What do preschool teachers, child care providers, teachers, afterschool specialists, and early learner care givers have in common? For the love of teaching and learning- these Minnesota educators are committed, passionate, playful people that adventure, share, and ask great questions. Read on to learn more about insights and observations from 3 educator’s conferences that took place in early 2016.
a. These people love to learn! Build it. Smell it. Draw it. Sing it. In each of the 3 teacher training sessions that Growing Green Hearts led at the ELEA region 3 Educator’s Conference- teachers gathered in groups to try new strategies with STEM. Educator’s of early learners are experts in their field, including using all learning styles and multi-sensory approaches in helping kids explore and learn about the world around us.
b. FUN! Teachers standing on chairs! Constructing stuff from the floor up! If educator’s taking Growing Green Hearts workshops can get into hands-on activities with newspapers, sticks, felt, etc with other adults…IMAGINE what enthusiasm they share with little people during eSTEM projects!
c. Questions are good. Asking a problem question is most often the first step in the scientific method- and these education experts are modeling that for students. Afterschool educators, site directors, teachers, and child care givers attended the Growing Green Heart’s “Energize Kids About Climate” training at the recent MNAEYC-MnSACA conference at River Center. They asked great questions about science as a process, when to let kids lead with experiments, how to best break common science misconceptions, and more.
d. Commitment & Compassion. Educator’s were quick to play, laugh, collaborate, and connect STEM to their classrooms and their student’s needs during the STEMtastic!™ workshop by Growing Green Hearts last weekend at Concordia College’s Early Learners Conference. Feedback from teachers about the workshop included: “Not all kids are going to choose science as a career, but all kids can learn and play with science in order to be healthier and solve problems,” and “Understanding nature and technology means thinking with systems – eSTEM shows that.”.
Thank you to all those who attended, shared and played with eSTEM at GGH workshops in January and February 2016. Let’s stay connected via facebook, email and Twitter. If you are in need of science trainings certified by MCPD & Parent Aware… Growing Green Hearts does site visits too! The contact form for scheduling trainings, site visits, natural playground coaching is here.
“Play sharpens minds and boosts creativity. It helps people grow and keeps them healthy. When children play, they learn to solve problems, make decisions, express ideas, and recognize boundaries.”
-The Strong Research Center, Rochester, NY
Play. Learn. Love.
February 2016
