S.T.E.A.M.: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics for All Age Groups

Science, technology, engineering and math skills are increasingly important in school and career success, as well as in daily life. Stepping Stone School’s curriculum incorporates activities, materials and lessons that introduce those concepts to our students, from infants through school age!

But we also emphasize the value of the arts. This component balances and enhances the other disciplines. For example, creativity is valuable in its own right, but strength in this skill enhances abilities to problem solve, design/engineer and postulate.

 

There is solid evidence to suggest that the fastest-growing and highest-wage jobs in future years will be in S.T.E.A.M. fields. Elementary schools are shifting toward teaching from a S.T.E.A.M. point of view, and preschool children benefit from being familiar with the concepts.

 

The addition of S.T.E.A.M. into our lesson plans gives our students an advantage in school readiness as more schools are adopting this modern learning. Children’s earliest developments and experiences, coupled with nurturing interactions, become the foundation for S.T.E.A.M. knowledge – just as they are the foundation for literacy, social, emotional and physical knowledge.

 

In the real world, knowledge disciplines are interwoven, layered and sophisticated, not experienced in isolation like they might be in traditional education settings (separate math time, separate science time, etc.).

 

While many activities and lessons may fall firmly into one of the S.T.E.A.M. disciplines, more straddle the lines and fall within multiple areas. For example, while creating leaf rubbings (art), a class of 2-year olds may also be learning about plant parts (science) and comparing leaf sizes (math).