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Photos by Jessica Friend
The Christ School Enhances its Curriculum with a STEAM Lab
The Christ School (TCS), an independent, Christ-centered, TK–8 school located in downtown Orlando, has enhanced its curriculum with the opening of a new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Lab.
Dr. Aaron Farrant, TCS Head of School, says, “At The Christ School, we believe in experiential learning. We don’t believe students have to be perfect the first time they try something new. In fact, research shows that students learn best when they are solving problems and working through initial failures and setbacks. Students also develop higher levels of persistence and grit in this type of learning environment. The STEAM Lab will be a premier educational space that will allow our students to experiment, build, design, and learn.”
Dr. Farrant continues, “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are critical fields of the future, and research shows that the earlier children are exposed to these fields the more likely they are to pursue them as careers. At TCS, we have chosen to add Art to this space. Art allows people to bring technology and designs to life in a way that makes them desirable to potential customers. It is the difference between something being functional and something being marketable. We designed this space to help our students develop a passion for these critical fields and prepare them to use that passion to impact the world.”
The Christ School has selected teacher Christina Liu, a seasoned STEAM instructor, to lead the new STEAM Lab. Ms. Liu is renowned for her enthusiasm for integrating all components of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), into exciting and relatable experiences for her students that inspires their curiosity about these important subjects. “I look forward to joining the team at The Christ School to help build the STEAM program,” says Ms. Liu. “My previous experience of starting and building Think Tank, (a STEAM-based critical thinking class), has been the ideal preparation for me to take on this new role at TCS. STEAM is so much more than just the subject areas of Science, Engineering, Technology, Arts, and Math. STEAM integrates these subject areas into and provides a framework for teaching the essential 21st century skills. Developing these skills will help prepare our students for jobs that don’t exist yet. I can’t wait to go ‘full STEAM ahead’ at The Christ School!”
The Christ School’s STEAM Lab concept began with an idea by the school’s leadership team to have a premier educational space that would foster students’ curiosity and bring real world concepts to life through hands on learning. The new Lab was brought to life through the support of The Christ School community. This amazing space would not be possible without the generosity of TCS families and the support of Florala, Signman Sez, KMF Architects and Aquagrove.
Dr. Farrant continues, “Thank you to our parents and community who supported this effort through their financial gifts, sharing their expertise, and donating their time and talent. I am so grateful for their support. Eric Kleinsteuber, TCS dad and architect, has been an invaluable resource in bringing the STEAM Lab to The Christ School. We are also fortunate to have many TCS parents in STEAM occupations who have offered insight into their fields of expertise so we can ensure the space incorporates real world applications. Our larger school community rallied around this idea and raised the funds to build this space. It has been amazing to see our families come together to bring this new STEAM Lab to our students in the fall.”
The Christ School looks forward to integrating the new STEAM Lab into their curriculum at the start of the 2018-2019 school year!
For further information on The Christ School and its new STEAM Lab, visit thechristschool.org or call 407-849-1665.
About The Christ School
The Christ School partners with families to provide an academically rigorous and Christ-centered K – 8 experience. TCS students and graduates confidently pursue excellence in scholarship, service and leadership. The Christ School, established in 1996, is an independent school, located in downtown Orlando on the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. The Christ School is accredited by the Christian Schools of Florida, Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS) and Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC), and is also a member of the Council on Educational Standards and Accountability (CESA).
