STEM K12 2

Stem k12 2: STEM educators collaborate to develop, implement, an improve high quality STEM learning activities

IMPACt narrative:

As a school that places a heavy emphasis on the 4 C's (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity), we aim to prepare our students for higher learning opportunities by working together to develop, implement, and improve high quality STEM learning activities. By implementing the 4 C's and incorporating the Engineering Design Process and PBL opportunities for Daily Instruction, allows a seamless connection between course content and a STEM-Based integration at AcadeMir Charter School West.

Areas of Strength:

A cohort of teachers, and instructional leaders participated in the development of PBL lessons over the summer in preparation for the upcoming school year. Teachers and school leaders worked to support the STEM curriculum through successfully developing STEM units of study that span across the curriculum, implement STEM and Project-Based Learning (PBL), and demonstrate a strong foundation of academic standards that align with the engineering design process aligned to the grade level specific standards.

As we at AcadeMir Charter School West have journeyed through the STEM process, it has become more apparent than ever that interdisciplinary teaching is essential if we are to create meaningful STEM experiences for our students, and we have made great strides since 2016 in order to ensure that we make this a top priority. ACSW greatly values the importance of planning and implementing interdisciplinary STEM learning experiences so that students can become more successful as they grow into critical thinkers and problem-solvers. Interdisciplinary teaching can be a truly transformative and revolutionary experience for students because it allows them a unique opportunity to make connections between disciplines, which can, in turn, inspire them to more confidently take ownership of their own learning experiences.

Areas of Improvement:

One area in which we can improve is structuring more time that guarantees the presence and participation of all the non-core academic teachers so that we can truly be interdisciplinary. In addition, administration will create vertical planning opportunities during designated in-service days that will support collaborative planning with a focus on STEM-related content.

Sustainability:

One of the first ways in which we have worked towards becoming more interdisciplinary is by creating a STEM leadership team to support the implementation and monitor its school wide through our PLC; this group meets monthly to discuss potential STEM-oriented lessons and projects and consists of a representative from each of the four core subjects in addition to representatives for our Project Lead the Way program. These representatives speak for their departments and how each subject is conducting STEM in the classroom on a daily or weekly basis. They discuss potential and current projects that may require participation in more than one discipline. They also discuss how each grade level is working together, ways we can improve STEM or how the entire school might participate as a cohesive unit. This team has been an area of strength for us as we have progressed further into the STEM program and has helped to sustain the momentum of becoming STEM certified since they are also able to bring constructive, functional and sustainable ideas to the faculty and guide the school as a whole.

Academir Charter School West has restructured our schedule in order to promote communication between educators. Educators within the same department now have common planning, which allows for cross curricular planning within disciplines. This year we were also able to structure the schedule to include whole grade level common planning. ACSW educators regularly meet during planning and after school to develop plans that are cohesive throughout the four major disciplines. ACSW’s dedicated teachers and administrators work tirelessly outside of normal school hours in order to maintain collaboration and open communication that foster and encourage interdisciplinary learning experiences.

Improvement Plan:

As a result, our action plan to remedy areas of improvement includes the structuring of special area schedule to include planning time with core academic teachers. The level of involvement in non-core academic teachers in collaboration will increase the teacher’s capacity in STEM integration across the curriculum. Furthermore, teachers will be able to attend professional development to increase their capacity and share best practices to include a focus of support in the areas of Art, Music, Spanish, and physical education.

Evidence:

ACSW Common Planning & Grade Level Meeting Agendas

Common Planning With Curriculum Coaches

ACSW Teacher Common Planning Schedule By Grade lEVEL

Interdisciplinary Planning By Grade Level

ACSW Collaboration in Action