STEM - Big deal or just a fad
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Anonymous
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I've been hearing and reading a lot about STEM and a STEM education. For those not in the know, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. To me it seems like they are just repackaging what students should be learning.
I'd love to hear what others think and if they do or plan to send their kids to a school that promotes itself as a STEM school. Oh, and if not STEM, what program(s) drew you to your current school? |
Anonymous
| Follow the money. STEM is where the funding is these days. |
Anonymous
| STEM has always been important. But because the education profession creates, or revisits, or reinvents the new, best practices, best paradigm every few years, STEM just happens to be the latest trend. In a few years they will revert to talking about how the critical thinking taught in the liberal arts is essential and overlooked by the focus on STEM. Yay. Let us all jump on board and be modern. |
Anonymous
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Sort of a re-hash or re-do from the Sputnik era when U.S. was way behind Russia in the "race to space".
Of course, STEM 9or whatever it is called in the future, will always be important. Jobs in STEM fields often go wanting for lack of enough skills in U.S. We should work to have our citizens trained for these jobs not just the Chinese and Indian folks. |
Anonymous
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I think STEM has been a focus for a long time already. It's just got a cool acronym and some good press now. Examples:
1983 proposal by National Science Foundation: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-m0aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9ikEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4906,4271800&dq=science+math+education+school+students&hl=en Many other examples from 20-40 years ago: https://www.google.com/search?q=science+math+education+school+students&safe=off&hl=en&gl=us&authuser=0&sa=X&ei=cQ8AUvH5IO3j4AOS-YGwCw&ved=0CCEQpwUoBg&source=lnt&tbs=cdr%3A1%2Ccd_min%3A1970%2Ccd_max%3A1990&tbm=nws#authuser=0&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&fp=177f39b9f05ab724&gl=us&hl=en&q=science+math+education+school+students+(important+OR+importance)+skills&safe=off&tbm=nws&tbs=cdr:1%2Ccd_min%3A1970%2Ccd_max%3A1990 |
Anonymous
| Here's a better link for the second example: http://goo.gl/jYAZfN |
Anonymous
| Totally overrated. I don't think that science thing has legs at all. |
Anonymous
| Are there area schools that are considered STEM schools? |
Anonymous
| Big deal or a fad? Yes. |
Anonymous
Bullis has an excellent STEM program. |
Anonymous
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The king of STEM around here is TJ - public and test-in. Judging by the number of Intel semi finalists and finalists, no other school comes close. Not sure why STEM is being discussed on the private school forum. For STEM, public schools rule. We all know private school is for producing well rounded, liberal artsy types.
No. Not a fad. |
Anonymous
| STEM isn't going away -- so I don't think it's a fad. |
Anonymous
Do you think it's because private schools can be afforded by families with money? So the students who are more likely to go into STEM fields as a way to try climb the SES ladder with well paid STEM jobs come from working or lower SES backgrounds (eg, immigrants) and go to free public school? |
Anonymous
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The graduate with a Science degree asks, "Why does it work?"
The graduate with an Engineering degree asks, "How does it work?" The graduate with an Accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?" The graduate with a Liberal Arts degree asks, "Do you want fries with that?" |
Anonymous
DD attended private--however; she prefers "free public school" for academics (STEM) and social. |