Here’s how STEM is Changing Education for Our Kids

When you hear of concepts like coding for children and robotics for kids, one of the first arguments that pops in your head is this - is something like this really necessary? The answer lies in the emergence of STEM learning and the role it has to play in the lives of our children. STEM learning, on the face of it, might just seem like a more evolved way of looking at a school curriculum but there is more to it than meets the eye. It seeks to change the way kids grow and evolve into society and seeks to build a future workforce that comes prepared for the demands of tomorrow. 

For starters, STEM learning changed the way we look at a curriculum forever. It brought to the fore more important concepts like science, maths and engineering and placed a greater emphasis on teaching children a whole different world of learning. The idea is to not only give children the knowledge they need for tomorrow but also prepare them for the actual experience. The development of something like a kids programming language indicates that we are truly ready to arm our kids with more advanced and complex concepts. However, STEM powered curriculums were just the beginning. The aim now is to revolutionize the entire way in which we as a society approach education and learning. And this begins in the classroom. STEM now leverages cutting-edge technology in schools to help kids learn in a more engaging manner. From encouraging the use of computers and smart devices for learning to a shift towards a more audio-visual method of teaching, the changes are diverse and dynamic. 

STEM for kids has paved the way for a more evolved brand of students in our country. But this is just the beginning. The responsibility rests with educators and parents alike to ensure that kids these days are engaged in the best way possible. 

Here’s How Education Has Evolved in the Last Decade

The world has drastically changed over the last two decades. The introduction and growth of the Internet has forever changed the way we work, study, play and connect with each other. Its effects are evident in everything we do, from our socio-cultural behaviour to our career prospects. And it goes without saying, education has had to keep up to. However, when it comes to a country like India, we tend to lag behind. Finally, it seems like we have started keeping pace with the rest of the world and at least the bigger cities of the country have evolved when it comes to education and learning. Let's take a quick look at how new concepts like young entrepreneurs program, STEM for kids and more have become a part of our educational system.

Simply put, the young entrepreneurs prorgam was a response to the startup culture that is prevalent in the country and across the world. Where once a normal man would never think of starting his or her own company, nowadays you have so many rags to riches startup stories out there that it goes without saying, a lot of our children will want to set out on their own in life. However, this means that there is a need to seed the thought in their heads from an early age. The young entrepreneurs program does just that by empowering young kids to actually be able to formulate and run their own business from an early age. On the other hand, technology has had a massive impact on both, the kind of things we teach our kids as well as how we teach them. The introduction of STEM for kids has forever changed the way we perceive education. Classes have become amazingly interactive and people are constantly striving to ensure that kids remain engaged through technology. This has also given rise to the thought of teaching kids to code. Coding is an extremely important skill to have and it is only going to appreciate in value in the years to come. The idea here is to introduce the concepts of coding to children from an early age. This not only gives them a massive head-start in their career but also sets the path for a brighter future.

Whether it’s through teaching kids to code or the student entrepreneurs program, the aim here is to ensure that your children have a leg up over the competition. Many STEM enabled schools and educational institutions already offer these unique courses. However, there are a ton of other independent education institutes that offer a range of different courses guaranteed to boost your child's learning experience. Many of them even offer trial classes so that you can sign up your child for just a few lessons. You can then evaluate their performance and take a call as to whether or not you want to continue with it. It's all about finding something that truly works for your child and adds value to their life.

Here’s How a Holistic STEM Education Will Benefit Your Child

Remember the good old days when simply giving your child a basic education was enough? That is no longer the case! Not only do you need to ensure your child is studying at a proper educational board but he or she also needs to receive an education in accordance with STEM. STEM for kids, in simple terms, leverages the principles of science, engineering, mathematics and technology in general to give your children a holistic education. So that means plenty of computer courses for kids in addition to a range of tech-enabled teaching aids. Let's take a deeper look into what this all entails.

Coding for children is one of the most important courses introduced by the new age STEM program syllabus. In simple terms, coding for children is nothing but introducing young kids to the concept of programming through the use of coding softwares that have been crafted just for children. While these programs are easy to understand, they do empower young children to learn how to write amazing programmes from scratch. Many parents around the country are opting for these classes. In addition to these, more and more schools are leveraging technological advancements like robotics and AI to create engaging and interactive classroom experiences. Many parents complain about how their children can't focus in the classroom and these STEM experiences aim at engaging these very students. 

