As many Long Islanders know, STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. And while people may generally associate the STEM educational approach with older students, it can actually be highly beneficial to early learners. At Harbor Child Care, we utilize The Creative Curriculum, which incorporates STEM, providing children with a plethora of academic tools.
The Reasoning Behind STEM
In an ever-changing, increasingly complex world, it’s more important than ever that our nation’s youth are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make decisions. These are the kinds of skills that students develop in science, technology, engineering, and math, including computer science—disciplines collectively known as STEM/CS. If we want a nation where our future leaders, neighbors, and workers can understand and solve some of the complex challenges of today and tomorrow, and to meet the demands of the dynamic and evolving workforce, building students’ skills, content knowledge, and literacy in STEM fields is essential. We must also make sure that, no matter where children live, they have access to quality learning environments. A child’s zip code should not determine their STEM literacy and educational options.
Research-Based Early Childhood Education Strategies
Research shows that typically developing preschoolers engage in mathematical thinking at least once in almost half of each minute of play and that children in classrooms with stronger emphasis on math or literacy are more likely to engage in a higher quality of social-dramatic play. It would seem that incorporating STEM into natural communication environments can support improvement in social communication by:
- Building on how children learn and explore the world; and
- Supporting exploration of STEM concepts by promoting questioning and problem-solving.
