The STEM Shift: A Guide for School Leaders

by Ann P. Myers, Jill Berkowicz

Overview

All you need to make the shift to STEM a reality! 

Now more than ever, educational leaders are encouraged to implement STEM as the foundation for preparing students with the 21st century skills required for college and career readiness. This resource makes the process of shifting to a comprehensive, integrated STEM school or district within reach!  

Invaluable case studies featuring current STEM pioneers from across the country model how successful, STEM-centered learning takes place. You’ll find process-specific best practices and strategies to help you:

• Understand, create, and lead the STEM change process
• Transform existing school programs
• Prepare the school community for STEM and plan for STEM integration
• Integrate 21st Century Skills, the arts, and humanities
• Create essential partnerships with business and higher education

Includes step-by-step checklists and visual mapping guides for successfully navigating the STEM change process. Use this groundbreaking resource to systematically implement coherent and integrated STEM instruction that transforms learning and prepares students for the global economy! 

Video and web content also available at http://bit.ly/TheSTEMShift.

"Finally! A great book that clearly explains what STEM education is, why we need it, and how to do it well. A must-read for all educators, parents, and policymakers."

Tony Wagner, author of The Global Achievement Gap and Creating Innovators

"Reading Jill and Ann′s column in Education Week has been a critical part of my weekly reading since they′ve begun writing it. I′ve learned a lot from those short snippets, and now it′s exciting to see their expanded thoughts in The Stem Shift. You can′t go wrong by reading anything they write!"

Larry Ferlazzo, High school teacher and Ed Week columnist

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483393162
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	04/22/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	964 KB

About the Author

Ann Myers, Ed.D, is Professor Emerita at Sage Colleges where she was Founding Director of the Sage Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership and of the Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung Center of the Promotion of Mental Health and School Safety. Prior to her career in higher education, she was District Superintendent at Questar III BOCES, a regional educational organization in Upstate New York. She is a national facilitator affiliated with the Center for Courage and Renewal. She leads Circle of Trust® retreats, leadership development programs and strategic planning for school districts and nonprofit organizations. Ann was a consultant for the Metro Nashville Public Schools on the trust building project. She is the founding chair of New York State Association for Women in Administration and remains on the board for that organization. To all of this work, Ann brings a unique mix of intelligence, wisdom, and intuition. She brought us to understand the nature of an edge walker, called to innovation and exploration and to reflection and growth for herself and others. Ann is co-author with Jill Berkowicz, of Leadership 360, a blog published by Education Week. Ann lives between the Adirondacks in New York State and the gulf coast of Florida with her husband Ed Hallenbeck and her golden retriever.

Jill Berkowicz, Ed.D. has spent her 30-year career in education focusing on issues of equity and best practices in curriculum, instruction, assessment, and technology, as they affect the development of all learners in the K-12 system.  In her leadership roles as a principal and director of curriculum, instruction, and technology, equal access to quality teaching was the foundation of her work. Presently, Jill is an adjunct professor at SUNY New Paltz in the Educational Leadership program. She provides ongoing professional development for teachers and principals. Her work is dedicated to developing schools’ capacity to improve the teaching and learning environment through technology, high-stakes portfolios, and rigorous learning experiences. She serves on the board of New York ASCD and as the Educational Consultant for their digital newsletter. Jill brings energy, passion for innovation and collaboration to all her work.  Jill is co-author, with Ann Myers, of Leadership 360, a blog published by Education Week. Jill lives in the Hudson Valley of New York with her partner Bob Santoro.

