Since 2008, Texas A&M has hosted the Engineering Teacher Summit & P-12 Leadership Forum, held Friday at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center. The event invites educators and administrators from across the state in an effort to increase interest and awareness in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics at an earlier age.
Administrators are now included to provide more of a team-like atmosphere for taking the ideas and techniques covered in the meetings back to the classrooms. Johanes Strobel, educational outreach program director in the Dwight College of Engineering, said the administrators have separate but related activities. Workshops went over methods to pick STEM curriculum from available resources and how to teach students the connection between math, engineering and science.
Katherine Leysath, program specialist for the Educational Outreach Programs office and event organizer, said the summit is a way to bring the work that Texas A&M does into high school classrooms.
“[The summit is] a great time to introduce teachers to new ways that they can incorporate engineering into their classroom,” Leysath said.
The program has received positive reception from teachers and students alike. Chemistry teacher Ed Willis from Cedar Creek High School said it was his second visit to the summit and that it was very beneficial for all educators present.
“We share our ideas and experiences and we take that back to the classroom,” Willis said.
Strobel said the summit is an important way to address what he called a disconnect that students have regarding STEM fields. He said many students choose not to pursue engineering because they were never properly exposed to it.
“We can’t wait as a college of engineering for what just comes to us. I think we have a responsibility … to the state to work much earlier,” Strobel said. “We’ve got to be more engaged.”