gender, and ethnicity in the United States within the past decade, more work still needs to be done when it comes to encouraging women and underrepresented groups to pursue careers in STEM fields. In fact, today, women only make up 35 percent of the STEM workforce, while all underrepresented groups represent 24 percent, and people with disabilities account for a mere 3 percent.

By 2031, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that STEM career opportunities will grow by 10.8 percent compared to a growth of 2.3 percent for non-STEM occupations. However, the Semiconductor Industry Association predicts a worker deficit of about 67,000 workers by the end of the decade. To keep up with the ballooning number of STEM positions, it is imperative for companies within the broader tech industry to bridge the STEM education gap and foster access for the workforce of the future.

In my role as chief people officer, I have a front-row seat to the evolving landscape of STEM-related job functions, as various fields increasingly integrate technology and emphasize data-driven decision-making. I have seen the value and understand the importance of diversity in the industry, which is why one of my goals is to ensure investments in STEM education around the world intentionally create greater opportunities for women and underrepresented communities.

In a study that explores teachers’ views on the impact of STEM education on the labor market, the results indicate that STEM education supports increased job opportunities, which in turn yields higher economic growth. Unemployment rates and the associated social costs of unemployment are lower among STEM education graduates. Additionally, the study implies that those who receive STEM education become curious and engaged learners and develop a sense of entrepreneurship that creates new career possibilities.

Leading the industry by example

It’s vital for the broader tech industry to take action and increase access to STEM education. The STEM education gap is an opportunity that welcomes involvement from stakeholders across markets, businesses, community partners, and nonprofits. Companies can play a pivotal role in bridging this gap through strategies including partnerships with educational institutions, internships and apprenticeship programs, outreach and community programs for students, intentional inclusive practices to recruit and hire individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, and encouraging continuous learning within their organizations.

Overall, we’ve made great progress in STEM representation globally, but our work is just beginning. To accelerate innovation, we must continue to welcome, provide access, and remove barriers for all, including women, those with disabilities, and those from rural and underrepresented communities. We do this by opening new pathways through education, creating hands-on, interactive exhibits at museums, or bringing STEM to students with limited access through summer camps and regional community colleges.

By eliminating barriers to STEM education and encouraging careers in the field, the industry will flourish and prosper with continued advancements and innovation.

Celebrating innovation and curiosity

This STEM Day and beyond, let’s celebrate and thank our STEM trailblazers–those who are already leading the way, like the teachers, volunteers and mentors who support programs that inspire the next generation. Let’s celebrate STEM students–the future innovators who will earn patents and make breakthroughs that will accelerate our society forward.

Key points:

• STEM careers desperately need skilled workers–but the pipeline is drying up
• STEM Career Days do wonders in attracting students to STEM fields
• See related article: Building a representative STEM pipeline needs to start in kindergarten
• For more news on STEM education, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

A new study at the University of Missouri–in partnership with Harvard-Smithsonian researchers–shows that when colleges host ‘STEM Career Days,’ the students who attend are far more likely to pursue a career in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) related field.

The findings not only highlight the benefits of college recruiters introducing high school students to STEM-related opportunities, but they can also help increase and diversify the STEM workforce in the United States.

Michael Williams, an assistant professor in the MU College of Education and Human Development, analyzed a nation-wide survey conducted by Harvard University that asked nearly 16,000 college students if they attended a college-run STEM Career Day while in high school. He found that the students who attended were far more likely to have STEM-related career aspirations compared to the students who did not attend.

“Now that we have found that this type of intervention works for turning that potential interest in STEM into career aspirations in STEM, we can work on designing these interventions in a way to be even more effective and accessible to develop a more diverse STEM workforce,” said Williams, who is also a faculty fellow in the MU Division of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity. “If you want someone to be good at something, you want them to develop a sense of efficacy, which is about putting them in a position where they can see themselves doing it and succeeding at it, and seeing other people that look like them doing it as well.”

When Williams was pursing a master’s degree in computer information technology, he remembers being the only Black student in classes such as computer engineering and differential equations. He also remembers the classes being disproportionately made up of international students.

“The United States trails a lot of global competitors in the production of STEM talent, especially in areas like sophisticated technology and quantitative methodologies,” Williams said. “The National Science Foundation has pushed for broadening participation in STEM fields and increasing diversity for populations that have previously been excluded from STEM-related opportunities. So, I am passionate about reaching people earlier in the educational pipeline and seeing what interventions help turn interest into career aspiration.”

