On the need for STEM and Art
By Scholastic on July 21st, 2008
David Warlick posted this morning about the need for a marriage between STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) and the Arts today and, while I think hope that we’d be hard pressed to find someone who disagreed with his point that, STEM without the creative arts, is just machinery!, it’s still worth underscoring.
Last fall, Scholastic Books released one of the coolest books I (and the Caldecott Committee) had ever seen. The Invention of Hugo Cabret tells the story of a young orphan and clockmaker who lives in the Paris train station. The book merges art and technology and weaves a story for the ages–one that I think resonates so profoundly with young readers because it draws on both STEM and The Arts. Is it too much to imagine that this is the logical combination in schools as well?
Note to David…while I can’t create a better anagram with STEM and MAD (music, art, drama), may I suggest substituting ART for MAD and creating an equation? It would look something like this:
Posted: July 21st, 2008 under Books, Education. Tags: art, math, science, students.
5 comments
Comments
for those of us not so in theh know, what does STEM stand for?
Comment on July 21, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Thanks for the nudge, suzanne! STEM stands for science, technology, engineering & math–the subject areas that many argue are the "most relevant" for 21st century learners.
I've edited the post as well–sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own abbreviations, we lose track of those on the outside!
Comment on July 21, 2008 at 5:52 pm
It matters! I love it. Thanks, Sarah…
– dave –
Comment on July 22, 2008 at 5:40 pm
I was just having a conversation with someone in my district about this same topic! He mentioned that they should put the art in STEM…and that would make it STEAM. I thought it was a great idea, as I have always used the arts in my science and math classes.
Comment on June 7, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Recently, I was at an ArtsNow workshop. As a science, technology and math teacher at my school I was very interested in incorporating all of the arts in my classes. While I was there someone approached me about including the arts in our STEM program. He said that someone was trying to get the ball rolling on "putting the arts in STEM to make STEAM". I thought it was an interesting acronym. Just thought I would share.
Comment on June 7, 2009 at 1:14 pm
