The focus of educators in recent years has been to encourage science and technology based education in order to meet the shortfall in skilled labor at the industrial level. This had resulted in the STEM or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics based subjects getting a boost at the schools. However now there is a group of educators who feel that being innovative in science requires you to have adequate exposure to arts. They are now hoping to add arts to the mix and make it STEAM.
[am4show have=’p8;p9;p11;p38;’ guest_error=’Guest error message’ user_error=’User error message’ ]
Maker Faire
To encourage this new trend there is a lot of enthusiasm about events known as “Maker Faires”. One enthusiastic organizer defines them as “an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors.” Maker Faire’s can be large or small gatherings where you can probably see everything from electrical circuits to play dough being used by the exhibits. They encourage creative innovations to allow people to come up with new inventions.
Participate in one with your homeschool students
The popularity of such exhibitions is on the rise and it may be well worth visiting one with your homeschool students. Once they get an idea of all the different kinds of things that can be made and exhibited, you may even want to start them off on their own project to exhibit. Such a project will be educational, enhance their problem solving skills and give them a chance to showcase their creative ideas to a large and receptive audience. You can not go wrong with such an amazing combination.
Finding one that you can attend
Most Makers Faire events are well advertised in the local print media well in advance. You can scan your newspapers or magazines to get details of the next event close to you. There is also the option of going online and finding out the details. For instance there is one Makers Faire to be held in New York this September. There will be others every few weeks all over the country and you can pick one which is convenient for you to attend.
Article Inspiration: About Homeschooling
[/am4show]