This year I took the opportunity to apply for and attend to attend a two-day Women’s Program (WP) workshop hosted by ETFO Provincial: Breaking Barriers in STEAM Learning. I was pleasantly surprised to be accepted and thoroughly enjoyed the experience! This experience reminded me exactly why seeking and investing in my own professional matters, it is not just for the educators, it is for the students I serve!
What the Workshop Was About
The workshop gave me dedicated time and space to deepen my understanding of how to meaningfully bring STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) and Design Thinking into my teaching practice. Rather than a passive sit-and-listen experience, it was collaborative, hands-on, and built around the idea that learning should be engaging and accessible for everyone.
Key-Take Aways
The research is clear: the gaps don’t start in high school or university, they begin as early as kindergarten. Girls often grow up without visible role models in STEAM fields, or they’re introduced to these subjects in ways that feel dry, irrelevant, or simply uninviting. Even more subtle are the ingrained cultural biases we may not realize we’re reinforcing, like asking girls to help with crafts and boys to troubleshoot technology. These small moments add up over time and shape how children see themselves as learners and future problem-solvers. This was a meaningful reminder for me as a primary/junior teacher. The messages I send (intentionally or not) about who “does” well STEAM can have a lasting impact.
The workshop also offered practical guidance on how to design effective STEAM experiences through a Design Thinking Lens:
- Choose tasks that are challenging but achievable, to foster confidence and a growth mindset
- Within the engineering design process, prioritize reflection above all else as that is where the deepest learning occurs
- Rather than trying to cover every strand, focus on 1 or 2 well-designed challenges with intentional cross-curricular connections that solves ‘everyday problems’. This approach actually leads to more curriculum expectations being addressed, alongside richer critical thinking (especially important for split-grade teachers!)
Some advice if you are looking to participate:
- Pay attention to those ETFO newsletters! Opportunities for Professional Development are often embedded in the email.
- Follow ETFO on social media to stay up to date
