steam-oregon.academy

Teachers in the traditional school system are doing an excellent job!

With very limited resources they are focused on helping their students achieve their highest potential even going beyond their expected duties. Teachers work tirelessly even contributing with their own resources, more so in neighborhoods where resources are insufficient. There is one other element that needs to be addressed related to the advances in our society that have been slow to be considered in the traditional system. With the rapid changes in our society, curriculum updates is, in general, behind as the bureaucratic inertia slows the process. A good example is the implementation of AI tools in the curriculum.

The question is: how can we help them? How can we support the traditional educational system in a way that enhances the pathways for student success and achievement? The solution is not simple and it is multifaceted.

One element of the solution is after-school programs that bring fun into the learning process. For physical education (sports) there are many even though not enough but for academics there are not many, so more are necessary. Pre-college students have some alternatives mainly in the areas of computer science and robotics and the college preparation programs like “Saturday Academy” and “Minds Matter” that are doing an excellent job in preparing students for college. This programs and others that focus specifically on under-represented minorities URMs like iUrbanTeen are great examples of why we need more of these programs. Their results are outstanding!

This is the reason we have created STEAM Academy. So, what is different with STEAM Academy? For one, the Academy is organized more like a club where students have more flexibility. Under the supervision of mentors and tutors students will be in charge of their own learning. Curricula of lectures and individualized support will be tailor made to the individual and general workshops are being designed to address the needs of a changing world. Workshops in the areas of the use of AI (ChatGPT, and others) in their lives. How to see and organize their lives using business principles, where branding and performance become a natural way of seeing themselves participating as active, productive citizens in our society.

One vey important aspect of the Academy is the philosophical principle that if you are not having fun you are doing it wrong! If students aren’t having fun, they aren’t learning! As in the historic Greek Academy of centuries past, learning is the pathway to becoming a full virtuous being, where wisdom is nurtured beyond the mere information, information that by the way in today’s world is extremely accessible. So schooling should move beyond the transfer of information but go deeper into the why of the need of this information.

This is why The STEAM Academy (where young people have fun learning!) is one great alternative to after-school!