As an early childhood educator, you set the tone for children’s future relationship with learning. By introducing them to many concepts at a very young age, you help create a firm foundation for learning that will carry forward into their future. One way to do this is to introduce children to STEM learning. As you're taking CDA classes, you will learn ways to bring STEM into the early childhood education environment.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Focusing on these curriculum areas helps children build important critical thinking, coding, and problem-solving skills. These skills, along with soft skills such as being able to communicate effectively and work with a team, are the future of the changing job market. In addition to STEM, many programs are also adding a creative component to help children learn in a well-rounded way. This learning approach is known as STEAM, with the ‘A’ standing for art.
To help children learn the skills that will help them be successful later in life, sparking early interest is important. Teachers can help develop children’s interest by taking them on nature walks, discussing the changing seasons, helping them notice how the sun moves across the sky, and looking at how different elements of nature work.
In the classroom, toys and games can help create a love of STEM topics. For instance, blocks are perfect for the budding engineer. Number tiles or manipulatives introduce young children to math. Even computers and tablets can help to introduce students to technology. Finally, when stocking your book shelves or choosing titles for reading time, add biographies of scientists or non-fiction books about how things work to the collection of fictional picture books.
These tips cover just a few of the elements you might consider if introducing young children to STEM learning. To learn more, consider taking the following CDA classes:
If you want to take CDA classes to earn or renew your CDA, let us help. At ProSolutions Training, we have all the courses you need. Register online today or contact us directly with questions.