In case your child doesn't study in a STEM enabled school or learning centre, STEM for kids is a programme which manifests itself in many other ways too. For example, you have specialized institutions that teach courses like coding and robotics, ensuring you can give your child the best possible education. If you live in Mumbai or any other metropolitan city in the country, finding such a class will not be a problem.

Why Your Child’s School Education May Not Be Enough

We as parents want only the best for our kids and we often feel that we have done our due diligence by enrolling them in a good school with basic extra curricular classes like computer courses for kids. But you need to understand that simply a ‘decent’ school is no longer good enough. While we may have gotten by with a state or central education and turned out fine, our children have a lot more to contend with in this day and age. Which is why it is important to consider whether your child’s school education is sufficient, and if not, what can you as a parent do about it? Let’s have a look.

In this age of STEM for kids, schools have evolved into virtual, education playgrounds for children with a wide variety of tools and gadgets being deployed to engage young children. Learning is not restricted to four walls and a roof and the chalk and duster system of teaching too has gone out the window. In such a scenario, older schools are struggling to catch up. For instance, they still insist on placing a strong emphasis on just theoretical studies while more and more research seems to indicate the need for practical application of concepts.

Many courses like the young entrepreneurs program aim at filling this gap by giving children a real world business experience instead of just theoretical ideas. It is important for you to consider whether or not your child is getting this kind of exposure at their current school.

What can you do about it you ask? You probably don’t need to take a step as drastic as switching schools but you can supplement your child’s academics with external courses. These courses should provide your kid with those extra skills that regular schools tend to miss out on and will help your children develop into truly global citizens.

Kidpreneurs - The Next Generation of Entrepreneurs Start Early

Many considered the turn of the twentieth century to be the pinnacle of industrialization but it wasn’t until the 2000s that entrepreneurship truly became a democratic pursuit. Gone are the days when one needed strong financial backing to start a business. This is the age of the startup and all it takes is one solid idea for business endeavors to take off. The silicon valley boom has seen the rise of young entrepreneurs and these days you have some of the youngest minds making some of the biggest bucks out there.

In such a scenario it is very important that the next generation of entrepreneurs be groomed early. The concept of student entrepreneurs arose out of this insight and now you have more and more parents pushing their kids towards this pursuit. Kidpreneurs, as they are popularly known, are basically intelligent and enterprising young children who are inculcated with basic business values which can then be put to practical use. This could be something as simple as coaching a kid to start their own lemonade stand and guiding them towards profitability.

Who actually teaches such courses you ask? Currently, even STEM for kids and other education models also don’t offer such courses but thankfully there are a number of extra-school institutions that offer such courses. They specialize in recognizing entrepreneurial talent in young children and helping them nurture this to great effect. While such courses definitely prepare children for an entrepreneurial life, they also provide them with important practical experience. It gives them a hands-on glimpse of what it means to run a company, manage finances, deal with profit and loss and think about things from a long-term perspective. The benefits are endless, the key lies in getting your child enrolled in a good course with good teachers.

Since most of the startups these days are in the technology space, writing code too has gained a lot of traction with younger children. Parents want their children to learn to code for a number of reasons, the most important one being to prepare them for a career in the software development field. But one cannot deny how well coding for children goes with the concept of student entrepreneurship. In fact, coding as a skill is helpful in a number of ways since it also teaches children to be disciplined and follow set rules. It mixes the dedication and discipline of technology with the bright spark of creativity, thereby stimulating both the spheres of the brain. Coding as a pursuit is in fact recommended for everyone these days.

While entrepreneurship for children and coding classes are all excellent concepts, better implementation in mainstream education is the need of the hour here. Educators need to understand the importance of these ideas and slowly incorporate them in a subtle way into the syllabus. The demand for such skills is evident, it makes sense for schools to accommodate them in their courses. In any case, the next generation of entrepreneurs may be young but they are definitely ready!