Ooops, I did it again

Creativity in the Classroom  (2 of 3)

How do you begin to present the STEAM goals to your students?

Every year I have a theme, which I introduce in September. I've had “perseverance” and “collaboration” as themes. This year my theme is “creativity”. I am using the definition "to use your imagination to create something new."

“Creativity” is a word we usually associate with the arts; but with math or science? …maybe not so much. How do you see creativity as relevant to these disciplines?

Well, that "something new” could be a different solution to a design problem. For example, students might be tasked with finding a creative solution to cleaning up the ocean. They might then be asked to create a model of their design using recyclable objects, and then test that model in a tub of "polluted water" (water with bits of plastic bags and paper in it.)

In another example, students might be tasked to come up with a creative solution for farming in highly industrialized countries. Using recyclable objects, they might create a model of a vertical farm. 

There's so much more I could say...I haven't touched on the importance of teaching students to code, and the many ways that they can be creative with coding. And the creative joy of building a Lego robot and programming it to dance…

Then do you collaborate with the art, science, or math teachers? Or are you offering something completely different?

I do collaborate when I can. I communicate with classroom teachers and try to time my units so that they are an extension of what is being done in the classroom. For example, my fourth grade students are learning how to measure the speed of an object. In my class, they will build stomp rockets, launch them, and measure their speed.

I love that they're making math and science lessons practical in a fun way. And I bet working with other teachers would give you another opportunity to be creative. Are there any challenges/hurdles to overcome in your work? Any preconceived ideas about the program?

One of the challenges I face is the fact that STEAM is very process-based, not product-based. So, the end result is often not beautiful -- in fact it may look like a shoe box with a lot of masking tape on it when, in fact, its creators think it is an innovative model spaceship. At the end of the year my school has an open house, and some of the parents understand this, but others get a bit confused. 

What value do you think it brings to your students?

Some students have a hard time with hands-on activities. With our highly technical society, they have not had exposure to low tech tools such as scissors. With increased use of electronics, I have seen a general decrease in the fine motor skills of some students. Also, there is sometimes impatience. In the age of Amazon, students have become accustomed to instant gratification. Having to work through a problem, and encounter failure, might also be foreign to them. When I see students learn to persevere and succeed it is especially satisfying.

I'm getting the feeling that students are getting more than a reinforcement of what they are learning in math and science...