Williams added that MU is a land-grant university and has several community outreach initiatives to not only expose Missouri students to STEM topics at the high school level, but also at the middle and elementary school levels.

“STEM Cubs is a free STEM education program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade that is hosted by the MU Office of Academic Access and Leadership Development, MU College of Education and Human Development, and MU College of Engineering that emphasizes the importance of exposing all students to exploratory and experiential learning,” Williams said. “The program seeks to engage young students, particularly those historically underrepresented in STEM education and career fields, to hands-on STEM activities. By allowing them to learn about scientific concepts and how they relate to everyday life, the program helps them build interest in science and science-based careers.”

The study “A quasi-experimental study of the impact of college-run science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career days on American students’ STEM career aspirations,” was published in International Journal of Science Education.

This press release originally appeared online.

Key points:

• Destigmatizing STEM fields is the first step in building a STEM pipeline
• Students are more likely to pursue STEM when they see STEM educators who look like them
• See related article: 3 essential tools to make elementary science easier
• For more news on STEM learning, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

The demand for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals outweighs the supply. The number of U.S. technology job vacancy postings in September 2022 exceeded 804,000, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a need for 3,800 new aerospace engineers every year until 2031–an industry that is already grappling with employee retention and workforce shortages. These numbers are reflective of the broader STEM community and related career fields, including scientists and mathematicians.

I believe that the low supply of STEM professionals can be attributed to significant barriers to entry originating in educational settings–this is to no fault of teachers and administrators, but how the educational system is structured. Many of these barriers disproportionately affect those from underrepresented communities. Women, for instance, make up only 28 percent of the STEM workforce, and Black, Hispanic, and Asian adults combined make up only 30 percent.

I want to start a conversation on how we can destigmatize STEM, keep the talent pipeline fresher and more abundant for the future and diversify the workforce. Efforts to fulfill a STEM talent pipeline cannot begin in one’s first year of college, but require thoughtfulness and action occurring in K-12.

Cultivating an early interest in STEM

A stigma surrounds math and science that typically begins in elementary and middle schools, perpetuating the idea that math and science are ‘scary,’ too hard or challenging, or a topic meant for boys. Studies have shown that if you start cultivating STEM interest in kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms, students will have a greater chance of pursuing a career in the field. This is especially true in underrepresented groups, as societal stereotypes—specifically asserting that women and girls should be less interested in STEM—can begin as early as six years of age.

Some of the challenges facing schools and teachers include:

1. Lack of STEM educators and diversity. In the 2022-23 school year, 17 state education agencies (almost one-third of the country) expressed that one of their greatest challenges has been filling STEM teaching positions. And, those with filled positions are not representing diverse groups. Currently, STEM teachers are primarily non-Hispanic or white (79 percent), even in school systems with extremely diverse student populations. Hiring both ethnically and gender diverse teachers can help set an example for underrepresented groups. Students seeing successful adults who look like them can make a difference in expanding interest amongst a larger group of students.
2. Hyper-focus on standardized testing. Because of the way the education system is structured, a lot of curriculum is centered around standardized testing—passing AP exams, getting into colleges, etc. While these tests are important, they limit the ability to put the scientific method in action. Instead, students would greatly benefit, and likely find science more fascinating, from physically conducting the process and then reaching a conclusion, as opposed to memorizing definitions. Secondarily, the ability to participate in hands-on scientific experiments and visual demonstrations can really inspire kids. This was the case for myself. I understand that not all school districts have these resources, which leads me to the next bullet point.
3. Inadequate or unavailable resources. It’s no secret that educators’ time and budgets are stretched thin. A study surveying middle and high school science teachers found that 70 percent do not feel they have adequate funding to provide high-quality science instruction—resulting in spending an average of $450 out-of-pocket each year for extra lab materials. Quality instruction means providing the ability to do lab work! That requires teachers to purchase chemicals for experiments or animals for dissection, not to mention keeping lab tools readily available, such as eye safety equipment, beakers, or microscopes. The cost of these items can add up very quickly, and before you know it, teachers have blown through their budgets.

