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1. After watching the "Waiting for Superman" trailer, I do agree with the need for change in our current educational system. However, the trailer also seemed to portray an overwhelming sense of hopelessness for our society's future based on current educational practices. While something should be done to help balance out the drastic differences in schools, I don't feel that today's students are necessarily doomed for failure if they are not in a top-notch school. I have both attended and taught in private schools and a distressed public school, and I have largely come to the conclusion that a student's education is what they make of it. Unfortunately, many public schools have become more of a one-stop-shop for students - the place where they are educated, eat their only meals, receive medical care, and learn morals and respect. In order to fix the educational gaps seen in schools like in the trailer, states need to change standards and funding so that students' basic and environmental needs can be addressed so they can better focus on academics. Therefore, I wonder if changes have been made to improve the district featured in the movie since it was filmed.

2. In general, growth was shown in math based on the NAEP scores and Algebra I Keystone scores by 2019. However, there seemed to be a drastic drop in scores and growth from 2019 to 2023. I wonder if COVID-19 is to blame for this sudden decrease since schools closed due to the pandemic in the spring of 2020. At GNA, students did show some growth on the Algebra I Keystones from 2021 to 2022 so I'm hoping that trend will continue as we move out of the pandemic.

3. Personally, I think that STEM education is essential for preparing students to be productive and functional in our modern society. Thanks to technology, our world is changing at an ever-increasing pace. Every field and our everyday lives constantly rely on and are infiltrated by new technologies. That being said, students need to be able to adapt, learn, and problem solve at a rapid rate regardless of their career or environment. On another note, STEM education is necessary for ensuring that advancement continues as it can encourage students to pursue essential careers within those fields.

4. STEM education brings authentic learning experiences and assessments to the forefront of instructional methods. In STEM, teachers will likely act more as guides through students' problem-solving process rather than acting as the sole gatekeepers of knowledge. Students will be encouraged to learn from mistakes and discover ways to improve rather than purely recalling information on a traditional assessment. Since students solve real-world problems in STEM, student achievement will likely go up as students will feel that their work is worthwhile.

-Kaitlyn 😊

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1. After watching the “Waiting for Superman” video, I agreed with the fact that students need to see good examples, or role models, in order to see that they can do something too. I also agreed with how important it is to hear peoples’ stories so we can learn from them and make things better in the future. I did not agree with the lottery aspect of the video. I wondered about why the US, out of 30 countries, ranked 25/30 in math and 21/30 in science. Why are we so low? What can we do differently to change this?

2. A positives in the current state of student achievement is that in the NAEP, the 8th grade male/female average scores were similar, with no statistically significant difference. Another positive was that in the TIMMS data, the 8th grade boy/girl difference was also not statistically significant. Lastly, students who spent up to one hour per day on learning on digital devices at school outperformed those who didn't by 14 points. Negatives include in 4th and 8th grade black and hispanic students scored lower than white students. On the TIMMS, the 4th grade boy/girl difference was significantly significant.

3. My position on STEM Education is that it gives students a chance to put their learning content into real, authentic, and relevant applications. Since black, hispanic, and female students are underrepresented in STEM, I believe it is important to give them more opportunities in STEM. I do not think STEM is just a single subject, it is many subjects that could be learned within the four main groups, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

4. STEM Education could impact teaching, learning, and student achievement. This is because giving them real-life, hands-on activities and labs will engage them and engaging them is the first step to getting them to learn. It will also allow them to think critically and see their content come to life. STEM could also make classrooms more student-centered than teacher-centered.

- Jess :)

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How could STEM Education impact teaching, learning and student achievement? 

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How could STEM Education impact teaching, learning and student achievement? 

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1. After watching "Waiting for Superman", I felt sad. The overall view of the education system in our country was very negative. When they showed the lottery for students to attend a charter school that broke my heart even more. All children should have the opportunity for a quality education. I believe that there has to be a way to improve the education system in our country.

2. In the Activity 2, I found that there wasn't a significant change in academic growth over the past 20 years in Pennsylvania. It appeared that there was some growth but it did begin to decline even before the pandemic.

3. In Activity 3, I found that our school and many others had an increase in growth in science/biology but not necessarily math/algebra. While I contribute this to the introduction of STEM education in schools, I was confused by the lack of progress in math. Schools are now introducing STEAM education in schools which adds the arts to mix. I believe that this will benefit students even further.

4. I believe that STEM education can have a positive impact on teaching, learning and student achievement. STEM education is extremely important to help students to be successful in our global economy. Science, technology, engineering, and math are expanding every day. Our students need to continually learn and grow in these areas to have a successful future career. STEM education provides them with hands on learning, and engages them in critical thinking activities to solve real world problems. Students learn how to collaborate, and are able to see the results. STEM has a positive impact on the way we teach because it involves the students in the learning process. Students aren't just listening to the teacher lecture. They are actively involved in their learning which provides learning opportunities for all types of learners. STEM is cross curricular so students are connecting information from other subjects to expand their learning.

Tami

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1. I liked the "Waiting for Superman" preview because I felt connected to it. The video mentioned that schools in the United States are failing our students. I partially agree with this because I do not believe we can put public and private schools under the same umbrella. Something I agree with from the video is that more students are becoming illiterate each year. When students are capable of recreating Tik tok dances but they can't read, I would say this is a problem. I think a lot of this has to do with a lack of motivation and support from the parents or guardians at home. From personal experience, parents of children that were involved have outperformed other students in my class. I find it very upsetting as an educator because growing up education was very important in our home. It was instilled in my brother and I that school was valuable.

