Education Philanthropists Embrace Science and Tech
Parents expect our public schools to prepare the next generations for future success. And to meet the challenges of the future, they trust our schools to teach them the skills necessary to enter the changing, tech-based and innovation-driven economy.
What is STEM?
With the help of education philanthropists and corporate giving, we are beginning to address these challenges by bolstering STEM courses. STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – are the academic areas commonly understood to prepare students for an economy driven by scientific and technological advancements. STEM courses such as advanced biology, robotics and health science/technology teaches a student skills and channels their academic interests towards STEM careers in like fields, such as biotechnology, engineering and medicine. Funding these programs has become increasingly important in allowing our children the highest chances at success.
Can STEM Courses Harness A Child’s Creativity?
A growing movement hopes to expand the breadth of STEM courses to include funding for the arts. Many are recognizing that the modern economy cannot depend on a workforce with technical skill alone, but that these positions must also be met with the creativity and ingenuity that drive our economy forward. Without funding for children’s arts programs, many students lose the opportunity to nurture these skills at an early age.
Besides, it is possible that with arts funding, the push for “STEAM” will be more palatable to students and educators alike. Traditionally, STEM subjects are associated with rote memorization and “drill-and-kill” teaching styles that do not necessarily stimulate a child’s creative functions. Supporters of “STEAM” envision a curriculum that not only affords students “literacy” in science and tech, but one that also enhances learning and creativity in the classroom.
How Corporate Giving Is Driving STEM Education Forward
Integrating STEM courses in our classrooms is a great starting point in modernizing our schools. But getting ideas like these off the ground requires funding, and meeting these funding targets is central to our mission. edMatch’s commitment to students is made possible through the corporate giving that goes towards San Francisco’s public schools. Funds that go towards improving our schools and expanding the use of technology in the classroom are really an investment in our young generation and its future.
Check out the “Picking Up Steam with STEM” panel to learn more about how funding for these programs will improve our schools and expand opportunities for our children. Among the panelists addressing STEAM courses are: Teri Douglas of Radio Disney, Susan Harvey of the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, Wendy Fukamaki of PG&E, and Anne Wintroub of AT&T.