Teacher TV - STEM Subject Choice and Careers Series

Teacher TV is just that TV that the Teacher can use in their classroom. If you are having problems in trying to promote STEM in the classroom, take a look.

This series looks at the kind of skills needed to work in STEM professions, examines the careers available and includes advice from research scientists, engineers and project managers. The eight programmes are:

Science
Science teacher Nichola Offer uses a range of techniques to help her students think about careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) professions.

Nichola focuses on IVF and invites the school nurse, Rachael Bines, into the lesson to talk to her Year 8 class at the Thomas Deacon Academy, Peterborough, about her work and to provide professional support.

The students perform a role play which gets them thinking about the number of professions involved in IVF and raises some interesting questions.

The second part of the lesson challenges students to focus on one particular profession by searching various STEM careers websites, with the students creating a poster display of their findings http://www.teachers.tv/video/31980

Maths
Teacher Daniel Gadd links maths lessons to the use of maths in the world of work, helping students understand how their learning relates to the real world.

The class at the Graham School, Scarborough, focuses on how logistic managers use network diagrams to aid efficiency in deliveries and when laying cables.

Daniel relates the topic firstly to paper rounds, and the students develop the idea further, working on a cabling exercise to calculate the minimum amount of cable needed to link a series of towns. Daniel challenges his students to model one of the ideas they are working on.

The students also research how different people use maths in their careers, culminating in a presentation to their peers at the end of the lesson. http://www.teachers.tv/video/31981

Engineering
Maths teacher Eva Cowlishaw and science teacher Amy Lucas introduce Year 9 students at CTC Kingshurst Academy, Birmingham, to engineering careers using the context of structural engineering in theme park rides.

In the maths lesson the students look at rigid structures and learn how they are important in engineering, and have the chance to investigate their own choice of rigid structures.

In science, the students model an ejector seat ride using a variety of apparatus. Their investigation looks at the different forces involved in the ride and how to monitor its speed.

For the final part of the day the students take on the roles of interviewers and candidates in mock interviews for a structural engineering job. http://www.teachers.tv/video/31982

Choosing Careers
Lorette Parker, head of careers at Collingwood College, Surrey, invites eight professionals to the school to talk about their careers in STEM-related professions.

Amongst the group are research scientists, engineers and project managers. Lorette hopes they will help motivate the students to consider STEM professions as a possible career path.

In small groups, the students interview the visitors, getting as much information as they can. They are expected to meet and greet the visitors in the same way they would act in a real job interview.

The experience proves to be an eye-opener for the students and many are surprised about the opportunities available in STEM professions. http://www.teachers.tv/video/31983
Equality and Diversity

Two secondary schools in Blackburn explore STEM careers, by encouraging their students to take a hands-on approach to learning.

Witton Park High School takes a workshop for year eight girls which aims to show the students alternatives to gender stereotyped jobs. The girls are asked to consider traditional jobs along with high paid STEM related jobs. They also take part in a team building activity.

Meanwhile at Pleckgate High School, where teachers are trying to engage all students with STEM, an interactive mobile laboratory, staffed by practising scientists and engineers visits the school.

Small groups of students take part in the onboard experiments, which are designed to be accessible to all learners and introduce them to new aspects of STEM. http://www.teachers.tv/video/36358

STEM Subject Choice and Careers - Role Models and Work Placements

A group of STEM ambassadors visit Bradfield School in Sheffield to share their stories with a group of Year 9 girls.

As a lesson starter the pupils take part in an exercise aimed at combating some of the stereotypical images of STEM related careers. The ambassadors then take questions from the pupils about the sort of careers that are available to pupils who take up STEM subjects.

Meanwhile another group of learners are followed as they take part in a work placement run by the Connaught Partnership. Here the video examines the processes and procedures needed to ensure a successful work placement.Apprentices at an aerospace manufacturer in Bolton discuss the benefits of experience in the workplace and a learner in Sheffield talks about the value of her work placement at a firm of architects. http://www.teachers.tv/video/36674

Information, advice and guidance

At Collingwood College in Camberley, Science Teacher Angalika Newton is eager to introduce careers in science to her students.Angalika works with Head of Careers Lorette Parker to plan a lesson to introduce the kinds of jobs that science can lead to.

They are looking at introducing a range of techniques into the classroom which will equip the students with the information they need to make informed choices. These include bringing outside visitors into the school, peer-to-peer and one-to-one learning conversations and consolidating their ideas in the form of a careers map.

This programme is part of a series looking at the careers available in STEM professions. http://www.teachers.tv/video/36360

Economic Wellbeing

Riddlesdown High school in South London is taking steps to encourage pupils to study science, maths and technology.

We see students at the school participate in a role play as members of a residents' association. During the activity they discuss a proposal to build a pharmaceutical plant in their neighbourhood.

The pupils weigh up the pros and cons of the proposal, considering the economic benefits that the plans could bring to the community, against potentially negative issues such as environmental disruption.

Later, staff discuss the challenges of teaching the value of STEM subjects as they often feel ill-equipped to educate pupils about opportunities in science related careers. http://www.teachers.tv/video/36359