Teachers and other educators which represented more than 200 national and regional organizations met in Chicago this month to brainstorm issues and possible solutions when it comes to STEM education in American classrooms. While the Obama administration has set a goal of 100,000 STEM teacher recruits by 2021, the meeting sought to understand how larger goals interact with issues that teachers face every day in the classroom. A wide variety of issues were discussed varying from how to get students to learns and develop STEM skills to the structure of support and restrictions which many science and math teachers run into while trying to provide engaging education. Social issues for students were also discussed as a potential aspect of their abilities to learn in this situation.

The United States government feels that STEM education is of paramount importance for the future of the country and its economy, and that we are currently lagging behind. It may take some time for the country to get back on track when it comes to furthering STEM education in our public schools. Unfortunately, this means that many parents must look outside their children’s schools for additional training and exposure to science and math. This can be very stressful, but there are more and more great programs popping up around the country which are designed to cater to these needs.

CodeRev Kids is an amazing Santa Monica, CA organization with a remarkable track record when it comes to teaching children to love science, math and computers. They offer a variety of programs in summer and spring camps as well as afterschool programs. If you don’t live in the area, it can make a great family vacation if your children are interested in computers or other STEM topics. It can really open up their world and build on what they learn in school.