Implementing STEM Concepts in Early Education

Think Tank explores the changing world of education through the lens of award-winning teachers. A panel of educators examine the introduction of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) concepts to students as early as kindergarten. They discuss examples of ways to integrate STEM concepts that can be easily replicated throughout the state and nation. Further, educators consider the tenets of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and how these principles provide a framework for students to learn how to cope with their emotions, as well as become effective communicators and leaders.

Guests include:

Patricia Smeyers, 2019 Hudson County Teacher of the Year & 5th Grade Math Teacher at Clarendon Elementary School
Ikechukwu Onyema, Chemistry Teacher at East Orange Campus HS & NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship Awardee
Jennifer Bariso, Technology Teacher at Robert Erskine Elementary School & Peter Cooper Elementary School
Nikki Silva, Milken Award Honoree & Third Grade Teacher at Nathan Hale School

6/8/19 #104

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

"Welcome to Think Tank. I'm Steve Adubato. We are in fact coming to you from the Agnes Varis NJTV Studio in beautiful Newark, New Jersey. This edition of Think Tank looks at STEM education, global education, global citizenship. Now who do we have to talk about this on Think Tank but four of the most successful, terrific educators you will find. Let me introduce them. Jennifer Bariso is a technology teacher at Robert Erskine and Peter Cooper Elementary Schools in...? Ringwood, New Jersey. Nikki Silva is a Milken Award Honoree and third grade teacher at Nathan Hale School where? Carteret, New Jersey. Patricia Smeyers is the 2019 Hudson County Teacher of the Year and fifth grade math teacher at Clarendon Elementary School where? Secaucus. Ikechukwu Onyema is in fact a chemistry teacher at East Orange Campus High School, Global Learning Fellow. Thank you so much for joining us. You know, when we created this whole idea for Think Tank, my idea, the team... the idea, the folks here at the Caucus Educational Corporation and our partners at NJTV was, let's have a conversation with New Jersey-based people, from this region, about issues that in fact have national implications Trends that are national. It seems to me that the whole question of the way we teach STEM, science, technology, engineering, and math education and global learning, isn't just a New Jersey issue. It's a national issue. Make the case. Well first of all, I'll start with teaching globally. What does that mean by the way? Global education is about when my students leave my classroom, they need to know that they're not just... they're not just residents of East Orange. There's a much wider state, there's a much wider country, there's a much wider world. They're competing with all of those folks, and they're gonna need to work together, collaborate with those folks, to actually improve the world that we live in. That's what I mean by global. Let me push back on it a little bit in a positive way..."