My public school education experience began in 1976 and concluded in 1989. Between 1975 and the early spring of 1980 I attended school in a Maryland suburb of Washington, DC. The spring of 1980, my family moved to what was at that time a very rural Spotsylvania County, Virginia where I would complete my public education experience. My school experiences, including those involving STEM stand in stark contrast to the experiences I provide for my students.
My elementary teachers relied heavily upon textbooks and mimeographed worksheets for all instruction. Math was taught in a formulaic manner that did not foster an understanding of math concepts. Through drill and kill, students were required to memorize basic computational facts. Standard …show more content…
The reality was that much of the instruction revolved around textbooks and memorization. A few highly scripted hands on activities, mainly involving biology, continued to spark my interest in science. Math remained formulaic and focused on kill and drill. Following my struggles in fifth grade, I was able to make some significant gains throughout middle school math. Technology was booming, especially the computer industry. Exposure to personal computers in school was highly limited. The school had one computer room and the only time we used the computer was to play the game Oregon Trail. I did not touch a computer again until I was in college. The other opportunity for technology was in Shop. During this class, we used belt sanders and drill presses to assemble wooden toy kits. In spite of these experiences my fascination with flight and in particular space flight continued to grow because of two influences, the media and my father. My father was the paramount influence in my decision to pursue a STEM career. My father, a STEM degree dropout, worked in the defense industry and provided some insight into the types of careers available. In the eighth grade based upon my interest, he concluded that I should pursue a career as an aerospace
My elementary teachers relied heavily upon textbooks and mimeographed worksheets for all instruction. Math was taught in a formulaic manner that did not foster an understanding of math concepts. Through drill and kill, students were required to memorize basic computational facts. Standard …show more content…
The reality was that much of the instruction revolved around textbooks and memorization. A few highly scripted hands on activities, mainly involving biology, continued to spark my interest in science. Math remained formulaic and focused on kill and drill. Following my struggles in fifth grade, I was able to make some significant gains throughout middle school math. Technology was booming, especially the computer industry. Exposure to personal computers in school was highly limited. The school had one computer room and the only time we used the computer was to play the game Oregon Trail. I did not touch a computer again until I was in college. The other opportunity for technology was in Shop. During this class, we used belt sanders and drill presses to assemble wooden toy kits. In spite of these experiences my fascination with flight and in particular space flight continued to grow because of two influences, the media and my father. My father was the paramount influence in my decision to pursue a STEM career. My father, a STEM degree dropout, worked in the defense industry and provided some insight into the types of careers available. In the eighth grade based upon my interest, he concluded that I should pursue a career as an aerospace