Bringing the X Factor to STEM Education

Our youngest learners are inquisitive and curious, and they are constantly seeking ways to make meaning of their world.

Having grown up in the age of smartphones, Siri, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality, our 3 and 4 year old students are naturally digitally literate and STEM-skilled. With research telling us that the majority of jobs for this generation are not yet invented, it is important that we extend their skills and interests in the STEM field. We do this by connecting our STEM-X specialist program to concepts and experiences that are relevant to their lives, focussing on the exploration of ‘real world’ challenges and ensuring our students experience STEM through their own interests and passions.

This ‘X factor’ is what sets us apart and ensures that we are developing confident and involved learners. Children who love to cook can see how science comes into play in the kitchen, those who love fairytales can investigate what happens when you build a castle using different materials, or animal lovers can compare and hypothesise the sizes and weights of different species.

In 2020, the focus of STEM-X has been the extension of the experiences occurring in the Early Learning classrooms. During Lego Week, students designed and built aerodynamic cars using Lego Technic then raced them to see which car could go the farthest and the fastest. When the class was reading ‘Who Sank The Boat,’ children explored the concepts of sinking and floating.

I am proud that through our specialist program, children are fine-tuning skills such as estimating, calculating, measuring, hypothesising, and experimenting. I have no doubt these skills will hold them in good stead for the future.

Miss Melissa Schoorman - Head of Wardle House, Deputy Principal