awakening your stem school-vpta 7.15
TRANSCRIPT
Awakening Your STEM School
Dr. Aaron L. Smith
July 16, 2015
Disclaimer
What is the Aviation Academy?
The Aviation Academy is the magnet
program for Denbigh High School
• A total of 355 students
Some possible STEM careers:
• Aerospace
• Physics
• Computers
• Aviation
• Engineering
• Airline & Airport
• Operations
• Navigation
• Meteorology
• Flight Surgeon
Located at KPHF!
What is STEM?
STEM is…
• STEM – Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
• Becoming a popular trend in public schools
• Easier to earn grants if STEM based
• Needed in the workforce to generate new products
Overall Benefits of STEM…
• Embed more critical thinking skills
• Establishing skill sets in a variety of courses
• Exposure to new technologies and methodologies
• Company and Industry trends are easier to fuse with this concept
• Higher student interest
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Major Benefits For Stakeholders
Businesses
Schools Community
• Employee with strong skillset • Less time to train employee • More incentive to remain in
area and recruit locally
• Stabilizes tax base • Greater chance in keeping business • Less crime and
other local concerns
• Higher graduation rate • Less time needed
to provide remediation • More time to do
innovative and meaningful lessons
Core Beliefs For STEM
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Core Beliefs for a STEM
School
Be safe
Be attentive to details
Be clean
Be prepared
and organized
Be committed
Areas of Focus – Soft Skill
Targeted Objectives Examples
Formal conversations
Interviews
Public speaking
Presentations
Informal Conversations
Day to day work
Phone calls
Emails
Professionalism
Attire
Courtesy & Respect
Giving Back 5/17/2015 9
Area of Focus – Hard Skills
Written Expression
Resume
Cover letter
Reports & Outlines
Project Based
Critical Thinking
Creation of an ePortfolio
Real world scenarios
Preparing for the next level
College applications
Grants & Scholarships
Preparing and maintaining
a budget
Area of Focus – Education / Experience
Courses
Dual enrollment Course concentrations Experience with tools, &
vocabulary
Industry Standards
Certifications Internships, mentorship & site
tours
Safety & Cleanliness
Research & Development
Teaming with partners to develop new products & models
Trying to fail Exploration of ideas
Getting our tools together • 5 ways to teach with
inspiration
• 8 features to embed into your curriculum
• 4 considerations in the development of teachers
• Identify & implement STEM in a School / Class
• Championing contributions from business partners
5 Ways To Teach With Inspiration
• Build their spirit for the work. Make them feel part of a winning team
• Include as many challenges & real life scenarios
• Review and rejuvenate lesson plans frequently
• Help students release their creativity
• Seek out peer support
8 Features To Embed Into Curriculum
• Frequent use of technology
• Hands-on learning
• Encourage & reward curiosity
• Higher level questioning
• Build on prior knowledge
• Fuse career & CTE skills
• Identify pathways for post secondary education prior to graduation
• Project & product based
Connecting Curriculum& Real Life Experiences
4 Considerations For Core Teachers
Core Beliefs
What does Success Look
Like?
Currently in Place?
Integrate Instruction with
partners?
When are things better for students?
Identifying & Implementing STEM in School
5 Goals that can be connected with Virginia SOLs
– Interdisciplinary lessons are the norm
– Share student centered lessons and products promoting differentiation
– Improvement on instruction that concentrates on data and student work
5 Goals that can be connected with Virginia SOLs
– Create Positive relationships which foster a nurturing environment
– Classroom innovation and creativity fuses industry practices with planning and delivery of instruction
Identifying & Implementing STEM in School
Best of Both Worlds
STEM Goals
TDEP Goals
Where do you begin? • Complete your Self
Assessment
• Consider beginning with one lesson, one subject
• Review current plan
• Find / refresh plan
• Utilize resources from – www.stemschooldr.com
Time To Begin Dreaming
Remember you are only as limited as your imagination….
Prepare a game plan
Setting up a plan to initiate STEM in your class / school
Easy To Do
Needs Some
Work
Needs Extensive
Planning
Short Term
(1 – 3 months)
Mid Term
(4 – 6 months)
Long Term
(6 – 12 months)
10 Ways to Create Ownership
• Announce accomplishments
• Raise the mark
• Give Professional Development to all
• Share within the classroom for constructive criticism
• Get students to take pride
10 Ways to Create Ownership
• Compile a list of successful stories each year
• Get a plan that adds instant value
• Know when to publicize
• Find money
• Post success throughout the building
Championing contributions from partners
• Have a plan already in mind
– Mentoring, field trip, etc
• Start from within your building
– Teachers, parents
• Contact the public relations department
– Email is ok, but phone or personal contact is optimal
Championing contributions from partners
• Find grants from local companies
– Check eligibility requirements
– Inform administration of intent
– Ask questions to the POC of grant
• Contact the president or executive staff
– Ask for an appointment
• Ask for help in creating a technical panel
– In curriculum updates
– Provide real life scenarios, and products
• Invite business partners in for a tour of school
– Prepare agenda
Where to find more info? • Follow me
– Twitter @stemschooldr
– Facebook – Awakening Your STEM School
– Web – http://stemschooldr.com • Sign up for blog
• Email [email protected]
• Awakening Your STEM School – Available at Barnes & Noble,
Amazon and others • August 1, 2015