JUPITER | Sixteen educators in Catholic schools gathered in April for two days of training in how to establish and sustain learning environments that embrace STREAM education, which stands for science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and math. Meeting in the media center of All Saints School in Jupiter, the teachers were led by two STREAM experts with Eduscape, an educational consultant that specializes in training instructors to improve student achievement in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Through a partnership with Saint Leo University, a Catholic institution near Tampa, it was the third cohort of educators trained by Eduscape to be STREAM coordinators at their schools. “What they do is do these two days of labs or workshops, and then they have 10 weeks of asynchronous, online learning to do. So, it’s a lot of work,” said trainer Suzette Wilhelm, former STREAM coordinator at a Catholic school in Jacksonville, who was teamed with fellow STREAM professional Denine Jimmerson.
The local teachers participating in the program are: Carmen Ahlborn and Adriana Fleming of All Saints; Kelly Kramer and Mary Wachowiz, St. Joan of Arc, Boca Raton; Bradley Fell and Kevin Singh, Rosarian; William Baeber and Charlotte Townsend, St. Joseph, Stuart; Sue Sandelier, St. Jude, Boca Raton; and Christine Beck, Mercedes Chibas, Lauren Forgione, Jeannine Kroll and Lisa Polajenko, St. Vincent Ferrer, Delray Beach. Two other participants were from the Archdiocese of Miami: Gloria Gonzalez and Anel Fraginals, Immaculate Conception, Hialeah.
Wilhelm explained that STREAM extends across subjects and is more a mindset than a program. It’s a way of teaching that brings together many disciplines centered around faith with an infusion of science and technology. “It’s a culture, just like being Catholic,” she said.
Wachowiz, who is assistant principal at St. Joan of Arc, which is a STREAM-certified school, said, “Connecting it (religion) to other subjects just helps them to build a broader faith identity and realize that that’s why we’re here. Even though we’re in school, we’re there to foster our faith and the spiritual aspect of education, as well as math, reading, art.” Kramer, her co-worker at St. Joan, added: “There’s a faith connection to everything that we do.”
Wilhelm talked with the educators about why it’s so important for them to create a STREAM culture at their school.
“When your parents walk in and they’ve never been in that school before, what do they see that’s going to change their mind about coming to your school? First of all, it’s a Catholic school. But how is that Catholic school going to help their kid be successful in their life and to have a good connection to their faith? So, what you do in the leadership of the school is huge,” she said. Part of the STREAM coordinator’s role is helping their colleagues to see its value and get on the bandwagon.
“You’re providing that collaborative foundation for getting everyone on board,” Wilhelm added. “If they are out in ‘first-grade island’ over there and you want them to be in the STREAM community with you, you’ve got to invite them to your professional learning community. It makes a difference.”
For attending the training, the participants were each given various classroom tools to help them as STREAM coordinators, including a Photon robot, which comes with ready-made educational programs and can help teach diverse subjects. Kramer demonstrated fun ways the robot can be used for kindergarten to middle school grades and teach students basic computer coding.
Helping students to connect the 2,000-year-old Christian faith with lived reality in today’s world goes to the heart of Catholic education, Wilhelm said. STREAM can help integrate Catholic social teaching, the catechism and papal writings such as Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on care for creation, “Laudato Si’,” she said.
“Our goal is to not just have science and faith but a connection, because most people leave their faith because they can’t make the connection to the science that they know is true or the faith that they believe is true. So, we make that connection so they know their faith is true and they can live their faith,” Wilhelm said.
For more information about Catholic schools in the diocese, visit www.diocesepbschools.org or follow on Facebook and Instagram at “Diocese of Palm Beach, Office of Catholic Schools.” To learn about Eduscape, go to www.eduscape.com.