What I am advocating for

The onus does not fall entirely on educational institutions to cultivate interest in STEM and plug the schooling gaps. There needs to be collaboration amongst educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. For starters, there are many nonprofit organizations that provide varying degrees of scientific extracurricular activities. My local Boy Scout troop has an ‘Explorers’ Group’ that allows boys to engage with chemistry and other scientific studies. The Girl Scouts have a similar program, providing opportunities for girls to earn STEM Career Exploration badges through accompanying activities aligned with age ranges. Additionally, many 4-H programs nationwide also enable kids to dabble in astronomy, biology, technology and other STEM careers through summer camps and after-school programs. This doesn’t even include local events hosted by nonprofits, such as D.C.’s Carnegie Foundation, which provides different scientific programs on the weekend for children, such as experiments and visual demonstrations that are free to the public. In order to raise awareness amongst students and their parents, we need to collaborate with the schools in these regions, as well as provide the necessary resources to get students to and from these programs.  

In addition, I would like to advocate for private sector organizations to consider sabbaticals for educational purposes. As mentioned above, there is an extreme lack of STEM educators, but there are a lot of STEM professionals that are passionate about education and mentorship.

Giving those scientists, engineers, and technologists the ability to take paid leave and go within a school system for a period of time to teach could make a huge difference. These individuals can really ‘move the needle’ in cultivating greater interest in STEM by sharing personal anecdotes about their career experiences and highlights. This requires both school districts and enterprises to be receptive, but I believe it would have a profound impact on learning and supporting overwhelmed schools. Let’s get started on this together!

Key points:

• STEM education has myriad academic and career benefits for students
• STEM-focused schools can engage their surrounding communities and stakeholders to craft strong learning programs
• See related article: 5 science and technology videos to get students talking
• For more news on STEM learning, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

The benefits of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education are numerous, and one would be hard-pressed to find a school district that doesn’t have a project, initiative, class, or lesson with the acronym in its title.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in 2021, there were nearly 10 million workers in STEM occupations–a total projected to grow by almost 11 percent by 2031. This figure represents a growth rate twice as fast as non-STEM occupations.

The department also noted that STEM jobs often pay substantially more than jobs in other fields. Even if a student doesn’t select a career in STEM, the soft skills they will learn at a STEM-focused school (critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving and more) will serve them well in whatever they choose to do in life.

At Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation, a Maryland-based Public Charter Organization, we took STEM instruction to the next level by making it the central focus of all of our schools. We are a STEM-based charter school network serving more than 3,900 students in grades K-12 at seven different campuses. STEM isn’t just something we teach; it’s interwoven in the work we do inside and outside of the schoolhouse. This can be a challenging thing to do well, but the benefits of doing so are enormous.

About our schools

Families tend to seek out charter schools because they are unhappy with their traditional public school, or they are looking for the specific niche/specialty program that the charter school offers. At Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation, our STEM model sets us apart from other traditional school districts. Our vision statement is, “We inspire students to become STEM innovators and responsible global citizens.”

With the belief that STEM skills are best acquired starting at a young age, we start building foundational skills early in elementary school. Students are better equipped to think logically, communicate effectively, and to be scientifically and mathematically literate. Starting at age 5, we offer coding, robotics, virtual reality, STEM-related clubs, and competitive team opportunities. We utilize hands-on, innovative STEM curriculum to bring learning to life. One of our schools provides advanced math and computer courses for various IT certifications, while another has a dual enrollment program that allows high school students to graduate with an associate degree and a high school diploma.

We believe that the more exposure students have to modern technologies, the more likely they are to be interested in it. This in turn sparks passion. Thus, we incorporate graphic arts, engineering, data analysis, and technology into all of our non-STEM courses. In addition to the STEM focus, we also emphasize our relationships with our families and our community through home visits and inviting families to events at our schools. We value the home-school connection and believe it to be an essential component to the overall success of our school communities.

Best practices for a running a successful STEM school

Running a STEM-focused school can have its challenges. You must have enough teachers, the right technology, and lessons that infuse STEM into all classes including history and English/language arts, just to name a few. Here are some ways to set your STEM-focused school up for success.

1. Forge community partnerships. Partnering with STEM-related businesses and organizations in the community is a great way to bolster a school’s STEM programming with additional resources, expertise, and even equipment. For us, being located in Maryland has the benefit of being situated near so many local technology, IT, and science research companies. There is also no shortage of national-level STEM organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Smithsonian Network, just to name a few. These many community partners help our schools in a multitude of ways. We invite people who work in STEM fields to volunteer at our schools. For instance, they can share information about their area of expertise, be an advisor for students on presentations or projects, or judge robotics competitions and/or science fairs. There are also opportunities for job shadowing or interning at these companies. Some partners may support your school and/or the student STEM clubs by providing resources like lab equipment or robotics kits. Don’t overlook the value in partnering with educational institutions as well. We partner with our local community college to provide a pathway for our students to complete high school while simultaneously earning their associates’ degree in IT. We also partner with Project Lead the Way on projects that engage students in interdisciplinary activities such as working with a client to design a home, programming electronic devices like robotic arms, or exploring algae as a biofuel source. Partnerships are a powerful way to support programming.
   
