This has been on my mind for a while, and a recent conversation in a social media group inspired me to write this. A new GT teacher asked, “Is gifted (education) all about STEM now?” This prompted some great discussion, and I’d like to continue the conversation here and in our Facebook group.
Here is a little background and some of my own thoughts. I welcome yours!
STEM is a focus on the integration of activities that help students “do” science, technology, engineering, and math in similar ways to how people in those career fields “do” their jobs. This is what Sandra Kaplan called thinking like disciplinarians, an important part of her framework for designing a curriculum with depth and complexity. The work of experts in these fields often overlaps, so the grouping of these disciplines happens naturally. Note: One explanation of the STEM “movement” can be found here.
In STEM schools, particularly at the secondary level, students are exploring and preparing for careers in such fields as microbiology, nanotechnology, biostatistics, and data analysis. Students at these schools can see how their mastery of skills and concepts in each of the STEM areas impacts the field in which they are most interested. These schools, which often lead to mentorships, scholarships, and internships, provide a unique avenue for gifted students who demonstrate an aptitude and interest in these types of careers.
At the elementary level, schools are “doing STEM” and even have STEM classes for all students. However, often this means students are learning how to code, exploring robotics, or learning about advanced technologies. These are fantastic opportunities for all students, but I’d like to suggest here that we revisit the true “heart of STEM,” which is to give students an opportunity to approach problems as scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technology specialists – using all of these disciplines together.
It’s a challenge!
There are wonderful resources you can incorporate (see STEM categories under each grade level in the site menu), but it’s important to keep in mind that the idea is to move toward the integration of these disciplines.
We also know that we are preparing our students for a future we cannot predict, using tools and devices not yet in the mainstream or even invented. Students still need to learn to communicate effectively, think critically and creatively, and ask good questions as they work through problems.
So, what should be our approach in the GT classroom? I would like to offer these simple ideas that can move our students toward thinking like disciplinarians and help students learn about the skills, tools, and concepts in STEM fields.
THINKING more LIKE DISCIPLINARIANS
(1) First explore- then explain. Imagine discovering a mathematical formula or making a new scientific discovery! What could be closer to thinking like an expert than grappling with a problem as someone did long ago? If we can recreate or simulate that from time to time, it could have the same impact on our students as it did on Albert Einstein (see quote below). And, of course, students are more engaged and will remember the concept better when they discover it for themselves. Here are just a few examples I’ve shared on the blog:
- discover the Pythagorean theorem
- discover how to harness electricity to light a bulb (using SIMPLE materials)
- figure out the source of a virus (using technology Dr. Snow didn’t have in the 1800s).
“One of the formative experiences in the life of Albert Einstein was writing his own mathematical proof of the Pythagorean theorem at age 12. Einstein’s fascination with geometry eventually played a role in his development of the theories of special and general relativity.“
The Pythagorean Theorem Makes Construction and GPS Possible ~ by Patrick J. Kiger
(2) Introduce students to advanced STEM fields and connect them to their lives. Advanced students crave novelty and want to know how science, math, engineering, and technology are being used to innovate and impact our world. Explore how nanotechnology is impacting medicine, how probability is used in game-making, and how 3-D printing is impacting building construction. It can take time to plan the inclusion of novel topics of study (read more here), so let’s share all we can!
(3) Connect classroom learning to the work of experts across disciplines. A unit of study or project is elevated when students use the language of a discipline and simulate the work done by experts in that field. The skills and concepts often overlap, too. A few examples from this blog:
- Think Like an Archaeologist
- Think Like a Marine Biologist
- Think Like a Lawyer
- Think Like a Logistics Engineer
- Think Like a Statistician
I hope this will lead to more conversation about the history and purposes behind the STEM movement and the role we have in gifted education. Again, I invite you to join us in our Facebook group if you’d like to share your thoughts.