10 Feb What Parents Need to Know about STEAM
Lately, everyone seems to be talking about STEAM. This acronym—which stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics—has become a hot topic in the world of education and in the business community. The practice of teaching by incorporating these concepts into multidisciplinary lessons is revolutionizing education approaches across the country, even for children in preschool.
While young children may not be able to understand multiplication or how computers work, they can develop a strong foundation for future learning by exploring STEAM skills and concepts through play and discussion, and then applying those skills through more play.
“We know that the first five years of a child’s life are the most formative in terms of brain development and opportunities for learning,” said Mike Casey, Franchise Owner of Primrose School of Prosper and Primrose School of Windsong Ranch. “The Primrose curriculum has been specially crafted to maximize learning that focuses on the whole child, nurturing character development alongside academic lessons, to help children build the foundation they need to reach their greatest potential.”
At Primrose Schools, children learn and practice STEAM concepts—as well as concepts in language and literacy, social studies, music, physical development, character development and life skills—continuously throughout the day as part of the Primrose-exclusive approach called Balanced Learning®. While STEAM often provokes thoughts of science experiments, building blueprints or video games, for young children, STEAM looks more like the following:
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN:
- Science encourages investigation and answering questions, often involving experimentation.
- Technology refers to using simple tools like crayons and rulers, as well as more complex ones like microscopes and computers.
- Engineering refers to recognizing problems and testing solutions to them.
- Arts encourages creativity and allows children to illustrate concepts they are learning.
- Mathematics deals with numbers, but also patterns, shapes, organizational skills and much more.
There are many reasons to teach STEAM in preschool. STEAM skills are transferable across
other subjects. Process skills, which include making observations, hypothesizing and critical thinking,
are key components of STEAM. These skills help young children grasp math and science concepts
early in life, but can also be applied to other subjects and more complex concepts later. It is
also essential to engage children in STEAM subjects early on since they are becoming
increasingly important in today’s world.
Research has shown that even very young children are capable of mathematical reasoning and
can understand more advanced math skills than previously thought. Young children are also able to
ask questions and make predictions about the world around them. In short, children are fully capable
of learning foundational STEAM concepts, and parents and teachers should help children develop
these skills at an early age.
Incorporating STEAM learning into daily classroom activities, rather than using a kit or focusing on
it during certain times of day, allows children to better connect with these concepts. The
Primrose Balanced Learning approach is integrated, meaning every skill and concept taught is
reinforced through a variety of different activities and guidance from teachers. For example, plants
may be explored through free play, books, art, discussion and more, while Primrose teachers
ask probing questions and share information along the way to guide and extend children’s
thinking. This ensures each child has many opportunities to connect with the subject matter
regardless of how he or she learns.
Primrose is dedicated to providing the highest quality early learning experience possible for children and
families. “Our School Leadership Team members and teachers strive to create and maintain
trusted relationships with every family. And they all share the Primrose vision: To deliver the best and most trusted early education and care for children and families across America,” explains Mike Casey. “The Primrose-exclusive Balanced Learning approach is continuously assessed and refined as new insights in early education become available. Entrusting the care of your child to someone else is difficult, which is why Primrose teachers and leadership strive to partner with parents to help maintain peace of mind and to ensure each child is prepared for school and life.”
To learn about
Primrose School of Prosper,
or call 972-347-2767.
Primrose School of Windsong Ranch,
or call 972-787-9971.