A Toolkit for the Future

The 3 Rs are not enough. Coding and computer science are not enough. Science and the arts are not enough. To successfully navigate our unknowable future, students will need to have a varied and well-honed set of tools at their disposal. And STEAM provides a critical set of tools.

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education is an integrated approach fueled by curiosity. It develops critical skills not in traditional academic courses alone, such as complex problem solving, persistence, and collaboration. Park’s STEAM program, which uses project-based and applied learning, helps students develop critical thinking and empathy and connects their learning to the real world. To develop familiarity (and eventually expertise) with STEAM tools, Park’s youngest students begin learning robotics and basic coding while playing with Bee-Bots in PreK.

Project-based learning impels students to ask “Why?” and “How does it work?” and enables them to discover their own answers. In STEAM education, the use of tools and technology is driven by academic need. Students must think, “What is the right tool for this task?” and “How can I best use my knowledge?” At every grade level, they have access to iPads and/or Chromebooks to support and complement their hands-on work.

The Park School has a dedicated academic technology specialist who collaborates with classroom teachers to design projects incorporating age-appropriate design thinking, engineering, and maker skills. Enthusiasm for learning these skills is clearly evident: groups like the Coding Club in Grades 2–5, the Tech Leaders Club, and the Upper Division Girls Who Code Club all meet regularly. And quite a few Upper Division students have submitted applications for unique independent “maker” projects they want to undertake through the SPARK@Park pilot elective program.