   
2. Infuse STEM into all subject areas. It’s not too difficult to think of ways to create engaging STEM learning in a chemistry or computer class. But what about when you’re teaching English or social studies? We’ve found that incorporating virtual reality technology is a great way to make STEM accessible and engaging across the curriculum. We use ClassVR from Avantis Education to infuse technology into lessons and also help students delve more deeply into subject matter. For instance, instead of having students watch a movie to supplement a lesson about the play Romeo and Juliet, an English teacher can use the ClassVR headsets and lessons to have students virtually walk around in a scene from the play. A history teacher can take their students to virtually explore a battlefield, versus simply having them read accounts and examine photos. To take it a step further, students could design a 3D virtual scene themselves and upload it to their VR headset. Outside of the VR integration into non-stem subjects we strongly recommend making use of the engineering and design process. We encourage our schools to utilize a variety of collaborative planning models (interdisciplinary, vertical teaming, etc.) to summarize unit projects that are hands-on, follow the engineering and design process, and showcase mastery of content. An example of this could be students in a history course who have just learned about the Cold War having to design a spy device that could be used on the front lines to assist either side of the conflict. Students would need to apply their knowledge of the events of the conflict to determine which type of device to create and why it would help their respective party. As educators, we know that hands-on learning is essential for engagement and retention of information. What better way to support hands-on learning than by infusing STEM into all subject areas?
   
   
3. Extend STEM learning. Offering activities that extend STEM learning outside of the classroom is a great way to help students practice the skills they’re learning and also provides fun social experiences. The Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation hosts exhibitions and science fairs where students showcase their projects. We also offer summer STEM camps, after school clubs and Saturday activities. STEM-related extracurricular activities can take student engagement to the next level and also provide opportunities for students to continue to build and apply their STEM knowledge outside of the school day. All the while, they are also practicing life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and public speaking.

When students have a solid foundation in STEM education, opportunities are abundant. STEM schools are often in high demand for this reason. For those charged with leading a STEM-focused school, the aforementioned practices can help set your school – and students – up for success.

Key points:

• TED-Ed Lessons are short videos designed to engage students and stimulate critical thinking
• Here are 5 videos covering science and tech topics such as earth science and animal behavior
• See related article: Cool! 6 TED-Ed lessons about the cold

School is back in session, and for many students, that means a major shift from an unstructured schedule to a more regimented school day. It may still be challenging to keep students’ attention on topics like science and technology now that classrooms are once again full.

Creating a video-based lesson that explores different concepts around science and technology is one fun way to boost student engagement.

These TED-Ed Lessons cover jellyfish, drinking water, the physics behind boat wakes, and more.

Using TED-Ed platform, educators can build lessons around any TED-Ed Original, TED Talk, or YouTube video. Once you find the video you want to use, you can use the TED-Ed Lessons editor to add questions, discussion prompts, and additional resources.

Use these TED-Ed Lessons for brain breaks, to introduce new lessons, or to inject some fun and engaging conversation into your class.

1. Can alligators survive this apex predator? Over the past two decades, jellyfish have begun to overwhelm our oceans. If things stay on their current trajectory, we could be headed for a future where the entire ocean is thick with jellyfish. So, is there anything that can keep these gelatinous creatures under control? Mariela Pajuelo and Javier Antonio Quinones take a look at the jellyfish’s most ancient predator.

2. The one thing stopping jellyfish from taking over: Despite alligators ruling the swamplands of the Everglades for millennia, the last 500 years have brought deadly new predators that challenge their reign. And the origins of these international invaders are just as unexpected as their impact on the Everglades. So, what exactly is threatening this biodiverse region? Kenny Coogan explores the unique and precious ecosystem.

3. How the water you flush becomes the water you drink: In 2003, Singapore’s national water agency launched an unprecedented program to provide more than 50% of their nation’s water supply by recycling wastewater. The program had been planned for decades to ensure the island nation never ran out of clean water. But is it really safe to reuse anything we flush down the toilet? Francis de los Reyes explains the science of wastewater treatment.

