Evidence of STEAM / ST1.7 Collaboration

New Ellenton Middle STEAM Magnet School

Collaboration

ST1.7 STEM educators collaborate as an interdisciplinary team to plan, implement, and improve integrated STEM learning experiences.

When planning cross-curricular projects and activities that are presented through STEAM units, our interdisciplinary teams review and discuss the interrelatedness of cross-cutting standards and skills, domain specific vocabulary, and analysis of informational texts within all subject areas. The teams engage in collaborative dialogue and discussions to devise plans for STEAM learning experiences that are standard-based and address authentic real word problems. In fact, teachers utilize oversized laminated brainstorming maps to identify commonalities among the standards and learning objectives of all subject areas in relation to real word problems and/or topics. The teams also use OneDrive to make sure that school-wide interdisciplinary planning occurs when times that extend beyond the hours of a typical school day are needed.

Progress monitoring and reflection allow for us to improve upon our integrated STEAM learning experiences. As part of interdisciplinary team meetings, a weekly review of students’ progress is conducted. The meetings include discussions that highlight student grades, student attendance, formative and summative assessments, at-risk behaviors, accommodations, modifications, and intervention plans. As a result, teachers are able to make informed decisions concerning the identification of learners who require intervention, remediation, and acceleration. In order to further explore interventions for students, our School Improvement Team (SIT) meets monthly to discuss students that are experiencing academic and/or behavioral struggles. The SIT team is an interdisciplinary team that consists of teachers, school psychologist, special education teacher, administration, school guidance counselor, and school social worker. Additionally, we take the time to reflect upon the strengths and weaknesses concerning the implementation of every STEAM project-based learning experience before addressing necessary improvements, especially for the projects and activities that will be revisited through a rotation schedule. Teachers reflect individually and collectively in order to make systematic enhancements regarding the manner in which we plan, further hone our craft as STEAM educators, and increase authentic STEAM learning experiences for all students.