EDUCATION
Four ways to encourage STEM in your middle schooler
COURIER LIFE, NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2019 19
Even though many Americans understand the importance
of STEM education, children in the U.S.
continue to lose interest in science, technology, engineering
and math subjects at young ages.
Not surprisingly, 44 percent of U.S. adults say they
felt more excited about science when they were kids,
reports the State of Science Index, a global study commissioned
by 3M examining the general population’s
attitudes toward science. Maintaining students’ interest
in science during the middle school years is crucial
to increasing the likelihood they’ll pursue STEM careers.
That’s important, since studies show our nation
will need to produce an additional one million STEM
workers between 2012 and 2022 alone.
That said, we’re still not on track to meet demand,
partly because students continue to lose interest.
What’s the answer? Creating a rich culture of
STEM education in schools requires professional development,
suggests Cindy Moss, vice president of
global STEM initiatives for curriculum developer
Discovery Education. She points to research showing
teachers need 80 hours of cumulative targeted professional
development before effectively teaching STEMpromoting
classes.
“Many educators in our country believe we need
to accelerate our approach to STEM education,” Moss
says.
What can parents and educators do to foster more
interest? Consider the following:
Find role models: If a child doesn’t know anyone
working in STEM, he or she may be unable to imagine
a career in such roles. Introduce him or her to people
actively working in such fi elds, then encourage discussion
and/or job shadowing. Teachers might bring in
speakers who can answer candid questions about the
rewards and challenges in their fi elds - including signifi
cant demand and attractive pay scales.
Seek achievement opportunities: Introducing
children to engaging events like the annual Discovery
Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge may spark
their sense of competition and passion for STEM. The
annual contest, which is accepting submissions until
April 19, invites innovators in grades fi ve through
eight to develop one- to two-minute videos describing
their ideas for creative solutions to tackle everyday
problems. The top 10 fi nalists receive a summer mentorship
with a 3M scientist, and the winner will receive
$25,000. Last year’s winner, Gitanjali Rao, developed a
device that measures lead levels in drinking water.
Keep participating: Reducing involvement in
your child’s daily academics once he or she enters
middle school may backfi re. One study shows middle
schoolers maintain a more positive attitude toward
science when their parents continue to display interest.
The Rao family, for example, frequently visits museums
and holds game nights focusing on problem
solving. “We encourage our children to communicate
their ideas clearly and concisely and understand realworld
issues,” notes Bharathi Rao, Gitanjali’s mother.
Discourage snap decisions: During adolescence,
Moss notes, kids struggling to fi gure out who
they are can easily form inaccurate perceptions of
their academic weaknesses. Reassure your child
one challenging assignment or bad grade need not
rule out a future career. “Kids often make up their
minds by sixth grade whether they’re capable of doing
science and math,” says Moss. “We have defi nitive
evidence that by age 6, girls have already started
to internalize negative stereotypes that science and
math are not for girls.” In reality, she notes, understanding
science and math simply requires more
thinking for some people than others; it’s not a skill
based on gender.
According to State of Science Index fi ndings, 96 percent
of U.S. parents want their kids to know more about
science. It’s critical for us to maintain interest during
the middle school years, and according to Moss it’s our
responsibility to help children see the possibilities.
“Kids in fi fth through eighth grade have a whole
lot of empathy and really do want to make the world a
better place,” she says. “They have the power, but we
need to instill confi dence and give them the tools and
encouragement to pursue STEM.”
— BPT