A lot of parents are asking, “What is STEM?” STEM stands for the four top disciplines where in students are educated. These are specifically Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the first letter of each discipline making STEM. But, why is there all this talk about it these days?
What is STEM?
These areas of education are where the students in the United States usually excel, however, lately fewer and fewer students are interested in these fields as a career. It seems many of them enter high school with the plan to go into one of these fields, but more than half of them change plans by the time they are seniors. So, President Obama put into place an educational funding plan in 2009 to help students stay in the STEM careers.
A STEM curriculum puts an emphasis on STEM subjects to teach and nurture students. It is an effort to keep those that show aptitude in these subjects stay on their path to a career in STEM disciplines.
In elementary and middle school, STEM subjects are taught at an introductory level. These subjects are connected together and not taught as stand-alone subjects. This new way of educating children creates interest in these particular career fields.
By high school these courses become far more challenging. The students are being prepared for college and entering the career paths of STEM fields.
STEM strongly encourages the students that are underrepresented in the STEM career fields in order to bring more diversity to these careers.
Enrollment in STEM
Lumen Learning Center does offer STEM education for kindergarten to grade 8. Call our office if you’re interested in enrolling your child in a STEM curriculum. We are happy to speak with you about our STEM programs.
