Primary school teachers and industry professionals came together on Thursday as part of a two day workshop run by the STEM Teacher Enrichment Academy out of The University of Sydney.
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About 50 teachers from 14 Central West primary schools are taking part in a year-long program, which is about helping teachers work out the logistics of feeding Science Technology Engineering and Maths into their class timetables.
STEM Academy technology specialist Dr Vilma Galstaun said Thursday's networking event was about connecting the teachers with professionals such as engineers and representatives from Orange City Council, and Newcrest Mines, to give ideas for projects, locations for excursions or perhaps class guest speakers.
During the event teachers from each school sat at a table and 11 professionals went from table to table to have timed interviews to discuss what their jobs involved and what STEM components were involved as well as how they could help the schools.
It's STEM focused, that's where the jobs are.
- Dr Vilma Galstaun
"Their jobs are STEM focused, they are here to share what they do," she said.
"The teachers want to make a difference as well, that's why they are here.
"It's STEM focused, that's where the jobs are."
Primary program manager Dr Jennifer Way said the community outreach at Thursday's event was important and unless a teacher knew a parent who worked in an occupation they could be "quite hard to source".
Dr Way said this week's two-day event was the second session the STEM Academy had spent with the teachers, with the first being held in February.
The idea of the program is to set the teachers up for the future so they can share their knowledge with colleagues and enhance STEM programs at their schools.
"They come back in November for a big show case and they present what they've done," Dr Way said.
The program was also run in Wagga Wagga in 2017 and Coffs Harbour in 2018, and teachers are able to attend the free end of year event each year to update what they have done, see what the latest group of schools has done and get new ideas.
Glenroi Heights Public School is one of the schools in the program and STEM coordinator Jessica McAlister said students from years 3 and 4 had been working together and creating science-based STEM projects inspired by story books.
"We used the story book as a bit of a hook then brought in our English [component] then we look at a science focus from that book," Miss McAlister said.
She said one book they studied was Mitchell Goes Bowling by Hallie Durand and the students' challenge was to design their own "knock them down" game.
"Our next unit is going to be on bees, we just met a representative from the Department of Primary Industry," Miss McAlister said.
She said the DPI had a bee program and she hoped they would be able to help with teaching the program.
Miss McAlister said by having community members from different industries come into the school to talk to the students and give them ideas on what careers they can have in the future.
Participating schools from the Orange and Canobolas area include Anson Street, Borenore, Glenroi Heights, Mullion Creek, Nashdale and Spring Hill public schools as well as Catherine McAuley Catholic Public School, Kinross Wolaroi School, Molong Central School, Orange Anglican Grammar School and Orange Christian School.
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