Notes from our STEM Fluency Lab Director
Doing things you don't normally do It's difficult to describe a lab experience, suffice to say that it is not your usual training course or CPD experience...
You’re invited to do things you wouldn’t normally do,
You try things out you wouldn’t normally try,
You ask yourself questions you wouldn’t normally ask,
You think of ideas you wouldn’t normally think,
You go to places you don't normally go,
And sometimes,
You become the sort of person you wouldn’t normally be.
The first thing to say about the first PAL/Ignition* STEM Fluency Lab is that it was blessed with the most wonderful group of 28 energetic, creative, and willing teachers, artists and scientists.
Everyone adjusted to their new environment and embraced the opportunity to trust and work with each other coherently and creatively. It soon became clear that all of us were teachers, scientists, engineers, mathematicians and artists at the same time.
We began by making a 3D map of the East Midlands adding in ourselves, our interests and links to each other. Then we painted, acted, made installations, sang, drummed, constructed robots, recorded and analysed sounds and, via thoughts such as;
“Understanding is like an explosion of colour which starts with a few drips”
We found ourselves improvising STEM teaching and learning inspired by the movements of a choreographer or the sound of a musician, designing STEM-discovery white-cube exhibitions, making music out of local soundscapes and planning STEM carnivals that would engage an entire school or wider community.
One of the most memorable journeys developed a new understanding of maths through drumming. Learning how to beat a 3/4 time signature with one hand and a 4/4 signature with the other (and later, a 4/4 with a 5/4) pointed towards an almost spiritual absorption of numbers.
Our journey developing a creative STEM fluent community has just begun.
As for the start, I think we can be quite confident that the first STEM Fluency Lab was a resounding success!
Steve Mesure Lab Director
