STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math, but is not focused on these areas only. STEM is bigger than the subject matter. It is a mindset.
As educators, we believe in educating the whole child. However, there still appears to be a divide between the realms of STEM and the humanities. Certain types of thinking and learning are inadvertently assigned to specific content areas.
STEM content areas’ embrace is a growth mindset; the idea that mistakes and challenges have power, and that excellence is found through hard work, not in the innate abilities of each individual. Fostering this way of thinking and learning can (and should) be found in English, arts, and other humanities classrooms every day.
On the surface, it would appear that the only similarity between a STEM classroom and a humanities-based class is a deep focus on literacy. However, there is so much more. When a child engages in and plans formal writing, they are utilizing the engineering design process (EDP). The five step writing process, in many ways, can be seen as a literary use of the EDP.
Likewise, the eight standards of mathematical thinking can be found in humanities classes in a variety of ways. For example, while engaging in literary analysis in an English class or discussing big ideas in a social studies class, students create arguments. Through careful questioning and scrutiny, they are led through an understanding of others’ perspectives. Understanding how to utilize language, structure, grammar, and mechanics according to a particular situation requires reasoning, making sense of problems, knowing what tools and techniques to utilize for the situation, and using those techniques strategically.
So how do we create a growth mindset in our students, regardless of content area? Some ideas:
1. Deeper questioning: Many times, students can become so caught up in finding the ‘right answer’ that they forget to question the path they are taking. As a result, they forget to question the reasoning of their sources or many times, even their own. Students may focus only on what they think the teacher wants or puts forth and do not take the time to consider other possibilities. Teaching students to create their own questions using stems from Bloom’s Taxonomy or protocols like the Five Whys assist students in organizing their thoughts while creating questions that can help facilitate deeper thinking.
2. Feedback: Students need regular and effective feedback in order to move forward in the learning process. It is necessary to experience struggle in order to create a growth mindset, but if a student is moving in a completely wrong direction, does not understand the process they are working with, or is using the wrong process altogether- that doesn’t help either. Delivering consistent and strategic feedback to students as they move through their learning, as well as asking purposeful questions about their process and reasoning is necessary to the facilitation of a growth mindset.
3. Unpacking text: For many students, understanding text requires more than just a perfunctory reading- they need to be given the opportunity to look at a text, tear it apart, and analyze the pieces. Protocols, such as a text rendering protocol or a Say, Mean, Matter activity allows for students to read, write, think, and talk their way through a text, creating insight for themselves while listening to and contemplating the perspectives of others.
Teaching and guiding students through processes, actively engaging them in challenges and allowing them to experience the power of mistakes and hard work truly belongs in every content area. A growth mindset is for all content areas, not just STEM.
Maria Derivan-George is an Instructional Coach with NC New Schools/Breakthrough Learning.
