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….

Time To Work

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 aaron.smith@nn.k12.va.us

• Awakening Your STEM School – Available at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon and others • August 1, 2015