S.T.E.A.M
What is S.T.E.A.M?
STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue and critical thinking, and encourages the use of art and design.
Rather than teaching these subjects as separate and discrete, STEAM integrates them into learning based on real-world applications.
What are the benefits?
STEAM teaches students to be creative, critical thinkers, flexible problem solvers, to explore different ideas, to recognise setbacks in learning as opportunities for discovery and to effectively communicate and work with others.
Through this approach, students are building the foundation for an unknown future where innovative thinking and collaborative problem-solving will widen their choices and chances for fulfilling future careers. Recent research is also showing that critical thinking builds emotional resilience.
Other benefits include:
Increased choices for students to learn and practice skills in the technology realm.
Connections with other STEAM schools, professional institutions and specialised communities.
Involvement in learning experiences relevant to their academic learning, their personal interests and future work-related situations (planning, design, building, engineering, innovative products etc).
Additional emphasis on science and technology in Years 7 and 8.
First in New Zealand
Kadimah was the first primary school in NZ to fully integrate STEAM learning into our curriculum, in 2017 by producing a custom written STEAM curriculum for Kadimah.
Vex Robotics
Kadimah’s VEX Robotics programme offers students the opportunity to apply science and engineering principles to the field of robotics. In Years 5-6 students use Lego Mindstorm to develop robotics skills, while students in Years 7-8 make and refine robots using VEX Robotics and and Flipbot kits. Students learn how component parts fit together and interact to complete different tasks. Computer programming is also introduced.
Kadimah in Action
Flipbot Robotics Competition: Kadimah excelled at the 2019 Flipbot Robotics Competition. One team placed third overall and will compete in the World Finals in Australia in 2020. Our other team received a special award from Rocket Lab for Imagination and Curiosity.
EPro8 Engineering Competition: Kadimah enters teams in the annual EPro8 challenge – an engineering and problem solving race with over 10,000 school students throughout NZ. Our students consistently achieve highly in this competition - in 2016, 2017 and 2019 we had teams in the semi-finals and in 2018 our Year 5/6 team made the Grand Final.
