STEM education is more critical than ever. We are only at the beginning of the digital age. This has made science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education more important than ever. Early STEM education can promote ongoing academic success. Children who learn STEM concepts throughout their education are better prepared to meet increasingly technology-focused professional requirements.
STEM concepts help children develop new ways of thinking, encouraging curiosity and analysis. Establishing these at an early age when young minds are most workable, establishes lifelong thinking skills. Early age is typically infancy through third grade.
STEM also helps children with other fields of study. Research has shown a link exists between science instruction and improvement in literacy, language learning, and executive functioning. Students who engage with STEM subjects gain skills that better prepare them for technology-focused roles. When teaching young children STEM education, it is not dependent on digital technology. For example, block play, gardening, and puzzles are examples of STEM education. Even visits to museums can be considered STEM education.
Parents who are aware of the benefits of a STEM curriculum are more likely to be supportive of STEM education. They are also more likely to encourage activities at home that develop STEM concepts. The belief that STEM is for older students has contributed to younger grades not being funded as much as higher grade levels. People need to start introducing STEM to kids at a young age.
A study by researchers at the University of California Irvine found that early math skills were the most consistently predictive measure of future academic success among kindergarten to fifth-grade students.
Research supported by the National Science Foundation concludes that young children benefit from learning STEM subjects, which include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, because these disciplines play a fundamental role in setting the foundations for future learning.
STEM and Language Development
STEM education and activities are thought to play a key role in the acquisition of language skills. For example, when kids read books about technology or science, it can spark curiosity in them. And what they’ve read may prompt children to plan and carry out an investigation to test a hypothesis, which is a crucial aspect of a scientific investigation.
Children would then be encouraged to discuss their hypotheses and results with each other. This then develops literacy and comprehension skills.
STEM Encourages Independent and Collaborative Learning
As the report highlights, STEM education allows children to develop their communication and problem-solving skills. When kids are actively encouraged to talk and write about their ideas and observations, this helps their problem-solving skills tremendously. This enables young children to develop concepts through investigative and explorative means.
Young children benefit from a STEM education because they are typically naturally curious and want to explore and make sense of the things around them. Young children who are non-native. English speakers can also benefit from a STEM education because they can participate in scientific explorations that do not demand an extensive vocabulary.
STEM in Practice
This report recommends that children should be introduced to these subjects before kindergarten. Teachers should then dedicate enough time to give students quality STEM learning until the third grade, at least. Teachers should establish and promote STEM ways of thinking. Also, there should be opportunities to read, write, and discuss those subjects in detail. Teaching kids STEM early, allows them to make connections between their everyday life and STEM disciplines. It also gives the children transferable skills to other subjects.
Learning Through Self Discovery
There are a few things parents can do to ensure their children are being exposed to STEM at home. They can do this by encouraging independent thinking by making connections between their experiences at school and home.
An easy and efficient way to do this is to simply ask a child what they learned in their science class that day or week. This will help them to consolidate that learning experience as they explain and discuss the topic. If you want to take it one step further, parents can encourage their children to undertake a mini project relating to the topic at home. This encourages independent thinking. This shows the kid that STEM is not only learned at school and may spark their curiosity even more.
Make sure your children are introduced to the benefits of STEM education at school and at home!
