Legislation is currently being introduced to aggressively identify and promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students today. In the search for one million students from grades K-12, leadership skills are a key component of the STEM program. Ultimately, the goal is to develop one million Steve Jobs-type and future leaders of tomorrow. Mike Honda writes about the program that he introduced in the House of Reps in the huffingtonpost.com
Leadership Skills are Key Component of STEM
Last winter, I introduced the STEM Education Innovation Act of 2011 (H.R. 3373). This legislation advances three key principles to help forge a national mission on STEM education. On a federal level, it creates an Office of STEM Education within the Department of Education to integrate, coordinate and improve the department’s K-12 and higher-education STEM educational efforts. On a state level, it institutes a State Consortium on STEM Education to take the lead in shaping best practices in STEM education. These consortiums are crucial in creating strong regional and state opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. On a classroom level, my bill establishes the Educational Innovation Project to forge partnerships with nonprofits, foundations and companies that develop teaching-technology innovations.
The Education Innovation Project ensures that American classrooms are squarely on the cutting edge. Based on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the project’s mission is to develop novel and transformational technology for the classroom to provide each student with the resources necessary to be innovative and inventive. Each student can thrive in such a high-tech environment focused on problem-based learning, critical thinking and action-based research. Beyond training a new generation of American workers ready to win the global competitiveness race, the public-private partnerships created by the innovation project will drive current job creation as companies strive to meet the tech needs of schools all across America.
My next piece of STEM legislation will focus on STEM educators. Partnering with undergraduate institutions, this legislation will develop STEM competencies and leadership qualities to forge an entire new generation of teachers. This legislation will also focus on pre-K through sixth-grade teachers to produce elementary educators with competencies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. With this firm foundation in place, children will have the necessary skills and experiences to thrive in STEM subjects when they reach middle and senior high school grades.
As a science teacher, principal and educator of more than 30 years, I know that American greatness is born in our schools. STEM education in our classrooms put a man on the moon and created the Internet, and it is the key to America’s future. Original Article Here.
While leadership skills are a key component of STEM, they are not the only components. Motivational skills, innovation, and critical thinking are other components of this forward thinking program. All of which directly connect to the qualities of future leaders.