4. What’s happening to Earth’s core? A hydrogen atom is traveling high within the outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere. This particular atom first entered the exosphere millions of years ago, but today it overcomes Earth’s gravitational pull and escapes, joining the roughly 90 tons of material that leak out of our atmosphere each day. Should we be worried about these leaks? Shannon Odell digs into our planet’s imperfect plumbing.

5. The fascinating physics of boat wakes: If you look at the wake behind a duck, or a kayak, or a ship, you might notice two things: first, it’s a feathery, rippled pattern, and second, that pattern looks the same regardless of whether it’s made by a duck, kayak, or ship— even though they’re all moving at different speeds and the waves are different sizes. How is this possible? Minutephysics digs into the Kelvin wake pattern.

Key points:

• States are ensuring teachers have thorough professional development as they implement lessons learned from the science of reading
• Using digital tools can positively impact students’ literacy achievement
• See related article: As we embrace the ‘science of reading,’ we can’t leave out older students

While this fall marks my 38^th year in education, it has been 28 years since I was a classroom teacher. Teaching elementary school was the hardest job I ever had, but there are many parts of the role I miss. This time of year, I especially miss the opportunity to teach young learners to read and write. As any elementary educator will tell you, seeing a child’s eyes light up as they grow into individuals capable of expressing themselves and exploring their own interests through the written word is one of the greatest joys in life.

The fulfillment I find in helping elementary school students develop their literacy skills has driven my interest in the science of reading. As the single most-discussed topic in education at this moment, the science of reading has been a focus of intense interest in state legislatures nationwide. Specifically, as of July 2023, about 30 states have passed legislation or created new policies focused on teaching reading.

But what is the science of reading? One of the most useful definitions of this incredibly important body of work comes from the Ohio Department of Education, which explains that the science of reading is a body of scientific evidence that:

• Informs how students learn to read and write proficiently
• Explains why some students have difficulty with reading and writing
• that all students benefit from explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing to become effective readers
• Does not rely on any model of teaching students to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues

I really like the Ohio Department of Education’s definition of the science of reading as it focuses on the interdisciplinary nature of the topic as well as how the body of knowledge, “Informs how students learn to read and write proficiently.”

I have seen close-up and in person some truly innovative examples of how school systems nationwide are implementing lessons learned from the science of reading. For example, we have all seen the national spotlight shining on Mississippi for the incredible work that their Department of Education has done to roll out the science of reading purposefully and systematically across the state. Districts across the country have provided extensive professional learning, changed their core reading programs, and strengthened their instructional practices.

Maryland’s Prince George’s County Public Schools is supporting all K-3 teachers with science of reading resources and practices. Educators are diving into the integration of the science of reading and the teaching of science using digital resources. This work, which was started through conversations with the Mississippi Department of Education, was recently presented to the district’s PreK- 3 teachers during their recent A Kaleidoscope of Possibilities: Science of Reading professional development event.

The practice of integrating the science of reading and the teaching of science was inspired by Natalie Wexler, the author of The Knowledge Gap. In her work, Wexler states very clearly: “The best way to build that knowledge, beginning in the early elementary grades, is to immerse children in social studies, science, and the arts–the very subjects that have been marginalized to make more time for comprehension skill practice.” Using this philosophy as a starting point, Prince George’s County K-3 teachers explored three instructional ideas:

Using video segments to build understanding of science concepts. Engaging video segments bring the power of multimodal learning alive. Video segments can introduce students to different concepts like the life cycle of plants and animals by showing and telling them simultaneously. As students learn these concepts in science, they also provide background knowledge to support students in reading decodable texts with words like stem, leaf, or root.

Using science words for phonological awareness and phonics activities. This does not sound all that interesting or innovative, does it? However, think about it. Often, we have siloed our subject areas. Literacy is taught at one time. Science is taught at a different time. This idea suggests that we need to map and integrate our curriculum. While students are learning about plants, stems, and roots in science, the K-3 teachers in Prince George’s County discussed and investigated the use of sound or Elkonin boxes to segment the words.

Developing digital activities to integrate background knowledge building and literacy skills. Students tend to love digital activities because they mirror their use of technology outside the classroom. From real world, relevant content to adaptability and gamification, digital tools and resources can engage students and stoke their natural curiosity. Let us capitalize on students’ interest in technology and employ digital resources and strategies that positively impact the literacy achievement of our students. To accomplish this, Prince George’s educators examined a background building framework to use with their science resources and incorporated this framework into the creation of digital activities that will be used in science and reading.