2. I would describe the current state of student achievement as mediocre. It's disappointing to see how other countries, and states outperform us. Something I observed that was positive is that scholars with accessible teachers during school shut downs scored higher on the state math test in 2023. This is a bright spot because it shows that teachers were there for their students during a difficult time. One negative thing I noticed was that 1 in 10 students did not feel safe at school. This makes me upset because my own students have told me they do not feel safe. Our world has changed so much from the time I was in elementary school until now. I never had these fears growing up. What I wonder is how different test scores would look if Covid never happened. I did not notice much improvement when comparing the old data to the new data set.

3. My position on STEM education is that it allows scholars to excel and teaches them 21st century skills. I love STEM because it combines the practical aspect of the real world and helps students learn content they need to know. Hands-on engagement is a powerful tool that pushes students to own their learning experience.

4. STEM education has impacted my classroom in a positive way. My students have learned to collaborate, and communicate more effectively. It brings life to my classroom and helps my students be creative. I want my scholars to think outside of the box and challenge themselves. The skills that I am teaching them now are skills they will use forever. I truly believe my students have expanded their vocabulary, and my classroom has become connected because of STEM.

-Meg :)

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1. I found the preview for the movie “Waiting for Superman” very intriguing. I really want to see the movie in its entirety. I did agree with the thought that our current state of education is heading in a downward direction. I feel the importance the states put on the PSSA has affected the quality of education the children are receiving today. Education is a lot more than standardized test results. I disagreed with the idea of having a lottery so that a child can go to a better school. All children should have the right to the best education possible no matter if your number is called in a lottery or not. I am wondering how this lottery can even be lawfully happening? Why are the parents not throwing a hissy fit when their children are not picked? This leaves a hole in my heart. Looking at the children that have not been selected to get a chance at a better life makes me so upset.

2. I would describe the current state of student achievement not surprising for my district.  I have seen the children struggling with the curriculum being presented.  I have also seen their work ethic diminish after Covid and the motivation needed for success is gone.  The positives I saw were definite areas of growth overall in English Language Arts, but we are still not meeting our statewide improvement goals.  Our fourth and eighth grade were below average in terms of growth, but our 5th grade was well below in growth.  Our present sixth grade was well above in growth and the surprising area was that all groups were either above or meets the growth standard in Literature.  It leaves me to wonder how all this struggle can be going on in the elementary and when they get to the high school everything is wonderful? Looking at the Nation’s report card for a 20-year span was interesting. Even with the COVID era included there were no substantial changes in the scores over the last 20 years from Pennsylvania to the national scores.  Common Core is also a part of the 20-year span and with all those changes there were no significant changes.  I feel like we are working harder, but not necessarily smarter.

3. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education to me is incorporating all areas of curriculum into one common goal to solve real world problems.  It means having the opportunity to work with community members to further the experience. It is all teachers working together on a common goal. It is not accomplished in one classroom; it is in everyone's classroom.

4. STEM education is used to make learning real. It is meant to make students college and career ready. It is not meant to be a single subject, but a way we can deliver instruction across many disciplines. Its purpose is to develop individuals that can be productive members of society in the 21st century workforce. The skills that a STEM education will give to students allows them to meet the future head on. STEM gives children the way to know the content and how to apply their knowledge into real-world problems.

Kim

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*My belief in STEM education focuses on the benfits if can provide for students. Benefits such as

-increasing innovative thinking

-promotes collaboration and communication between peers

- inspires creativity and ingenuity

- encourages curiosity

- better prepares students for the future of education and "LIFE"

*One of the main benefits of STEM education is helping students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential for success in any career field.

*In research studies viewed online it was suggested that STEM education be applied and is encouraged in Science classes particularly

*STEM impacts student achievement, learning, and teaching by discovering real-world applications, sparking creativity and developing 21st-century skills including media and technology literacy, productivity, social skills, communication, flexibility and initiative

*Schools and districts should recognize that STEM education begins as early as preschool and provide accessible educational experiences that span the preK–16 spectrum. This includes embracing new approaches to STEM teaching, creating new definitions of learning success, and considering new ideas about the physical structure of the educational environment so that it is more inclusive and conducive to exploration, discovery, and design iteration.

Ken B

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Key notes from this week:

-STEM education promotes skills that are relevant to any content area such as critical thinking and problem solving, BUT I think more importantly, STEM promotes skills such as cooperation, perseverance, adaptability, and responsibility. This is how STEM can and will impact teaching. learning and student achievement.

-Those skills can easily be taught in any content area, and truthfully, they are what we are probably all already doing without really emphasizing it. STEM education is more of a way to help organize, and present instruction, rather than the actual content itself.

-These "goals" could be made cross curricular.

-I try thinking of these aspects in my own content area of Reading- and they would easily be able to be put in place in my classroom.

-I wonder if state standards could/should be modified to include these STEM skills...

-More relevant to real world problems and solutions

Elana

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*Are those still our rankings as of 2024?

*There is not much i agree with besides the children wanting to learn and go to school as stated by the young boy

*Earn Less and 8x more likely to end up in prison

*Disagree that there should be a lottery for students to be accepted into a school for a better education.