SMART partners with 'Little Scientists'
The SMART (Science, Maths and Real Technology) Program and the Science and Engineering Challenge have recently partnered with the Little Scientists Initiative providing professional development workshops for early learning educators across the Hunter. These professional development workshops aim to empower educators to include STEM (Science, technology, engineering and maths) in early learning centres and address the shortage of STEM skills from a very young age.
The SMART Program is a science outreach program which provides interactive shows and workshops for students from preschool through to high school as well as for the community. It is run through the University of Newcastle and is an arm of the Science and Engineering Challenge. To address the changing jobs of the future, SMART and the Science and Engineering Challenge want to inspire students to learn more about science and technology and better prepare them for the STEM focused jobs of the future.
'By partnering with Little Scientists we are reaching educators as well as students. By inspiring and empowering educators we can spread the STEM message to many more young people.' – Sarah Pilgrim, SMART Team Leader.
The Little Scientists program is a not-for-profit initiative of FROEBEL Australia Limited and in cooperation with the German "Little Scientists' House" Foundation. It was developed in Germany in 2006 with the aim to foster children's curiosity with STEM through hands on experiments from a young age. There are currently more than 27,000 institutions involved in the program in Germany reaching over 1 million children. The reach of the program is also increasing throughout Australia as more and more regions come on board.
Through the six-monthly workshops educators are given the skills and resources they need to inspire the children in their centres with STEM. Every education and care service in the Hunter that works with children from 3 to 6 years of age can join the program and can become an accredited "Little Scientists' House".
Generous support from RDA Hunter is allowing 2 centres to send an educator along to the workshop free of charge. For more information and to apply for these scholarships please contact scott.sleap@rdahunter.org.au
The first Water Workshop will be held on Monday 29th February at the University of Newcastle. Registrations are now open for this workshop.
For more information or to register please contact Sarah Pilgrim.
Contact
- Sarah Pilgrim
- Phone: (02) 4921 7187
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The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.