The U of I Extension and a regional education collaboration called Tech Teachers GP is offering a networking opportunity for teachers to expand STEM or STEAM curriculum. About 75 educators turned out last night at the Caterpillar Visitors Center for the group’s Teacher Tuesdays.
Kathie Brown is an Extension Educator specializing in community and economic development. She says helping teachers re-frame the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math curriculum is key. “So the teacher's not the expert. You’re letting go of your classroom and letting the students explore and discover and that’s where their energy and that quest for knowledge is going to come from is if you can really set the stage for that exploration to occur.”
Brown says it’s a different way of thinking for many educators and having a network of peers can make all the difference. She says the collaborative's Facebook group is TECHTeachersGP. Brown says the growing network is using the group to problem solve and share ideas.
The next Teacher Tuesdaysis December 5, 2017, at Bradley University.