Between 2009 and 2015, the demand for STEM related skills and an increase in opportunities in STEM-related jobs rose by 10.5% in the US (Subotnik, 2009).
The future looks bright for anyone who possesses skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). But preference in STEM subjects by younger students remains relatively low despite their importance (McClure, 2017).
Most of the younger generation prefers social sciences, languages and arts-related subject and end up majoring in a STEM affiliated course after high school.
That said,
The question we should be addressing is how to make STEM subjects interesting for your child. Here are four effective ways.
1. Make STEM Normal and Applicable to Everyday Life
One of the most effective ways of making STEM interesting for your child is by applying it in everyday life. Young students are not extensively exposed to instances where STEM has to be applied.
This is because at that age, most of the ‘difficult’ tasks are done for them. So, a majority of children grow up not seeing exactly how it is used in everyday life.
Applying STEM in your everyday tasks in the presence of your child improves their perception of the subjects. Some of the tasks include cooking, shopping and outdoor activities.
Cooking with your child can help them improve and appreciate mathematics and sciences like chemistry.
Shopping and budgeting helps to improve mathematics whereas outdoor activities enable them to appreciate engineering and innovation.
So when you take part in activities that require these subjects, you help your child grow fond of them and appreciate their importance.
2. Make STEM Fun
Making STEM fun and not a lesson can significantly raise your child’s interest in the subjects. Parents, teachers and guardians should focus on the experience the child gets rather than turning it into a lesson that is meant to be understood.
Encouraging your child to have fun when engaging in activities amplifies their perception positively. Activities like building your children’s tree house provides an avenue to teach engineering, mathematics and physics while having fun with your child.
Playing games both outdoor and indoor can enable them to appreciate the need for various mathematical decisions. Moreover, engaging in computer and video games with your child also helps them appreciate and learn the dynamics of technology (Hughes, 2017).
This is because STEM is more practical than theoretical and hence requires a form of apprenticeship to be understood better. Parents are advised to allow children to be their assistants when engaging in various activities rather than doing it themselves.
3. Engage in STEM Activities Head On
Taking part in various STEM related activities like science fairs, technology and engineering expos together is another effective way of making it interesting.
More often, adults overlook the need to have children visit and take part in some of these activities. They are made to feel and sound like complex stuff that should not concern the younger generation.
Science fairs and expos for kids go a long way in enhancing their understanding of the concerned subjects. Helping children with their science project and explaining to them in detail, everything regarding it creates a better understanding for them.
With time, the child grows knowing exactly why some things are done in a particular way and not another. Child-friendly terms should always be applied when explaining and expounding on a difficult area of the subject.
Parents should to watch STEM affiliated material with their children because visual learning proves more effective than theoretical, class-based learning. Watching an interesting science or engineering documentary with your child can help boost their interest in the subject.
5. Emphasize on Creating Interest and Understanding, not Grades
From a general perspective, STEM comprises some of the most difficult subjects for a significant number of young students. Because of their rigorous grading, they have a significant effect on the students overall performance.
The over-emphasis on exceptional performance in the subject leads to children hating and fearing these subjects. This culminates in many dropping them after failure due to the feeling of not being smart. Building interest is the first step to improving your child’s grades.
Once he or she has gained the interest, learning and understanding becomes fairly easier. In as much as the grades are important, forcing the child to pass in a subject they do not like proves futile.
Parents and teachers who emphasize on good grades are often advised to inflict passion and interest, which then translates to better grades in them as well as the overall performance.
Rewarding effort, above average and exceptional performance in STEM also helps to motivate your child into liking the subjects. Poor performance in the same should not be undermined.
Weak students should instead be motivated to continue striving and more avenues to make STEM interesting adopted.
References
Hughes, L. A. (2017). Video games help to prepare girls for a competitive future in STEM: An analysis of how video games help to build visual-spatial skills and the positive influence early childhood gaming can have on girls. Ohio: Kent State University.
McClure, E. R.-T. (2017). STEM Starts Early. The Education Digest, 83(4),, 43-51.
Subotnik, R. F. (2009). Specialized public high schools of science, mathematics, and technology and the STEM pipeline: What do we know now and what will we know in 5 years? Roeper Review, 7-16.
Commentaires