Why It Works

The STEAM Teach-In is an exciting way to spark lifelong interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) subjects – and careers – among today’s elementary and high school students, while highlighting the need for STEAM and CTE education among parents, policymakers, and the American public.

During the STEAM Teach-Ins, high school students prepare lessons in STEAM and CTE, which they then teach to elementary school students in their communities. Besides having fun in their role as “teacher,” the high school students benefit from the protégé effect – which holds that teaching someone else is the best way to learn – and the younger students, in turn, get an engaging introduction to STEAM and CTE from relatable role models.

And the accompanying earned- and social media campaigns spark a larger community discussion about the need for STEAM and CTE education in K-12 classrooms.

Best of all, everyone involved benefits!

• High school students gain a thorough understanding of their STEAM and CTE topics as they prepare and actually teach elementary school students about them.

• Elementary school students receive an early and engaging introduction to STEAM and CTE concepts, which can ignite a lifelong interest in careers beyond those available only to college graduates.

• Parents receive take-home and online materials that introduce them to the topics their children are learning and teaching, including content that prompts dinner-table discussions and links to resources to encourage further engagement with their children.

• Elementary school teachers are given curricula and other resources to help them weave STEAM and CTE activities into their lessons. And all participating teachers get much-deserved recognition from their schools and local media for engaging their students in such important lessons.

• STEAM Teach-In sponsors benefit from the universally positive media and social media coverage of the events.

• And the community at large benefits from the accompanying earned and social media campaigns that ignite conversations with school administrators and local and state policymakers about the need STEAM education in K-12 education.