Outside the Box – Ashley Bleeker
At RSI, we proudly utilize STEM-based principles to strengthen student learning outcomes and bolster academic confidence. Through scientific exploration, our students develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students are regularly presented with tools to assess academically challenging problems, leading them to find creative solutions.
One of the hidden benefits of our approach to STEM education is the incredible amount of fun our students have while learning. By pairing high-quality science education with an engaging environment, our students develop a curiosity for learning. While academic knowledge in the short term is valuable, developing students into lifelong learners is one of our highest goals.
Another way that RSI strengthens students’ confidence through STEM-based learning is by supporting students’ independence in assessing a problem to find unique solutions. Throughout our quarterly assessments, students are presented with a problem and a specific goal to be achieved and are then tasked to solve it without specific instructions. While this may seem greatly challenging to students at first, after being trained by teachers, our students excel in finding creative solutions. As instructors, we find these opportunities valuable as they reveal how students are learning and applying their classroom knowledge.
At RSI, we believe this style of education prepares our students for real-life situations in which there may or may not be a clear solution. We aim to prepare students to think critically and independently. It strengthens their overall ability to overcome obstacles and to apply their classroom knowledge to practical examples.