We know that the literacy achievement of our students needs focus. It is refreshing to see that in state legislatures nationwide, the science of reading has received bipartisan support that may result in fairly significant positive outcomes for our students. Now, it is time for edtech companies to step up and provide the professional learning and digital resources that will encourage even further integration of the science of reading and the teaching of science. I believe the use of digital tools to support this goal will form a new nexus of student success that not only impacts their literacy achievement, but also their science achievement as well.

Related:
How to improve literacy through the science of reading
4 keys to teaching the science of reading in a virtual setting

Key points:

• Students need algebra, but many get “stuck” as they learn
• Offering tutoring, particularly high-dosage tutoring outside of school hours, could help
• See related article: 5 ways virtual tutoring reinforces our after-school program

Since the pandemic, students have struggled markedly in math, particularly algebra. According to NAEP Mathematics Assessment data, eighth-graders’ algebra scores were eight points lower in 2022 than in 2019. According to the Nation’s Report Card, the average eighth-grade mathematics score was lower than all previous assessment years—going back to 2003.

As a gateway content area, algebra prepares students to tackle advanced study in calculus, physics, and other subjects—yet it often is a sticking point for many middle and high school students. Without a solid understanding of algebra, many students find that they get stuck in their math studies.

To help, here are five tips to help students who are struggling with algebra right now:

1. Encourage open and honest communication. Much of the commentary about learning loss leaves students out of the conversation. Students feel the effects of interrupted learning, and that they are committed to overcoming those challenges.Students’ openness about their struggles aids in their academic growth. When they feel comfortable asking questions or saying they don’t understand something, they demonstrate a mindset that they are genuinely motivated to learn.

2. Provide encouraging support. “I’m just not a math person.” This is a phrase teachers hear a lot—and sometimes even unwittingly reinforce. Students are discouraged when they perceive that others around them instinctively understand a difficult concept, and they may resign themselves to the notion that they simply never will. In truth, mastery is a journey, and students travel at their own pace. Tutors can use scaffolding to identify roadblocks and turn them into speed bumps, and can employ Socratic questioning to help students figure out answers themselves. As students achieve incremental understanding, celebrate every win.

3. Focus on the most challenging areas. When students seek help in algebra, they’ve most likely gotten stuck on linear equations. That is—and has historically been—the most-requested topic area within this most-requested subject. Linear equations are essential for describing relationships between variables and for predicting trends. When a student doesn’t grasp linear equations, that student cannot advance in math and related disciplines. With that challenge comes an opportunity, though: once a student achieves understanding of linear equations, the learner unlocks doors to many other disciplines—particularly in emerging and growing fields such as nurse practitioner, data scientist, information security analyst, statistician, and web developer.

4. Offer help around the clock. Tutoring data shows that 15,355 K–12 algebra tutoring sessions were initiated between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. in 2022. This means many students stay up late or rise early to work on algebra problems. When algebra tutoring is available 24/7, students do opt to connect day and night. Students are most likely to seek algebra tutoring on weekday evenings. While after-school evening hours are the most-requested times for algebra tutoring, students—and teachers—also utilize the service during the school day. About one-third of K–12 algebra sessions take place during school hours. In-school tutoring provides an important opportunity for teachers to offer individualized, differentiated support to multiple students at once.

5. Adopt high-dosage tutoring. A research-based learning solution, high-dosage tutoring helps students make significant, accelerated learning gains in key subjects. In contrast to on-demand tutoring, high-dosage tutoring is characterized by frequency of sessions (three or more times/week), relational interactions with tutors, and small groups of up to four students.

Adopted as part of a multi-tiered system of support, high-dosage tutoring enables K–12 schools and districts to provide scalable, equitable support for all students. As we anticipate the positive impact of high-dosage tutoring, we expect to see well-earned gains and boosted student confidence leading into 2024 and beyond.

Related:
6 keys to effective tutoring
Progress toward academic recovery stalled in 2022-23

Key points:

• Recently, there have been more federal efforts to recognize music and arts education as an essential part of educational curriculum
• In order to provide a rich, robust, and inclusive curriculum for youth, STEM needs to evolve to STEAM
• See related article: This art teacher helps students harness social media to build job skills

I like to say I was raised by a combination of nonprofits and the arts. At 15 years old, I moved into Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, a nonprofit group home in Chicago, and attended an independent arts high school in Illinois, a unique model where there was a minimum requirement of three hours of art a day.

