We want you to have access to great EiE PD wherever you teach. That’s why we’re building a national network of professional development providers. This month, we’re pleased to welcome our newest professional development collaborator: the Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Q: I just learned I’ll be teaching the Engineering is Elementary curriculum this year. But I don’t know anything about engineering! Help—how do I get smart in a hurry?

A: First, know that you’re not alone. Most elementary teachers have never taken a college course in engineering. Second, remember that you don’t have to master advanced engineering concepts like “axiomatic design” or “dual modular redundancy,” just familiar concepts like “systems” and “processes.” Here are four fast ways to learn more about classroom engineering.

A few years ago, Baltimore educators and researchers launched an innovative STEM program for elementary students. One goal was to get parents engaged in their students’ STEM learning; another was to connect STEM learning to real-world issues in the local community. This focus on local connections is how Engineering Adventures, the out-of-school-time curriculum developed by Engineering is Elementary, came to be part of the “STEM Achievement in Baltimore Elementary Schools” project—SABES for short.

Reading is a clear priority in elementary classrooms across the nation. The average
K- 3 elementary student gets nearly an hour and a half of reading/language arts instruction each day, according to the 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education. Science and engineering instruction are a much smaller part of the school day in most schools. But here at EiE, we’ve found that reading and engineering are natural partners.

We know that elementary teachers value high-quality STEM professional development (PD). We also know that funding for PD can be limited, and even when there is plenty of funding, it can be hard to get release time from class, or find a sub to cover. What’s the solution? Engineering is Elementary is developing a suite of online professional development resources for K-8 engineering educators. We’re pleased to share that our first offering, "Introduction to Engineering for Out-of-School-Time Programs," is now available.