FULL STEAM AHEAD

S.T.E.A.M. skills are science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. There is a demand for educational and social advancement in these areas, yet, there is also a lack of supply of skilled teachers in these subjects. Conversely, the demand for S.T.E.A.M. based work has accelerated.

Back to the reality of education, family and social life. Governmental cutbacks in education, resources and community support systems mean that education run on temporary cover, limited, shabby space and a fixed curriculum which will not budge for creativity or impulsive learning. So, a supply P.E. teacher is covering the Art lesson today. They read from a lesson plan and much of education is a formula without space for interference or inspiration. The beautiful minds and artistic flow of individuals are left unused unless they have parents or carers who can indulge their need for expression and curiosity.

So how can S.T.E.A.M. skills be developed in children and adults? Not everyone has access to a private tutor, art studio or science laboratory but if we break down all that we do each day, we soon realise social and practical activities involve all five skills of S.T.E.A.M. and it’s not just a bias towards technology. Manual skills are crucial in a world where engineering, art and construction are always needed.

Engage and celebrate the skills and interests of children. Mix up daily routine with fun challenges. Diversify the presentation of meals, problems and tasks. Explore the unknown. Ask questions and solve problems through practical and technological experimentation. Decode your day and rebuild the now with a greater understanding of what the future can hold. It’s not as simple as training children to meet the demand but rather, we fuel the aspirations and interests already in place. Education is running on empty so, don’t accept average learning; adapt your lives to accelerate your minds and ability to solve all that is around you. Break expectations by building yourself and others up from what you want rather than what limited provisions are in place. Here’s a ray of inspiration; a school teacher in Africa is teaching a class how to code without having any computers.