Farmersville Elementary

Kristen Dutiewicz is the principal at Farmersville Elementary. 

STEM is important because it allows students to learn required, academic content in a collaborate and engaging way. It forces students to think outside of the box and use real-world skills to solve problems that they encounter in their lives.

I teach STEM because it allows students to truly engage in their learning because they are actually interested in the problems and solutions. I also teach STEM because it allows students to develop real world skills they will need everyday both in their academic careers and in the work force.

By integrating STEM, students are able to develop collaborative, creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. These skills not only lead these students to be more successful in the classroom, but they also allow the students to be more productive and successful outside of the classroom in the real world.

Caleb Weaver is the STEM teacher at Farmersville Elementary. 

At Farmersville Elementary, I have the privilege of teaching STEM to students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. I do this work because I believe learning should always be F.U.N. (Future Focused, Unifying, and Nurturing). STEM is future-focused by giving students the skills and problem-solving abilities they’ll need to succeed in a growing world. We do this through hands-on experiences with technology and exciting group projects. It is unifying, by bringing together students to collaborate, communicate, and learn from one another. STEM is nurturing, through helping each child grow in curiosity, confidence, and perseverance. STEM provides possibilities for students to think, share, and explore. 

Brian Hagan is the Director of Curriculum, Grants, and Testing for MSDMV. 

STEM and the arts both teach our student to think outside the box and be creative problem solvers. When you add the arts to STEM, you get STEAM... and steam can do amazing things- like power a huge locomotive! Or help our youngest students fall in love with learning! STEM and music integrate beautifully, especially when we study the science of sound (vibrations, pitch frequencies, instrument design, etc.). I am excited to integrate STEM into my music classroom this year as we begin our 5th grade ukulele unit and explore the science of sound throughout our curriculum. Thank you to the Women's Fund of Posey County for providing the funding for our new classroom set of ukuleles! 

I think STEM is important because you can tie it into so many subjects at once. STEM also gives students a chance to explore topics they may not be familiar with, which could spark an interest or passion they didn't know they had. The benefits I have seen is that it makes students excited, interested and gives an insight into what all kinds of cool things the world is full of. Even as a teacher, I continue to learn new things when teaching STEM topics too! 

Kynda is a third grade teacher at Marrs Elementary. "STEM is such a crucial piece of education! As STEM careers grow more necessary and widespread every day, it becomes increasingly important to educate our students about what STEM really is and how integrated it is into our everyday lives. "

With STEM, students can take an active, hands on approach with their learning, and challenge themselves in ways they never dreamed possible. I teach STEM because it inspires a love for learning, it opens students up to concepts that they may have never thought of, and it strengthens critical thinking skills, collaboration, and motivation!"