Now more than ever a quality STEM education is imperative for children to receive. Studies show that over 60% of jobs require a secondary education beyond high school. Students develop the skills they need to succeed post-high school through STEM classes taken at the elementary and high school levels. These building blocks help students develop critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities. Unfortunately, many schools lack the funding to give students a well-rounded STEM education. Organizations such as the IRISE Research & Discovery Science (IRISE-RDS) offer a low-cost method for schools to offer STEM experiments to their students.
Benefits of STEM Education (continued)
STEM classes taken as a child lay the foundation for skills needed to succeed later in life. Some of the benefits of taking STEM classes include the following:
1. Foster Resilience to Failure
During a STEM experiment, students will learn to fail. Although this seems counterintuitive, students need to learn how to overcome failure to succeed. Encouraging confidence and resilience in a young child will give them the skills to push through tough times later in life. Finding what works and what does not work during an experiment also fosters a problem-solving approach to various issues.
2. Develop Technology Literacy
Technology is a huge part of our lives today. Without it, you cannot find a job, meet up with friends, or even pay your bills. Teaching kids how to navigate technology from a young age sets them up for success. Knowing the ins and outs of how technology works prepare kids for an entirely digital future.
3. Boosts an Experimentation Mindset
During STEM classes, students are taught to test a hypothesis and see what happens. This type of experimentation mindset helps students develop many skills, such as the ability to analyze and use cognitive thinking abilities. Rather than accepting the world as it is, students are taught to constantly question how and why something works. They develop a deep understanding of different processes in this regard.
Even though your school may not have access to year-round STEM classes, there is a way to bring a STEM education to your school children. Professor Jenkins at the IRISE Research & Discovery Science has developed easy-to-follow STEM experiments that can be replicated in any classroom. Please contact Professor Jenkins at 678-785-9662 to discuss how you can bring the benefits of STEM education to your classroom.
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