Why Is STEM Education Important for Your Middle Schooler?

What is STEM and why is it so important in middle school?

Key takeaways:

• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math make up the acronym, STEM.

• This concept helps develop deep problem-solving and analytical skills in students.

• Middle school students should focus on it because it affects our world in many ways.

• Understanding it opens up an endless series of career options.

• Lamad Academy uses a hands-on approach to understanding technology’s links to everyday life.

Parents and teachers alike want children to grow, thrive, and have great lives beyond their school years. The saying “knowledge is power” is only part of the process. For kids to flourish, we need to give them the skills to use the knowledge they acquire in the real world. STEM education does just that.

This educational acronym stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Understanding each of these disciplines opens up opportunities for your child’s job prospects in the future. Your child will benefit from STEM education far beyond its four disciplines because it gives students the ability to be part of the United States’ next generation of innovators.

Many in-demand fields require a STEM education. What does this discipline teach and why is it so important we focus on it in middle school? We discuss these topics as well as how we implement this education at Lamad Academy.

Career opportunities in STEM fields outpace non-STEM job options

Data from the U.S. Department of Commerce in the last decade shows STEM career openings have increased by 24.4% compared to 4% for other jobs. The department also offers other encouraging news:

• STEM-trained employees earn more than non-STEM employees – up to 29% higher wages.

• Almost three-quarters of STEM workers have college degrees, indicating more opportunities for college-educated workers.

• STEM career opportunities are projected to grow an additional 8.9% by 2024.

How does this type of education benefit your child?

As noted by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s findings, students who obtain this type of education benefit greatly in terms of earnings and career opportunities. Employers look to these workers because they also possess certain skills beyond the four disciplines. The skills they will learn include:

• Ingenuity – The ability to innovate and harness their creative skills.

• Resilience – Things get tough sometimes, but STEM education requires critical thinking and perseverance so students learn to roll with the punches and keep going when they hit a roadblock.

• Teamwork – The old saying “two heads are better than one” is true. Kids with this education quickly develop the ability to work well with others.

• Critical thinking – True education goes beyond just being able to remember facts and figures. This education requires analysis and evaluation of information.

• Problem-solving – When things go wrong, trying harder may not be enough. Problem-solving through thinking outside of the box is encouraged.

Employers value STEM-educated workers because they bring these skills (and more) to the table. Keeping the United States ahead of other countries in technology development and innovation doesn’t happen by just doing what’s tried and true. Thinking outside the box is valuable for advancement in a career.

What parts of our lives does STEM affect?

Some kids have trouble seeing just how much our lives are affected by STEM. It’s no exaggeration to say it affects almost every aspect of our lives. If you look at each of the four disciplines, you can see the connections.

• Science – Cooking is very much rooted in science. The changes that happen to food when ingredients are combined, cooked, or frozen are all science! The heat that is generated trapped inside your coat to keep you warm when it’s cold outside is another example of daily science.

• Technology – Do you or your child like talking, texting, or playing games with your phones or tablets? Advances in technology are what ma such innovations possible. Some of you reading this may even remember a time before the Internet!

• Engineering – Consider how your children get to school. Do they ride the bus? Do you or another guardian drop them off from your car? Even if your children walk to school, all of these options involve engineering. Engineering advancements make motor vehicles possible. Even shoes are created by engineers to not only protect our feet but make walking more comfortable.

• Math – Who says math isn’t useful in real life? A STEM education gives your child the ability to budget, balance a checkbook, and perform many other math-related skills.

STEM affects many areas of our lives, so it’s important to get kids involved with it as early as possible. At Lamad Academy, we emphasize getting your child involved not just with the knowledge, but the problem-solving aspects of STEM.

What are some STEM-related career options?

STEM-related jobs are plentiful. The sky’s the limit on what fields your child could go into after their education is complete. A few common examples include:

• Medical field – Doctors, dentists, nurses, and other health care professionals are often the first jobs someone thinks about when they consider STEM career options.

• Gaming technology – Does your kid love video games? Then, he or she might love a career designing games! The ability to design entire digital worlds could be an exciting and rewarding career for your habitual gamer.

• Ethical hackers – The digital age is truly upon us. Digital technology grows at a rapid pace and so do the abilities of criminals trying to steal our personal and financial information. Companies are now hiring highly trained hackers to pore over online security systems to find weaknesses in the code and alert their employers before the bad guys find those trouble spots.

• Mobile app designer – All of the apps you use on your phone or tablet have to be created. App designing requires both creativity and an understanding of technology, including coding. Your child could wind up designing the next iTunes!

There is really an abundance of examples of fun career options for STEM-educated candidates. Many people think of scientists as the most popular option for a STEM career, but chances are your child’s individual interests have a STEM career option.

How does Lamad Academy teach STEM?

Lamad Academy understands that children learn in different ways. Some children learn best by doing, some best by hearing, and some best by seeing. Our approach is to get students involved in science, technology, engineering, and math. We use real products for hands-on learning and get everyone in class to interact with each other and the process.

Rolling up their sleeves and getting into a project is an effective way for kids to learn. This method also helps them develop teamwork, resilience, and other necessary life skills.

This is an exciting time to be a middle school student

Advances in technology are happening at an incredible pace. We at Lamad Academy are committed to regularly updating what we teach our students to reflect these advances.

As our understanding of the world increases, so will what we teach your child. We’ll help your children prepare for their future and look forward to seeing what they achieve after their education at Lamad Academy is complete. Enroll today.