Kids are a tough audience!
They have a short attention span, and are quick to judge.
So getting them excited about learning can be tough.
Getting them excited about learning stuff they consider to be “boring” is even worse.
And getting them excited about learning science, technology, engineering and math….fat chance!
But, some educators have the ability to spark curiosity in kids. They have a way of getting them to learn, without it feeling like….well, learning.
It’s kinda like getting kids to eat vegetables by hiding them…lol!
So, what’s the secret to getting kids excited about STEM?
Ready for this??
Doing. The. Work.
Wait, what?!?
Yup….there’s no hack. No short cut. No ONE way to get kids excited about STEM.
It takes work and it’s a commitment.
What do you mean “Doing the work” you might wonder?
Well, hate to break it to you, but this is going to look a little different for everyone.
That said, here are some things to consider….
It's not about the activity....
What do we mean by that? There is no ONE magical activity that is going to spark STEM curiosity for ALL kids! So stop spending all your time looking for it. It’s about the EXPERIENCE. When you can connect emotions and feelings to an activity, that’s when the magic happens. With a little practice you can do that with almost any activity!
It takes time....
You’re not going to get it right the first time. Or maybe even the second or the third. BUT (big but!)….everytime you connect with those kids, you’re making progress. They trust you a little more. They’re more comfortable asking you questions. They open up to you. And, you’re getting practice and feedback on what works and what doesn’t.
You're going to learn too.....
You’re a part of the learning experience along with the students. You’re not going to know all the answers to all their questions. You’re not going to get everything right all the time. You might even learn a thing or two about yourself in the process!
Getting kids excited about STEM takes work!
And, you can do it.
To find out more about Engineers of Tomorrow and our approach to STEM outreach visit engineersoftomorrow.ca
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