Shen. Valley Elementary STEM class teaches students teamwork, creativity, and perseverance
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - A pair of Shenandoah Valley Elementary students help each other craft a bridge from pipe cleaners, Popsicle sticks, and Q-tips on Oct. 25, 2019.
By Kaylee Lindenmuth | [email protected]
SHENANDOAH – For the 2019-2020 school year, there’s been a new addition to the curriculum at Shenandoah Valley Elementary.
A classroom in the C-wing of the school, the new building built in 2012, has been converted into a “makerspace” through a cooperative effort between the Shenandoah Valley School District and the SHINE after-school program.
With the new space, students in grades two through six now utilize the space regularly for a STEM — Science, Technology, Education, and Math — class. The class serves as one of the “special” subjects in the curriculum, replacing computers.
“The students are very engaged in the activities that they are doing, moreso than just sitting at a computer and typing,” said Shenandoah Valley Elementary Principal Brooke Wowak.
Friday morning, as media members, school administration, and State Representative Neal Goodman converged on the classroom, students were attempting to build a bridge using only Popsicle, Q-tips, and pipe cleaners.
The class is taught by Angie Brayford, formerly a 5th grade science teacher, who says the class differs from a normal class, in positive ways.
“In a traditional classroom, it’s teacher-led,” said Brayford. “This is very student-led. Students are given different projects where they can be creative, they have to collaborate, fail, and overcome.”
The class doesn’t have a textbook and is centered primarily around hands-on projects.
The classroom is equipped with high-tech utilities, including three 3D printers, and a zSpace VR computer, all provided by the SHINE program.
“For 15 years now, the districts have supported us in a multitude of ways, and we thought it was really important to give back to the districts,” said Rachel Strucko, SHINE director. “We built a classroom that Shenandoah can use during their school day and implement into their science curriculum or their STEM curriculum, and then we can utilize the classroom in the afternoon.”
“We’re serving more students, so that’s what we’re excited about,” Strucko added. “The more students we can get excited about STEM, the better it is for not only the school district but also the community.”
Goodman was impressed by what he saw Friday.
“I’ve always been a tremendous supporter of SHINE,” said Goodman. “To me, early childhood education is everything… they get to learn in a group environment. Each one talks their way through the problem, and they’re trying to do it together. That helps them as they develop, and helps them play well with others and solve problems collectively.”
The SHINE program at Shenandoah Valley has about 50 students, and the class and classroom allows the program’s features to reach the majority of the elementary school.
“This is only our second month implementing this classroom, and it’s been very successful,” Wowak said. “When I do walkthroughs, the teacher is very excited, which makes the students excited.”
”Our long term goal of the program is to see how this can be cross-curricular,” Wowak added. “Down the road, we are looking to see what the students are learning in math, and [English/Language Arts] and how can we tie some of those skills into the STEM classroom.
Wowak said her favorite part of the class is how it brightens the day of the students.
Strucko said that Mahanoy Area is following suit in creating a similar space with her program’s support. Jim Thorpe Area, she said, already has three spaces in their district.
“I’m so impressed by Shenandoah [Valley] School District, Brooke Wowak and Angie Brayford are really doing amazing things here in Shenandoah, so we’re excited,” Strucko said.
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