In March I had the privilege of returning to Vietnam to continue providing on-going science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professional staff development to teachers and administrators of STEAMe Garten and Apax Leaders. Early childhood teachers of STEAMe Garten in Hanoi and Apax Leaders from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were introduced to STEM practices and content during five-day STEM teacher training institutes. Participants were introduced to the foundational principles of STEM education, best practices in STEM education, and STEM content. Participants took an active role in the training by working in small groups to conduct a wide-array of STEM-based investigations. Participants were introduced to inquiry-based teaching practices, incorporating journaling in the classroom, using STEM-based children’s literature within STEM lessons, and the engineering design process. A great deal of time was spent on providing opportunities for the participants to see what a quality STEM lesson entails, how it should be delivered, and creating a classroom learning environment that provides opportunities for students to develop and strengthen their 21st-century skills. STEAMe Garten, Vietnam is one of the first private educational corporations to incorporate STEM within early childhood and kindergarten classrooms. Additionally, Apax Vietnam is now offering ESL after school programs that teach English through STEM-based learning experiences. During the two-five day STEM, teacher training institutes participants were actively engaged in conducting “real-world” STEM-based lessons that could readily be incorporated within their early childhood through kindergarten classrooms, and ESL lessons. From designing and building marble roller coasters, to reverse engineering and coding teachers were immersed in exploring the power and beauty that STEM education has in transforming education. The following photos are a sampling of the two five-day institutes that took place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City for STEAMe Garten and Apax Leaders.
Tag: stemprofessionalstaffdevelopment
Turkish Teachers Introduced to Best Practices in STEM Education
I had the pleasure of traveling to Turkey in January 2019 as the STEM Expert for an American Embassy Grant Program to provide a five-day Train the Trainer STEM Education Institute to middle school teachers. ORAV the hiring agency obtained a grant from an American Embassy Grants Program to provide a two + year project to provide sustainable STEM education to teachers and students throughout Turkey. The project was kicked off in January of 2019 when I provided an intensive five-day STEM Institute for 40 + lead trainers and administrators. During the five-day Train, the Trainer STEM Institute participants were introduced to best practices in STEM education which included inquiry-based teaching practices, developing and delivering investigative-based STEM lessons and learning experiences, 21st-century learning skills, engineering design process, journaling and connecting STEM across the disciplines. These lead trainers will provide STEM training and mentor over 250 teachers throughout Turkey over a five-month period. The 250 teachers trained will incorporate STEM learning experiences within their classrooms reaching thousands of students. I am truly grateful to have been selected to provide the foundational STEM training to the leader trainers of this project. These educators and administrators are extremely dedicated and motivated and have embraced the foundational principles of best practices in STEM education. I look forward to seeing the long-term benefits of this project on both the teachers and children of Turkey. The following video provides a sampling of the STEM learning experiences and discussions that took place during the five-day Train the Trainer STEM Institute in 2019.
Teaching STEM Through Children’s Literature Training for 21st CCLC Staff
I had the pleasure of presenting at the 2018 Promising Practices- Proven Strategies Extra Learning Opportunities Conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The conference was open to schools with established 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). I conducted a session entitled “Teaching STEM Through Children’s Literature“, the session was designed for afterschool staff working with 3rd-5th graders. During the three-hour workshop participants were introduced to approximately sixty plus STEM-themed children’s titles that are ideal for incorporating within STEM lessons. Titles included many from the NSTA list of Outstanding STEM Trade Books for 2017-2018. Participants conducted numerous hands-on-minds-on, inquiry-based STEM investigations during the training from materials science, to reverse engineering, engineering journaling, and exploring electricity-based kits and more.. Throughout the nation afterschool programs are continuing to incorporate more STEM experiences for the students within their programs. From conducting building engineering challenges to robotics STEM is making its way into afterschool programs. For more information about the conference check out the following link. The following photos were taken during the hands-on-minds-on, inquiry-based workshop. For more information about scheduling STEM professional staff development for 21st CCLC Staff and K-12 teachers complete the Contact Form on Contact Page.
St. Paul School Hanoi Staff Attend STEAM Institute
My childhood days were spent growing up in Bangkok, Thailand and Vientiane, Laos thus when I was contacted to conduct science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) training for the entire teaching staff of St. Paul School in Hanoi, Vietnam I was elated! During a four-day STEAM Institute early childhood-grade 8 teachers and school administrators were introduced to STEAM practices and content. To make the training as beneficial and meaningful to all the staff, the staff was separated into grade levels. There was also scheduled time to meet with individual departments across the disciplines in small groups. The training started off with introducing and modeling inquiry-based teaching practices and learning to the staff. The staff was also introduced to incorporating journaling across the disciplines. All investigations incorporated 21st century skills, and were aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Throughout the four day institute teachers conducting hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based STEAM investigations including: engineering design process, materials science, connecting mathematical principles and architecture, building science, reverse engineering, building dimensional structures with recycled materials, sustainable engineering, incorporating meaningful technology and more. It was a great group of teachers, with a very supportive administrative staff that will help the teaching staff in their efforts to incorporate “meaningful STEAM experiences” within their classrooms in the 2017-2018 year. The entire teaching staff and administrators truly embraced the benefits of incorporating STEAM-based practices and content across the disciplines and all grade levels. I look forward to hearing how St. Paul American School in Hanoi students become immersed in exploring STEAM this year. The following photos are a small sampling of the STEAM-based investigations that were undertaken during the STEAM institute. For more information about the STEM, STEAM, and NGSS professional staff development Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski conducts worldwide complete the contact form found on this website.
Vibrobots and Bristlebots Engineering Design Challenge for STEM and Maker Classrooms
If you are looking for an affordable electrical-based engineering or makespace design challenge, Vibrobots and Bristlebots are the perfect challenge. When I introduce teachers and Media Specialists to the engineering design challenge of designing and building Vibrobots and/or Bristlebots I start off the lesson by having the teachers analyze simple Hexbugs. Hexbugs were invented years ago by Beam Robotics, they are a simple robot that moves about based on a vibrating motor. Hexbug models have become more complex throughout the years, with the later models sensing light, objects, and having the ability to swim in water. Students will choose their own materials to build their Vibrobot or Bristlebot, most materials can be purchased at your local dollar store, as well as using recyclable and re-usable materials. This engineering design challenge can be completed as an individual challenge or in groups of 2. Provide students with basic perimeters and goals to what you expect the Vibrobot or Bristlebot to perform. After students have completed designing, building and testing their models have each student or groups of students provide a demonstration of their model. Students are to discuss how they incorporated the engineering design cycle or design process, and related STEM terms. The following video gives an overview of the Vibrobot Engineering Design Challenge, a challenge that develops and strengthen 21st century skills, and aligns with Next Generation Science Standards. It’s an affordable electrical-based engineering design challenge perfect for the STEM classroom or Makerspace. For more information about the STEM and MakerEd professional staff development Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski conducts worldwide complete the contact information on the contact page. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgonaB2d9co[/embedyt]