Toward A Stem + Arts Curriculum: Creating the Teacher Team

42 The acronym STEM–the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and math–now a familiar term in education, is evolving into STEAM–STEM plus “A” for art. Educational researcher Martin Storksdieck’s studies have shown that infusing art into STEM allows for “a different way of perceiving and knowing and dealing with the world, as a means to expand the toolbox of science and engineering,” that can also “free the scientist’s and engineer’s mind” (Storksdieck, 2011, n. p.). Not a magic bullet for innovation, STEAM is an opportunity for teachers to partner, learn, and teach about the many areas where art and STEM intersect. Paradoxically, as arts electives continue to be eliminated first in budgetary belt-tightening, and as parents continue to dissuade their children from majoring in art, the arts are being recognized as essential to innovation. Innovation, a hallmark of success in STEM and in art, drives quantum advances in all fields. Steve Jobs repeatedly referred to linking technology with creative thinking and artistic design as a key factor in his stunning accomplishments. In school districts across the nation, the push to recruit and retain STEM students is profound while art education continues to be marginalized. As students in some Asian nations make galloping leaps in mastering STEM and students in many European countries are at least holding their own, the STEM achievement of American students is precipitously declining. Fifteen-year-old American students tested at 28% math literacy, and 24% science literacy on a global scale (Kuenzi, 2008). STEAM can help turn this tide for our students. Art and STEM are of equal importance here. As STEAM teacher teams establish best practices for this emerging interdisciplinary approach and move this vision forward, legislators, policy makers and others in power will take heed.