“Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.”
– Roger Lewin
Strong STEAM for a Strong Future
When one looks at the world we live in with all of its technological marvels, we can be fascinated at the leaps scientific progress has made. Our children are poised at the right time of their lives to gain an appreciation for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) education.
While kids are still young, they form thousands of new connections in their brain daily. Their minds are living sponges, capable of soaking up new information and concepts that will lay the foundation for the rest of their educational, career as well as personal lives. Reserving time for children’s brains to form connections regarding STEAM courses such as programming and robotics allow a new generation to have familiarity with skill sets that it would take twice as long for an adult to learn.
There have been studies that prove a strong enrichment in STEAM courses enables children to improve their problem solving, cooperate in group settings to engineer the best solution to a roadblock, and think creatively when approaching something entirely new. STEAM naturally encourages learners to ask questions, giving them a thirst for the “why” that will reward them with a wealth of knowledge.
What’s more, STEAM encourages creativity. When a child takes, for example, a 3-D printing class, or grasps the basics of programming languages, they are learning the skillsets that will enable them to project the innovations rattling in the canvas of their minds and make it reality. Even if their creativity does not result in a piece of art, they can learn to express more of who they are through what they create.
Oddly enough, participation in STEAM courses builds a resilience in children. Most often, the first attempt at a project, robot, or string of code won’t function perfectly, but that is expected. Children learn that failure is part of the process to achieving their goals. Later in life, they are more likely to persist when giving up feels like the easier way out.
When it comes to equality, STEAM courses set everyone at a level playing field, helping boys and girls to see each other as equal partners in discovery of the world’s mysteries. Starting a child early in these courses empowers them to understand that any field is open and ready for their contribution.
Every child can benefit from the opportunities availed to them through taking STEAM courses, and their futures will be all the brighter for it.