The Next Five Years
Reflection
My Goals
During this 2015-2016 school year, I facilitated the integration of STEM across the curriculum so as to encourage and empower students as future leaders in STEM disciplines. Teachers were provided with tools, resources, support and experiences that helped them to engage their students in problem based learning involving real world connections that sometimes included community or global issues. Students had to place a lot of emphasis on the utilization of the engineering design process in order to solve hands-on and abstract problems. Students also had to exercise the utilization of the STEM habits of mind that were established for the school. Ultimately, the desire and goal was and is to promote a shift in instructional delivery so that a STEM educational model is exemplified school wide.
In the next five years, I plan to continue moving forward with STEM integration expanding my perspective on STEM to STEAM which would incorporate the arts. I am a lover of the arts (drama, music, dance and art work) and with the support of Science, technology engineering and/or math, I want to see the arts explored more. I, also, hope to expand my pe STEM website dedicating a page for science, a page for technology, a page for engineering, a page for math and a page for the arts. I plan to offer resources, connections and collaboration with professional educators and partners on these pages as well as information that inspires learning.
In the next 5 years, I plan to continue to expand my knowledge and understanding of STEM and become fully equipped as a ‘STEM advisor offering my expertise to novice schools. I anticipate that my existing school would be self sufficient by then and there would be well trained STEM teacher leader per grade level.
In the next five years, I plan to continue moving forward with STEM integration expanding my perspective on STEM to STEAM which would incorporate the arts. I am a lover of the arts (drama, music, dance and art work) and with the support of Science, technology engineering and/or math, I want to see the arts explored more. I, also, hope to expand my pe STEM website dedicating a page for science, a page for technology, a page for engineering, a page for math and a page for the arts. I plan to offer resources, connections and collaboration with professional educators and partners on these pages as well as information that inspires learning.
In the next 5 years, I plan to continue to expand my knowledge and understanding of STEM and become fully equipped as a ‘STEM advisor offering my expertise to novice schools. I anticipate that my existing school would be self sufficient by then and there would be well trained STEM teacher leader per grade level.
The Diversity Measure of My Network
There are numerous resources that I would like to use to broaden the scope of STEM education at my school. I plan to do more networking to develop partnerships with companies, organization, universities, and programs that support a STEM education. This year, I partnered with Project Syncere who offered 10 weeks of classes on STEM in the area of electrical and civil engineering. Students completed such projects as designing a light switch or developing a future city. Students also received a STEM challenge workshop from the Dyson Foundation and from the Museum of Science & Industry where they had to design and build a product using cardboard that could improve an existing need in the school or community. I want to broaden my network by developing partnerships with companies such as IBM or Boeing or with schools such as Hubbard Street Dance Company or the Art Institute or with colleges or universities such as the Illinois Institute of Technology or Northeastern University. I hope to see representatives provide mentoring, workshops, presentations, tutoring and competitions. I also plan to establish more online collaboration through websites, apps, google classrooms, blogs, twitter accounts and video chats.