Prepared: 50-75% of teachers participate every-other year in at least one applied learning experience to increase their STEM content or career knowledge
8.3 - Applied Learning for STEM Teachers
Our STEM Pipeline has a great program that is presented to teachers for a week each summer. During the week, teachers visit STEM companies in our community. Most of the companies give teachers a tour of their facilities, talk with teachers about STEM connections in their industry, and give teachers an opportunity to participate in STEM fields. Teachers often speak with the STEM professionals about PBL ideas, as well as activities they can bring into their classroom. Teachers are able to network with STEM professionals and even find guest speakers to come visit their classrooms throughout the year. STEMersion has brought many partnerships to our program and inspires teachers to find connections in the community around us.
Another opportunity for STEM teachers to work directly with professionals is our NASA camp teacher training. In order to prepare for NASA Camp, our teachers work directly either in person or online collaboration sessions. NASA professionals have helped our teachers bring authentic experiences into the classroom to our students.
The companies listed to the left are all partners that have worked with our teachers for STEMersion. Most of them have not only hosted our teachers for a day, but also provided lunch for teachers and some materials to take back to the classroom and integrate into PBLs.
We are already planning next summer's STEMersion with companies such as Siemens, and Alevo.
 Teachers tour the Solar Farm before visiting Belew's Creek Steam Station |  STEM Teachers investigate motorsports engineering at Hendrick Motorsports in Concord |  STEM teachers tour the Rocky River Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant |
|---|---|---|
 S&D Coffee provides a look into manufacturing as well as coffee for the road. |  North Carolina DOT welcomes teachers to learn about traffic engineering and give teachers an inside look at the technology at work in the control center for Charlotte. |  Incubator Farm: Just another stop on our way to real world STEM connections in our classrooms |
 Hard hats required at this STEM business |  DOT shares a behind the scene look at Charlotte highways with STEM teachers |
STEMersion was featured in a local newspaper article. Click on the picture for a link to the official article.
Pictures below showcase some of the STEM partners our teachers have visited during STEMersion experiences.
Of our 40 classroom teachers, 22 have participated in Applied Learning experiences. Our instructional coaches, AIG teacher, and representation from the EC department have also attended these events.
