Giving 1 million children a wonder-filled experience of STEM. Founder & Head of Explosions, Curiosity Box | NED | Speaker | FRSA
🌟 I often have off the wall ideas, but turns out this one is bang on: primary school age is the perfect time to shape future scientists! 🚀 If we want to fix the skills and diversity gaps in STEM, we really need to be investing in practical, primary science. This has been blindingly obvious to me for years and it was one of my driving forces to start The Curiosity Box . So it is reassuring to see so much research emerging to support this concept, including this UK Parliament's Science and Technology Committee report (https://lnkd.in/ew_pxUqW), which shows the primary school years are a critical juncture for inspiring future generations towards STEM careers. 🔬 Why not focus on GCSE or A-Level students I hear you ask? Here's why: 1️⃣ Early Impressions Last a Lifetime: children form their attitudes towards science as early as age 7. By engaging them in hands-on, stimulating science activities during primary school, we can ignite a lifelong passion for discovery and inquiry - this ISN'T about STEM careers, it is about LIFE SKILLS. 2️⃣ Breaking Stereotypes: Primary school is where we can challenge traditional gender and cultural stereotypes surrounding STEM careers. This is why we're building our network of Curiosity Champions https://lnkd.in/eh87UQA8 80% are women 25% are Black or brown Many haven't followed a straight academic career 3️⃣ Curiosity Knows No Bounds: Kids are fuelled by an innate curiosity about the world around them. Harnessing this curiosity through exciting experiments, interactive demonstrations, and real-world applications of STEM enables upskilling and foundation building for a future of inquisitiveness. 4️⃣ Building Confidence: When you know the words, have had a go at the techniques and used the kit as a child, your confidence and self-belief blossoms. By providing children with positive STEM experiences, we can instil the belief that they are capable of understanding complex concepts and making meaningful contributions to the world through STEM. Together, we can inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators! 💡🔍 #STEMEducation #ScienceCareers #FutureInnovators #PrimarySchoolScience #STEMForKids #InspireCuriosity
Peter Mols
7mo
I believe in you Renee Watson.
Jo Montgomery
7mo
Love this Renée, also passionate about starting young to inspire scientists 🙌
Sabrina Seijo
7mo
Totally on the same page! at The LAB22 where we do focus on the primary 4 to 7 school years, it's been fascinating to see how quickly children decide that science is not for them or they're 'too dumb' for it. The earlier the better is fundamental to create positive connotations with STEM so that children feel productive and proud of their understanding and achievements. Combining kits from The Curiosity Box with our teaching methods has been amazing! Well done Renee Watson
As a participant in the phenomenon known as the "Scully Effect" where girls were inspired to go into science by Dana Scully from the X-Files, if you can't see it you can't be it. And you're being it! ✨
Lucy Sattler
7mo
Spot on Renee Watson primary school is a great time to talk about all kinds of jobs and work and the amazing things that grown-ups get to do 😀 It's far too late to wait until high school to start talking about the options, love what you're doing in this space
Rob Bennett
7mo
Also applies to core skills. Transferable competences. The earlier the better👍
Founder and Managing Director at House of Fun Ltd & Motion Tutoring
7moI could not agree more, Renee - when working as an SLE for primary maths for a number of years in state education, I was a strong advocate for introducing interventions to close the attainment gap as early as possible in the school, instead of leaving it to upper KS2 to boost end of primary assessment results. Surprise Surprise, if a misconception is left to become embedded in a pupil's thinking, it takes a lot longer to unpick later on!