I’d leave in the late afternoon and walk to my after-school arts program, The Marwen Foundation in Chicago, where I practiced digital art making – including photography, design, or other creative tracks – until late into the evening.

The Marwen Foundation paved the way for my future – it was the reason I went to New York to look at art schools, as part of their Artwork Bound program. They granted me a $10,000 scholarship to go to art school freshman year and helped me get my first paid design internship at Motorola. I’ve since served in several creative leadership positions, including my current role as Chief Creative Officer for YR Media, which is a full circle moment, as the organization is a nonprofit focusing on media and the arts, including design and music. Creative expression has provided me an outlet when I needed it, fostered my growth and development, and ultimately, paved my career path.

My story is not an outlier. The benefits of creative expression and arts in education on both student well-being and academic achievement are clear. According to sources, “students with access to arts education are five times less likely to drop out of school, four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, and four times more likely to receive a bachelor’s degree.”

Yet despite all the evidence of the critical role of arts education and the efforts by the federal government to ensure its integration in public schools, new data from the Arts Education Data Project (AEDP) from September 2022 shows that more than 3.6 million children who attend public school in the U.S. do not have access to music education, and nearly 2.1 million students do not have access to any arts education (defined as dance, music, theater, or visual arts).

As STEM has risen in prominence over the past decade, arts education has yet to achieve the same recognition and integration. In order to provide a rich, robust, and inclusive curriculum for youth, STEM needs to evolve to STEAM. And in many ways, that transition is already taking place as technology and engineering drive the next wave of art and creative expression. You can’t have one without the other.

 Art skills are integral in digital media production

As our digital world encompasses new storytelling mediums across design, audio engineering, music production, digital art, and more, new unique skill sets are required to prepare young people for careers of the future. STEAM education principles need to become embedded into media production, music production, and graphic design to enable the next wave of innovation and creativity needed for these major technological shifts.

Digital media-making and music production are highly creative fields that require myriad artistic skills. For media production, individuals need to marry storytelling and visual and sound design to create engaging media content to communicate messages effectively. For music production, composition, arrangement, and sound design are key, because these skills create unique and engaging music that resonates and evokes feelings. Graphic design is rooted in the arts, incorporating design elements such as color, typography, composition, and imagery. Graphic designers must have a strong understanding of these design elements and principles to create visually appealing and effective designs.

Creativity cannot be replaced by AI

Generative AI is making headlines as a threat that could replace digital media making. Instead, it should be seen by creators as a tool to be explored and used, much like any technological advancements over the past 100 years that at least initially caused the public to question the role of artists and creators. In a globalized world where creatives are still impacted from the pandemic’s forced isolation, generative AI bots can serve as thought partners.

Media production has become an essential part of almost every commercial business, and generative AI can successfully be used to help communicate creative concepts to non-creative counterparts. A common practice taught in virtually every art school is the importance of ideation and iteration. For example, graphic design students are taught that for every logo, they must produce 100 to 200 sketches. The concept now is not that we must draw 100 sketches, but more that we must explore and see 100 versions–something generative AI can assist in accomplishing for any designer.

It’s important to note that creativity is the irreplaceable human element in these domains. Tools have evolved and will continue to evolve. The principles of design, music, and art are what do not change. The difference between image making and art is that art centers itself around creative expression. It is the artist’s critique or interpretation of its surroundings, and digital media-making enables different outlets for creative expression.

Art levels the playing field in education

Art and creativity are an integral part of STEAM education, especially for underrepresented communities. The majority of students who do not currently have access to arts education are Black, Hispanic, or Native American, and are from low-income households. These are the very students who would benefit most from the “educational, cognitive, social, emotional and physical benefits” of arts education in order to develop the creativity, confidence, and problem-solving capabilities needed throughout life. The lack of arts education for those who need it most compounds and reinforces a more systemic inequality–for a generation of children already disadvantaged from issues like racism, bias, and comparative lack of generational wealth, inequity in education further widens the gap. In addition to academic success, arts provide an essential outlet to grapple with the effects of systemic racism, exacerbated by the pandemic and remote learning.

In recent years, more efforts have been made at a federal level to recognize music and arts education as an essential part of educational curriculum and child development, including the passing of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

For a child of immigrants who was raised in Chicago’s under-resourced Southwest side, I was pretty lucky. I attended a public elementary school that seemed to draw in resources unseen in the surrounding areas by keeping up test scores, which was done by elevating creativity and the arts. Whether it was Mexican Ballet Folklorico, after school painting with artists in residence, or music and dance workshops that taught students how to focus creativity, I always saw creative expression as an integral part of doing anything in life.

