A Superintendent’s Strategy for Engaging Students In STEM

A guest blog by Dr. Todd Martin, Superintendent of Yadkin County (NC) Schools

YADKIN COUNTY SCHOOLS LEGO ROBOTIC LEAGUE

As an educator I am excited about bringing a Lego Robotic League to our schools in Yadkin County. Over the past few years there has been an increased emphasis on offering a greater variety of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses and on pushing students towards taking courses. While STEM courses can provide great benefits for those students who are willing to take them, many students have shown little interest in these courses beyond what is needed to meet graduation requirements.

Increasing Interest in Learning STEM

I believe that we need to do a better job of engaging students in STEM at a younger age. If we can increase interest in STEM in elementary and middle school students, before they decide they do not like math or science, I believe we have a greater chance of preparing these students in terms of skills needed in the modern workplace and society. I believe that having robotic league teams available in each elementary and middle school can help spark an interest in STEM from an early age.

Learning Critical Life Skills

By designing and building a robot, students would be incorporating elements from all areas of STEM. They also would be developing their writing and speaking skills. Additionally, students would learn how to “think on their feet” and adapt as they are faced with challenges. Students participating in the league would learn the important skills of cooperation and collaboration as they work together on teams to build a robot that will best perform specific tasks. I believe it is critical for students to know how to collaborate with others on a project because so much in today’s world is done through teaming. They would also be learning how to compete against others. As an education system, we have to do a better job of teaching our students that they are no longer in competition only with students from North Carolina or the United States. They need to understand that it is necessary for them to compete on a global stage.

The Vision

Moving forward, I would like to see one to two teams in each elementary school and two to three teams in each middle school during the first year of implementation. Initially it would be necessary to meet mainly after school under the guidance and supervision of a teacher acting as coach. I envision student teams working together to design and build their robots to prepare for competition. I also want to see us, at a minimum, have a county-wide competition, with the possibility of being able to compete against teams from other school systems.
I also see the robotic league as a critical piece of a larger plan to produce students who possess the skills needed by businesses and industry here in Yadkin County. It is my desire to see us produce high school graduates who possess the skills and interest needed to pursue further technical training, possibly through Surry Community College. These students could then return and bring their skills and training to the industries here in Yadkin County.