Table of Contents

Preface
Part I. Why STEM?
Chapter 1. The Tipping Point
Chapter 2. The 21st Century Learning Environment
Chapter 3. Clearing the Path
Chapter 4. The Achievement Gap
Chapter 5. Special Populations
Part II. Shifting
Chapter 6. The Shift Begins Within a Leader
Chapter 7. Entering the STEM Shift
Chapter 8. Planning the Shift
Chapter 9. STEM Curriculum Shifting
Chapter 10. Developing Capacity: STEM-Centric Professional Development
Chapter 11. Time for STEM
Chapter 12. STEM Collaborations and Trust
Chapter 13. A Call to Action
Appendix: A Checklist for Evaluating the Quality of the Planning Process
Index
Access links to video and web content at http://bit.ly/TheSTEMShift

Editorial Reviews

"Reading Jill and Ann's column in Education Week has been a critical part of my weekly reading since they've begun writing it. I've learned a lot from those short snippets, and now it's exciting to see their expanded thoughts in The Stem Shift. You can't go wrong by reading anything they write! "

Larry Ferlazzo

"The world is evolving at a feverous pace and this requires students to think and apply skills differently. Myers and Berkowicz provide a compelling narrative loaded with examples from the field to provide educators and schools with the necessary foundation to provide students with the STEM skills and knowledge they need to succeed in careers while better supporting how they learn best. "

Eric Sheninger

"This insightful book casts light on the important issue of teaching STEM in a coherent and integrated way. The strategies presented go beyond curricula in each discipline to focus on four design principles: subject integration, project based learning, relevancy, and structural flexibility. This is an important, useful resource for anyone interested in STEM. "

Chris Dede

"The STEM Shift frames the current STEM movement as a powerful lever for the learning of all students (and their teachers) and issues a call to leadership to make it so. The book offers both a useful primer on what STEM means and an expansive vision as to what it can be. Both will serve teachers, principals, superintendents, board members and others who will drive this change. "

Terry Chadsey

"Myers and Berkowicz have done a masterful job of articulating the current and future need for all to engage in conversations about STEM. They outline the importance of using inclusive, collaborative, and innovative engaged learning pedagogies and strategies for all teachers and students. Their final call to action chapter is powerful. I would highly recommend this book to anyone! "

Susan R. Madsen

"Finally! A great book that clearly explains what STEM education is, why we need it, and how to do it well. A must-read for all educators, parents, and policymakers. "

Tony Wagner

"Myers and Berkowicz expose the power of STEM and how it heightens the trajectory for student success. The STEM Shift is the definitive go-to guide for educators. "

Leigh Byron

"The STEM Shift provides an excellent overview for a school or district contemplating a move to a STEM learning approach. The authors make a strong case for engaging in a STEM shift and then step through the planning and change processes called for, with special attention to building collaboration and trust. A real strength of the book is the inclusion of real cases and voices from the field where this shift is happening. The inclusion of successful programs and perspectives gives the reader confidence that engaging is a STEM shift is a real possibility for their organization. "

Peter Brouwer

"The STEM Shift is a much needed book for K-20 educational institutions looking to move from good to great. It highlights the importance of why we need intentional learning environments that drive innovation and collaboration. "

Brad Currie

"In these days of initiative fatigue it is easy for leaders and teachers to bypass all that is good about our changing education system. If they do, they are missing great opportunities to advance. Unfortunately, STEM is sometimes seen as the new 4-letter word in initiatives and it shouldn’t be. In The Stem Shift, Jill Berkowicz and Ann Myers offer compelling reasons why all schools need to make the shift, and provide practical tools K-12 that will help schools get there."

Peter De Witt

"Want to know the 4 most important words for 21^st century learning? Authors Meyers and Berkowicz reveal that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathare the 4 words that will unlock your students’ learning opportunities and open up a world of possibilities. This book is filled with examples that will help schools and districts become “STEM-centric” learning environments focused on identifying and solving problems. The STEM Shift will help you build bridges to the 21^st century… and beyond!"

Spike C. Cook

"The authors provide examples from real leaders across the country who have transformed their school to increase STEM instruction. This book will make readers think about ways to revolutionize schools by embracing the critical importance of STEM education. "

Lisa Dieker

"In these days of initiative fatigue it is easy for leaders and teachers to bypass all that is good about our changing education system. If they do, they are missing great opportunities to advance. Unfortunately, STEM is sometimes seen as the new 4-letter word in initiatives and it shouldn’t be. In The Stem Shift, Jill Berkowicz and Ann Myers offer compelling reasons why all schools need to make the shift, and provide practical tools K-12 that will help schools get there."

Peter DeWitt