STEM SCHOOL

Financing all activities and projects under STEM in school.

Providing necessary materials such as stationary , computers and internet services to help teachers in there lessons and during research.

Encouraging teachers to embrace STEM teaching as it is the way to go in the new O level curriculum which was put in place by the National Curriculum Development centre NCDC.

Encouraging project based learning in all subjects.The Adminstration supported two of our teachers Ms Eva Asaba and Mr Nsubuga todifferent training sessions conducted by Professor Usha Rajdev both pysical and online .These training sessions have taken place since 2019.The teachers were then given time to encourage students to embrace STEM which was alittle challenging but managed to make it.The students got involved in many trial projects in 2019 such as paper rockets . The spacewe need ,egg drop and these encouraged thestudents to love what they are doing.The mosquito project then kicked off in 2019 and as administrators we supported our then young STEM team to achieve there goals.The students participated in pilot study on mosquitoes in there community,construction of traps,collecting and analysing data from the traps.Since then mant teachers have joined STEM and use project based learning in there classes.STEM projects have faced a number of challenges which have made there progess slow.These challengesinclude;

The COVID -19 pandemic that forced us into a lockdown and these activities could not go on.

Some requirements needed for these projects havenot been acquired which puts some projectson hold . these include magnifers that can be used to study samples in datacollection.Failure of some teachers to embrace STEM leaving it to a few teachers making some students miss out on the program.

As administrators , there are lessons lerant from STEM some of which are;

There is need to train staff on the advantages and use of project based learning in classto embrace STEM.

There is need to improve on the support given to teachers and students currently under STEM not to make them feel as if they are on there own.

There is need to improve on the involvement of the school Board of Governors , The Parents -Teachers Association and community in all STEM activities.

There is need to provide necessary resoures like computers and internet services to all learners and teachers.

As the prinicple and top school administration we Plan to;

Allow teachers and students to go out and involve the community. This would have been done a little earlier but was hindered by the lockdown.

Hold training on PRoject based learning for all teachers.

Encourage update of the school website to show how STEM activities are progressing in the school.

Provide technology that help enhance on research in school.

Recognize students who participate in STEM activities internally.

Organize STEM events in conjunction with the community and other neighbouring schools and companies.

Collaborate with people in influential positions in the community to help in community outreachs.

Support students in national and international Science and Mathematics competitions.

FOR TEACHERS

We were introduced to STEM by our Headteacher Mr Mike Ssekaggo after he came back from the Kappa Delta Pi Covention 2018 that took place in Indianapolis USA. In 2019, we received documents about how stem would be incorporated into our school curriculum and we gave it a try through projects such as Paper rockets ,the space we need and later the Mosquito project.

In 2020 these were put on pause because of the global COVID 19 pandemic and resumed this year 2022 where put on pause because of the global COVID – 19 pandemic and resumed this year 2022 where we had to introduce it to new students whose curriculum purely project based.

The STEM teaching was welcomed by us because the National Council for Higher Education in curriculum amendments highlighted the use of more practical ways to teach concepts in all subjects which is a core in the STEM teaching and learning . Through physical and online training and meetings by Professor Usha Rajdev, Teachers have been trained in the importance of STEM in teaching and learning in school , preparing lesson plans based on project based learning and preparing for STEM events .As teachers we have helped our students through the mosquito trap project which has been our main project 2019- 2022.

In the mosquito trap project , our learners have developed more skills in research ,design, innovations, engineering,data collection and analysis , Mathematics and how these can be put together to solve society problems in scientific ways .These projects have been done in school through community outreach but was halted by the pandemic as we had to be as careful as possible . Through the STEM program ,as teachers we have learnt to make learning easier and student centred sing local materials around them.We have learnt to come up with simple activities to enhance learning and also helped in solving problems that affect the society in class.

As teachers,we have faced challenges from our fellow teachers who have not understood STEM and unfortunately are not willing to learn. The projects that take place outdoors have also been vandalized by the community even when advised not to tamper with them.As teachers there is inadequate material to help us I teaching through Stem even when administrators have done there best.