As an educator for many years, I have learned to see children as “born ready”. Yes, neuroscience reveals that they learn at birth! But they do it together with responsive, caring adults. Parents are the first and most important teachers in their children’s lives. When educators begin collaborating with parents from the earliest stages to increase learning opportunities, students are provided with the best educational foundation to succeed throughout their school journey.
In my current role as an early STEM education consultant for the Idaho STEM Action Center, I work with early childhood programs and libraries to make access to STEM tools free of charge for teachers and librarians, as well as parents and guardians who invite young children into the world. of STEM through the daily routines of life.
This is how we create a partnership around the fact that children are born whole people who are curious, skilled and competent – and why it matters.
Connection with caregivers
I believe that learning is a story of connections. In my work, we prioritize children’s attachment to caregivers as the main driving force for all learning. When children are supported by secure, responsive relationships with these caregivers, their innate curiosity forces them to interact with and make sense of the world in meaningful ways. The digital age we live in offers an absolute wealth of learning opportunities in the STEM world. When we honor play as children’s work and offer open materials and opportunities to express themselves through it, children can create connections to create meaning in their own lives.
Young children approach learning with a growth mindset, unhindered by thoughts of what they can and cannot do, according to a study. They have no preconceived notions that STEM subjects are too difficult for them. While born into an era where great opportunities abound, children are sometimes held back by a lack of access to such opportunities because they may be overseen by adults who may feel intimidated or even unqualified to support children’s exploration of science. , technology, engineering and mathematics.
Overcome STEM hesitation
One of the main reasons for the STEM hesitation is lack of basic knowledge. The good news is that adults do not have to be experts to support children’s STEM learning. The Idaho STEM Action Center has partnered with the Idaho Commission for Libraries to host book clubs throughout the state for librarians and educators interested in overcoming their own STEM hesitation in exploring how young children can engage in computer thinking .
The book clubs focus on Dr. Marina Umaschi Bers’ Coding as a playground, which discusses the idea of coding offered as an open “playground” experience versus a limited “playpen” experience. As they approach coding as a playful exploration, young students can engage as producers – and not just consumers – of technology. Coding becomes another language of expression through which they are free to explore and interact with each other. Dr. Bers has made developmentally appropriate coding options available to young children by co-creating ScratchJr code program and KIBO Robot Set.
The book club collaboration allows both organizations to disseminate KIBO robots to select libraries and early childhood programs across the country. Having screen-free, developmentally appropriate STEM robots available allows teachers and parents to learn with children in a practical and playful way.
Another important step in helping educators, parents and children overcome STEM hesitation is to reformulate failure. When I ran a STEM preschool years ago, a boy named Finnegan deliberately wanted to put one together marble races in ways where the marble had no chance of getting to the end of the court. My first tendency was to help correct what looked like a mistake. But as I took a step back to observe his game, I noticed that he wanted to see how many ways his marble race would not work.
He would say out loud, “I know this is not going to work.” He took a research approach to figuring out how something works. As adults, we tend not to take the time to look at all the ways in which something does not work because it can be discouraging and time consuming. In their play, children approach practical STEM activities as paths of discovery rather than “mistakes”.
Connecting STEM with personal development and literacy
While the goal of early coding activities in Idaho is to help young students understand powerful computer science concepts such as sequencing and algorithms, we view STEM as more than a means of building skills for the workforce. Students who collaborate on programming robots cultivate traits such as generosity, patience, and perseverance while practicing controlling their own behavior.
KIBO, which is programmed using a series of wooden blocks that children put together on the floor, is one of my favorite STEM tools to encourage computer thinking through a sensory activity for the whole body. So many positive connections take place in both mind and body that might not happen if a child sat passively in front of a unit.
When it comes to offering young students the best STEM tools, materials that are open and neutral in color allow them to be immersed in discovery and exploration for longer. Children themselves create conditions when they invent worlds on their coding playground.
Dr. Bers also describes coding as another language, a literacy. I recently read research emphasizes that when children use tools when learning a new task, their ability to use more sophisticated syntax and grammar increases. In fact, the area of the brain that gets engaged when using tools is the same area where complex language takes place. It is an exciting opportunity that the use of a tool such as robots can connect children to deeper engagement in reading skills in several ways.
By giving our libraries, enrichment centers, and continuing education programs access to KIBO and other hands-on tools, we enable educators and parents to check out STEM resources, have them in their homes, and learn with children. When we give families practical materials – even something as simple as bricks – we equip them to reinforce the lessons that teachers teach and strengthen an iterative learning that is folded into the daily routines of life. This sequential process connects technique, coding and language. It is a multi-sensory learning experience that is self-sustaining, collaborative and fun.
