When did STEM become such a popular buzzword in education?

[Anonymous]

I think STEM is important. I also think the humanities are very important, and I'm raising my daughter to value both. I work in Finance (my job involves math and programming), but I love classical music, art, dance, etc. I hope my daughter goes into a STEM fields because she'll have a better chance of getting a job, but I'll keep encouraging her to have artistic hobbies/interests.

[Anonymous]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZIsAei-MTQ

For people who were curious about how Arts fit in with STEM or whatever you want to call it.

[Anonymous]

It is actually now, because it is necessary to add ARTS! The arts can be part of every other aspect of STEM, and are necessary to a productive society in so many ways:

"STEAM" =

Science

Technology

Engineering

ARTS and of course

Math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I only wish there was a Humanities magnet high school in the area, so that TJ wasn't the only game in town for kids with exceptional ability. Some kids are geared toward literature, writing, history, and the social sciences and there should be a school where they are made to feel like "rock stars" too. The Maggie Walker Governor's School in Richmond is one example. Those kids are incredible.

those are "soft" subjects; no need to really encourage them. The emphasis placed on STEM is because of a shortage of people needed by this country who are qualified for employment in these STEM related fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think STEM is important. I also think the humanities are very important, and I'm raising my daughter to value both. I work in Finance (my job involves math and programming), but I love classical music, art, dance, etc. I hope my daughter goes into a STEM fields because she'll have a better chance of getting a job, but I'll keep encouraging her to have artistic hobbies/interests.

yeah, most girls don't go into math, science etc. Mostly soft subjects like psychology, sociology, art, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think STEM is important. I also think the humanities are very important, and I'm raising my daughter to value both. I work in Finance (my job involves math and programming), but I love classical music, art, dance, etc. I hope my daughter goes into a STEM fields because she'll have a better chance of getting a job, but I'll keep encouraging her to have artistic hobbies/interests.

yeah, most girls don't go into math, science etc. Mostly soft subjects like psychology, sociology, art, etc.

But art IS part of STEAM!

[Anonymous]

Obama has made several speeches saying we need to encourage people to go into STEM. Not made such speeches about needing more people in the humanities though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate trends in education. We need to go back to having a well rounded education! The fine arts are just as critical to development. It is shameful that so many school districts do not offer art once a week for elementary school kids. All of these early skills lead to great mathematicians and engineers too. I have an undergrad degree in Fine Arts and a graduate degree in computer science. I love both!

What school districts do not offer art once a week to elementary schoolers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol to the guy who thinks physics doesn't teach problem solving. I seem to recall Elon Musk said that was the only reason he got a physics degree.

Your job prospects with a physics degree are much worse than humanities because you'll be seen as less versatile. in fact, it is often in Art and science colleges. As is Biology. There are lots of stem stuff that had bad job prospects. But bad is relative. Humanities graduates do fine and biology etc. graduates do fine.

Engineering is votech training (you'll get a good job . . . but it is still votech). Business majors are the least qualified for anything walking out the door (ok, maybe communications is worse).

[Anonymous]

STEM and STEAM were added in fcps to add additional planning time for teachers when the half day Monday's went away. It's on the master schedule so the acronym is used to make it fit and the teachers/ kids can't really be expected to say "today we have music and science, engineering, technology, arts, and math" It's a great thing for fcps to add put its just a filler to many. I've even had to help STEM teachers in my buildings and others bc they don't have a curriculum.

[Anonymous]

STEM is overrated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think STEM is important. I also think the humanities are very important, and I'm raising my daughter to value both. I work in Finance (my job involves math and programming), but I love classical music, art, dance, etc. I hope my daughter goes into a STEM fields because she'll have a better chance of getting a job, but I'll keep encouraging her to have artistic hobbies/interests.

S's will not get easily you a job after undergrad (Biology - no, physics - no, astronomy - no, etc)
Technology is not a major - technological know-how is very useful and can be picked up with any major
Engineering - yes, some good jobs to be had but not as many as you think
Math will not get you a job though stats can be very useful and picked up with any major.

Will steam grads get jobs. Yes. Will humanities grads get jobs. Yes. Will there be a big difference in salaries, not terribly excepting for engineers.

Let kids major in what they love, be strategic about picking up skills in college, and they will do absolutely fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is actually now, because it is necessary to add ARTS! The arts can be part of every other aspect of STEM, and are necessary to a productive society in so many ways:

"STEAM" =

Science

Technology

Engineering

ARTS and of course

Math

Actually the "A" is Applied. as in Applied Mathematics. Arts are great, it's just a different thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it became a buzzword when liberal arts majors, myself included, realized there are no jobs for us and the good jobs go to STEM fields. I've already told my kids they cannot major in a humanities. Take classes for fun if they want but career focus should be on stem or business.

What a sad, sad state of affairs. This certainly demonstrates a complete failure to appreciate the genesis of STEM and pretty much guarantees that humanity is looking forward to a very shallow existence. It also completely fails to appreciate the fact that when asked, senior executives prefer liberal arts over business majors. The former can think and communicate clearly. The latter, not so much.

Also nice to know that there are parents who mandate their children's futures. That's pretty sad too.

Um...no. I'm a senior executive and I've never said that. Don't know any of my peers that have either. You have a cite, or did you make it up?

Thinking and communicating clearly, are certainly critical, but not the exclusive domain of humanities people. In fact, clear and logical thinking seems to me to exist more often in people with a STEM background.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it became a buzzword when liberal arts majors, myself included, realized there are no jobs for us and the good jobs go to STEM fields. I've already told my kids they cannot major in a humanities. Take classes for fun if they want but career focus should be on stem or business.

What a sad, sad state of affairs. This certainly demonstrates a complete failure to appreciate the genesis of STEM and pretty much guarantees that humanity is looking forward to a very shallow existence. It also completely fails to appreciate the fact that when asked, senior executives prefer liberal arts over business majors. The former can think and communicate clearly. The latter, not so much.

Also nice to know that there are parents who mandate their children's futures. That's pretty sad too.

Um...no. I'm a senior executive and I've never said that. Don't know any of my peers that have either. You have a cite, or did you make it up?

Thinking and communicating clearly, are certainly critical, but not the exclusive domain of humanities people. In fact, clear and logical thinking seems to me to exist more often in people with a STEM background.

lol have you met any stem background people?