The first thing I think of when looking at our engineering program is our goal. High school pre-college engineering programs are not there to create engineers. The goal of any high school program should be to develop engineering students. It is the responsibility of colleges and Universities develop engineers. With that goal in mind, it is much easier to create a quality, sustainable program. When I focus on developing engineering students, I am able to navigate through the sea of options, equipment, and vendors all competing for my attention. The foundation of a good engineering student boils down to three skills: 1) team-work, 2) communication, and 3) problem-solving. Everything else is just window dressing. If you want support for this position, read my earlier post on soft skills.
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In schools, administration buildings, and legislative chambers all across the country, debates over curricular necessities rage on daily. Discussions and even arguments take place over things like active & teaming vs lecture, or what content will be taught and when. All of this is driven largely from a desire to prepare students and provide the best education. It is no secret that an educated population improves the economy for everyone and reduces crime. The debates center on content and delivery. Unfortunately, a key component is always missing. The discussions never include so called "soft" skills. Skills such at teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. Other soft skills include empathy and resilience. The harsh reality is that if we do not actively address these skills in our classrooms, then students are not prepared to join the work force. Technical or "hard" skills are important for future success as well, but without the soft skills to go with them, then we are sorely limited. If you want support for this position, read through the next three paragraphs. If you are on board and want to see ways to bring these soft skills into the classroom, then skip past this next part. |
About me & this blogThis blog is for things related to my class, PL, coaching, or just teaching in general. You can follow me on Twitter @myakSTEM Archives
June 2021
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