There is a natural connection between the engineering design process and social and emotional learning core competencies. By incorporating science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) practices, and engineering design challenges young children will have opportunities to develop and nurture SEL skills. When young children engineer and undertake engineering design challenges they learn how to empathize with others, make responsible decisions, regulate their emotions, share materials, collaborate, and communicate with one another. Check out research to support connecting STEM curriculum with social-emotional learning in early childhood here. During a recent teacher training session early childhood teachers were introduced to the foundational principles of STEAM education, and incorporating engineering design challenges that develop and nurture SEL in young children. Through engaging hands-on-minds-on experiences, participants explored how incorporating STEAM-based practices, explorations, and engineering challenges within the classroom and outdoor play spaces provide opportunities for young children to support and grow social and emotional learning skills. Materials used during the workshop were readily available and affordable materials and included recyclable materials. Additionally, participants were introduced to age-appropriate technology and tools that can be incorporated within STEAM explorations and centers. Check out some of the photos taken during the session below. For more information about professional staff development and interactive keynotes that I offer worldwide check out my training and keynote pages.
Tag: earlychildhoodstem
University Lecturers and Professors of Early Childhood Education Attend STEM Teacher Training Course in Vietnam
I’m always grateful to travel to foreign countries to share my knowledge and passion for inquiry-based teaching and STEM education. In July of 2019, I had the privilege once again of traveling to Vietnam to provide two weeks of STEM teacher training courses for early childhood educators and university professors who specialize in early childhood education. One of the participants Nguyen Thi Thanh Ph.D., Rector of Hoa Sen MNTH wrote the following summary article of the STEM teacher training course. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and working with Nguyen and her peers. During the training participants were introduced to inquiry-based teaching and learning, designing and implementing authentic and quality STEM lessons that are investigative based vs. activity-based. At the close of the session, participants were given the assignment of designing one STEM-based lesson which was reviewed by myself, as well as their peers. The university staff will share their acquired knowledge with their college students. I am anxiously awaiting to see how receptive their students will be in embracing STEM practices and content. Imagine, the impact of quality and authentic STEM learning experiences for the students of Vietnam. Thanks for writing the article Nguyen. Check out the summary article here.
Head Start Teachers Introduced to STEM Practices and Content
Over 60 Madera Head Start Teachers and administrators gathered for a day of STEM training. The room was filled with excitement, building blocks, a mountain of recycled materials to be used in engineering design challenges, low-cost technology and tools, STEM-based children’s literature, and more. Teachers were introduced to the foundational principles of STEM education including teaching via inquiry, designing lessons that engage and empower students, incorporating 21st-century skills within all STEM-based lessons, and incorporating real-world STEM challenges for young children. During the day-long training, teachers were introduced to using low-cost, meaningful technology mathematical and scientific tools, using the outdoors to teach STEM practices and content, building dimensional structures, patterns, shapes, ramp science, tinkering, block building, journaling, and incorporating STEM-based children’s literature within STEM explorations and centers. The teachers were engaged throughout the session, experiencing the beauty and power of STEM education like their young students. I am grateful to be providing ongoing STEM teacher training for Madera Head Start, it takes time and quality professional staff development experiences for educators to truly feel confident to implement STEM learning experiences within their own classrooms. I am excited to see what takes place during the 2019-2020 school year in Madera Head Start Classrooms, the teachers and administrators have truly embraced STEM education. Check out the following video below which gives you a birds-eye view of two different days of STEM training conducted for Madera Head Start Teachers. More ongoing training to take place in February of 2020.