Early STEM
What it is?
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) may sound scary, but parents, caregivers, and children already use STEM every day!
Why it is important?
As parents and caregivers, we hear about the importance of teaching and learning STEM so that our children will be prepared for the future. The Early STEM is connected to five important early literacy practices: Observe, Build, Design/Create, Question and Explore!
Early STEM Framework
How does it work?
The Early Learning Washington County (ELWC) Early STEM framework includes four different elements:
Early STEM Professional Development
Develop and provide bilingual Early STEM professional development for early childhood educators and caregivers that helps them to acknowledge and overcome math and engineering anxiety. Training event coming soon.
STEM Kits
Multilingual STEM CURIOSITY Kits designed to increase parent-child interactions have been created. ELWC has created the kits with the ELWC Parent Advisory Council, Portland Metro STEM Partnership hub (PMSP), culturally specific agencies, community-based organizations, Head Start programs, childcare providers, and K-12. To date 2,000 kits in four languages (English, Spanish, Arabic and Somali) have been distributed in Washington County and an additional 1,700 kits in English and Spanish are about to be distributed.
Are you interested in distributing STEM CURIOSITY kits? Email Juana Garcia at juanag@unitedway-pdx.org, and we will contact you.
STEM Promise Prototypes: Worms to classrooms. Together with PMSP, Adelante and Oregon Child Development Coalition we have developed bilingual English and Spanish prototypes for Preschool Promise classrooms in our county.
Training of Trainers
Develop a Training of Trainers (TOT) framework to support a Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) cohort of Early STEAM educators.
Coming soon! ELWC is going to offer a TOT framework to increase the number of Early STEM facilitators that offer multilingual culturally responsive trainings in Washington County.
STEM Summer Camp
Partner with TierrAgua to offer the 2021 STEM Summer Camp Tu’u Nducha/Palabra de Agua. Children grades Prek-3rd from Cornelius and Forest Grove will attend the first STEM Summer Camp for Mesoamerican Indigenous Children. Join STEM Summer Camp.