Shauna Simonson STEM Philosophy Statement Introduction As an individual I have a passion for helping children.

This passion has brought me to the world of elementary education. It is very important for children to have a positive role model to look up to and learn from. I know I have what it takes to foster an outstanding learning environment for our children today. With that I also know how important it is that our children are learning in a way that will help them become successful in their future. I believe I owe it to children to foster a learning environment in which they can grow each day in a way that will prepare them for their future. The Importance of STEM The twenty-first century has brought on many changes and this is why it is important that we begin to teach our children about the nature of STEM. STEM will be a large part of our childrens future and as an educator I know how important it will be that they are thoroughly educated about it. As our world is changing it is important that we are learning about new advances. New innovations are important because they lead to new ideas and new products. Without a good knowledge base in science, technology, engineering, and math we will not be successful at creating new advances. Most jobs in the future will also require an understanding of mathematics, science, and technology. Children are our future and they deserve to have the knowledge about STEM that will ensure success for their future. My STEM Experiences As an elementary student I lacked experience with STEM. Now as I am learning to become an elementary educator I realize how shortchanged I was. I have learned more about STEM during my teacher preparation program than I ever had in my K-12 years of school. The experience I have had with STEM as a new learner and also as an educator has been exciting.
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Shauna Simonson One of my first experiences with STEM as a new learner was at the beginning of my teacher preparation program. We got to do a two week long science investigation on bubbles and investigated the best soap solution and technique for blowing bubbles. Our end goal was to try and fit ourselves into a bubble. The thrill I received from this science investigation was incredible and it was unlike any science activity I had ever experienced as a student before. Truthfully, I never knew that science could be so engaging and fun before this experience. After experiencing the science investigation on bubbles as a learner I got to experience it as an educator with fifth grade students. I was given the opportunity to assist fifth grade students with the same bubble investigation that I had previously engaged in. During this experience I observed students engaged in science and excited to learn. It was so refreshing for me to see students interested in science. From the first experience I had as a STEM learner and a STEM educator I knew that STEM education was something I wanted my future students to be able to experience. Experiencing STEM as a new learner has given me a unique conceptual understanding of both math and science. It is an understanding that I have never had until now in my twenties. It is an understanding that we as educators are capable of giving our children from the day they enter school. As an educator of STEM I realize how important it is that students have a conceptual understanding of mathematics. Some curriculum and styles of teaching do not give students the chance to learn at an object level first. Teaching mathematics should involve the use of manipulatives and also give students the freedom to explore math on their own. If we can give students a conceptual understanding of mathematics first they will have a much better understanding for the rest of their lives.

Shauna Simonson I was given the opportunity to learn mathematics at a conceptual level during my first semester in my teacher preparation program. Never until this experience did I have any reasoning for mathematic equations. I had only thought of math as a procedure and the memorization of equations. After learning ways to teach students at a conceptual level I was given the opportunity to go into a second grade classroom and teach a group of students about coin counting. I devised three lessons that incorporated conceptual knowledge and the use of manipulatives as a learning tool. I got to see first-hand what a difference this learning style made. My students were given a pre and post assessment and from this data I had evidence that what I taught them made a difference in their level of understanding. Another valuable experience I had with STEM education was a week-long internship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester working with a group called InSciEd Out. InScieEd out stands for Integrated Science Education Outreach and their main focus is scientist-teacher partnerships to improve student learning. The description as to what InScieEd Out is about is explained on their website and can be described as the following. InSciEd Out employs novel methods to enrich teacher and student understanding, with a strong emphasis on the Nature of Science. Teachers from all disciplines in a single school are brought in to Mayo Clinic to experience cutting edge science as well as current pedagogical methods. During this internship, the teachers produce new curriculum that directly addresses opportunities for improvement at their own school. At this internship I learned how to implement the different aspects of STEM into the classroom. The use of zebra fish to study different topics in science and health was used during this internship. I learned a lot about how to use dialogue in my classroom as well as many different ways to get students engaged in the different elements of STEM. Before attending the InSciEd Out internship at Mayo Clinic I got to assist in the planning of a science and engineering

Shauna Simonson module for fourth grade students. This module was related to the zebra fish and my experience with InSciEd Out at the Mayo Clinic. My entire experience with the InSciEd Out zebra fish internship was extremely valuable and something I will put to use throughout my entire teaching career. My Content Knowledge The content knowledge I bring to STEM education is a deep conceptual and procedural knowledge of both science and mathematics. I also bring in a good understanding of technological advances and experience in engineering. I have knowledge in the fact that problems can be solved in a variety of ways. I have an understanding of the mathematical processes as well. These include problem solving, communication, reasoning and proof, representing, and connections. When it comes to science I have the understanding that science is always changing and scientific knowledge is always open to improvement. This is an important concept we must teach to our children so we can help them in understanding that they always have the right to question something. Science is a process of questioning what we see and trying to make sense of the world we live in. My Pedagogical Knowledge The pedagogical knowledge I bring to STEM education is a deep understanding in how to foster an environment for greatest possible learning opportunities. It is not enough for us as educators to stand up and preach our knowledge about math, science, technology, and engineering to our students. It is crucial that students experience everything themselves in a way that gives them their own understanding of it. Through hands on experience and object level learning children will be able to develop a conceptual understanding of different content areas. From this understanding they will continue to learn and grow with each new experience.

Shauna Simonson My Role as an Educator My role as a teacher, to support optimal learning, will be to give each student the opportunity to learn at their specific level in each and every moment. Growing each student with every lesson is crucial in supporting optimal learning. As a teacher I must also be able to foster a learning environment in which my students can develop both a conceptual and procedural understanding of content. I also understand the importance of questioning for thinking. Students need to be given the freedom to work out a problem on their own but with this said they also cannot be given free rein to do whatever they wish. Questioning for thinking is a good way to allow students to work out a problem in their own way while being questioned by the teacher in order to help them think more logically. This can also help the teacher asses a particular student to figure out what level he or she is at. The content and pedagogical knowledge that I bring to STEM education will help me support optimal learning for my students. Developmental Theories The developmental theories that support my philosophy are behaviorism, constructivism, social constructivism, and logical thinking. Behaviorism is defined as something that all organisms do and behavior is shaped through positive or negative reinforcement. For there to be order in a classroom or during times when students are being allowed to explore freely behaviorism must be enforced. Constructivism is crucial in STEM because it is the learning process which allows a student to experience an environment first handed giving them reliable and trustworthy knowledge. Social constructivism is the means by which a student learns from the culture or social atmosphere around them meaning they learn best by working with other students. Logical thinking is what my goal will be for my students this can be fostered by questioning for thinking.

Shauna Simonson Additional Preparation To better prepare myself for this work it will be essential for me to master questioning for thinking so my students can get to a place of logical thinking. It will also be important for me to master many ways of solving different problems because my students will not all solve a problem in the same way. Learning how to set up my lesson plans in a way that every student is learning at their own level is a skill I must master to be an effective STEM educator. Setting up my classroom in a way that fosters exploration and hands on experience will greatly benefit my students as well. These are skills that I can always be improving upon with more experience. Conclusion This essay sums up my experiences as a STEM educator and learner. It proves the importance of STEM for both educators and students. With our ever changing world we need to also change the curriculum to foster our children so they can be the most successful. STEM education not only gives children the opportunity to learn at their own level and learn to process things conceptually but also teaches disciplines they will need for the rest of their lives.