Fostering a mentality in which art and creative expression are a part of everything I do has allowed me to approach every problem, obstacle, and challenge with the principles of the creative process.

Since the beginning of humankind, creative expression has served as a means of storytelling, articulating our thoughts and feelings and merging our inner and outer worlds. As we integrate creative expression and arts education into curriculums nationwide for young people, we provide the ability to build confidence, hone problem-solving capabilities, and inspire growth for those who need it most. As bell hooks so aptly pointed out, “The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is – it’s to imagine what is possible.”

Related:
How an art teacher tackles STEM and PBL
This visual arts teacher steps outside the box for remote learning

Key points:

• The latest assessments have made it clear that math achievement has plummeted
• A combination of home-school communication and play-based activities can help students struggling with math
• See related article: We can teach math better–here’s how

As the most recent nation’s report card made painfully clear, American students are struggling in math. At the same time, administrators, teachers, and parents are finding new ways to help these students address learning loss.

During my 20+ years in K–12 education, I’ve seen technology play a growing role in making learning more accessible and effective. As schools explore edtech solutions to improve learning outcomes, I want to bring to light three evidence-based learning methods that have withstood the test of time. Regardless of the resources at their disposal,  educators and families alike can benefit from these simple and effective strategies.

1. Extend learning into the home.

Research has shown that schools that developed strong, trusting relationships with families prior to the pandemic had a smoother transition back to in-person learning and suffered less learning loss. It certainly makes sense for educators to build and sustain partnerships with families, but what does that look like on a day-to-day basis?

One effective way to build the capacity of both educators and families is Dr. Karen Mapp’s Dual Capacity-Building Framework. It’s based on the “4 Cs:” Capabilities (i.e., skills & knowledge), Connections, Cognition, and Confidence.

Teachers can build the 4 Cs and strengthen their relationships with families by assigning home activities based on what they are teaching that week. With PowerMyLearning’s Family Playlists, for example, each math activity focuses on a learning goal aligned to national and state standards. To connect teachers with families in the most convenient way possible, activities are delivered via a text message translated into their language of choice.

Once students and their families complete an activity or learning game, families have an opportunity to rate their student’s understanding of the topic and share more about their experience with the teacher. This information enables the teacher to assess each student’s needs and strengthen their connections with families.

By engaging families as co-creators, teachers honor parents’ knowledge and create a welcoming culture that encourages parents to participate in their children’s education.

2. Make math playful.

The value of games in enhancing learning has been demonstrated through dozens of studies. For example, a study published in Southeast Asia Early Childhood Journal found that using games was an effective strategy to improve early mathematics performance.

Research has also shown that mathematical games focus students with goals, promote active learning, and build both self-confidence and social skills. The most effective games balance skill and luck to keep students engaged and enhance social and emotional learning by allowing children to experience both winning and losing.

For example, in an activity that involves adding three numbers, a child and a family partner might take turns rolling a die to determine how many eyes to draw on a monster. After three turns, each adds up their eyes, and the one with the greatest number wins.

Having teachers provide guidance on how each game can be made “easier” or “more challenging” makes these activities accessible to diverse learners. For example, a child and a family partner might take turns adding nickels, dimes, or quarters with the goal of getting to $1. If the child is having a hard time, the family partner can simplify the game by playing with only nickels and dimes. If the game feels too easy, the family partner can increase the complexity by giving players the option to add one or two coins during each turn.

This level of differentiation, which may be difficult to achieve in a classroom of many students, is easier to accomplish in a 1:1 setting at home.

3. Embrace “learning by explaining.”

A 2008 study in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology found that when children give explanations for what they’ve learned, their problem-solving accuracy improves.

The most effective learning acceleration activities teachers can assign prompt children to explain what they’ve just learned to a family member. The home/school connection can be completed by the family partner uploading a short video of the student’s explanation so their teacher can see it.

As Dr. Steven Sheldon of Johns Hopkins University has put it, this sort of two-way online communication “provides educators with a way to develop relationships with families who they might not have otherwise gotten the chance to have a face-to-face relationship with.”

With these three strategies, teachers, students, and families collaborate to activate a powerful community to accelerate math learning.

Related:
Poor math scores could be a result of student burnout
Students are still behind in math–what needs to change?