Making Meaning of Mathematics

The article “STEM Gives Meaning to Mathematics” echoes all of the things that we have been learning in this program. I completely agree that hands-on projects not only increase student engagement but work to reinforce or introduce math, science and problem-solving skills. This is something that I have seen in my own classroom, when I have done engineering projects or hands-on science. My students are not only more engaged but like the article states they are more willing to work through failures. For example, in my classroom we were building lunar landers and even though students had to go through the design and re-design process several times they kept on working.

I also think that engaging in these hands on projects allows us as educators the ability to see students in a new light. I remember that last year I got my grade level to conduct a unit with their students in which students created race cars. While discussing the project my colleagues continuously expressed their amazement that the students that had the most difficulty in class were the ones taking the lead and creatively problem solving. I felt that engaging in this project really caused us as teachers to re-evaluate what qualities we value in our students. If there is one thing that I am taking away from this program it is the importance and value of engaging students in cross-curricular hands on STEM projects.