One of the major goals of preparing our students for the future is the focus on merging subjects across the curriculum. The National Education Association states that through creativity and innovation, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking, students will be better prepared for a global society. The NEA endorses cross curriculum programming as an ideal approach to education, allowing students of all ages the availability to grow skills in these areas.
The ASHAR STEM Fair provided opportunities for all of these essential skills to be taught, developed and implemented across the curriculum.
The ASHAR STEM Fair provided opportunities for all of these essential skills to be taught, developed and implemented across the curriculum.
CollaborationASHAR is known to be a place of high academic standards, but also a place where students, "love to learn." One reason for this, is our collaborative culture. Students are constantly provided with lessons, projects and programs which are accomplished through group work. The STEM Fair encouraged students to collaborate with each other and with their teachers. Additionally, teachers collaborated with each other across disciplines to guide students in multiple areas.
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JEWISH PHILOSOPHY At ASHAR, one of our main goals is to mold our students into Torah observant Jews who will ultimately be successful in the outside world. It is imperative that our children recognize the role that Torah plays as an integral part of secular society. We teach that that the world could not survive without G-d and inculcate within our students the notion that our ultimate success is dependent on His involvement.
The STEM fair was the perfect venue for showcasing this lesson. Everything that we learn in science is attributed to the brilliance of our Creator. The more we delve, the more we recognize the genius of G-d's world and his continued involvement within it. Through the STEM Fair, our students were able to make connections between Torah, science and math thereby strengthening their beliefs in a life rich in both Judaism and success in the secular world. |
Critical ThinkingAs educators, critical thinking is one of our highest objectives. According to Bloom's Taxonomy's cognitive domain, the skills used in developing critical thinking are analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application.
We believe that collaborative, cross curricular, project based learning is the ideal approach to tap into all of the skills. The STEM fair actually elevated student thinking to a higher level by tying together elements of math, science and Torah. |
CreativityCreating opportunities for creativity and innovation in school allows for all students to succeed. Differentiated instruction and guidance are natural elements of project based learning, when teachers and students are focused on the process as opposed to a predetermined result. ASHAR prides itself on meeting the needs of a variety of different learning styles and the STEM fair was an amazing vehicle to accomplish that goal.
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