STEM, STEAM, and Morticia Addams

You may have heard about the STEM program in public schools.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Math – the subjects highlighted in our country’s effort to revamp our education system.

The STEAM movement thinks the designers of STEM have overlooked something, ah… kind of important. Art.

 STEM + Art = STEAM

The STEM to STEAM movement deserves the support of anyone who cares about the arts, education, or the next generation.

From the website www.stemtosteam.org
STEAM is a movement championed by Rhode Island School of Design

The  objectives of the  STEAM movement  are to:

Transform research policy to place Art + Design at the center of STEM

Encourage integration of Art + Design in K-20 education

Influence employers to hire artists and designers to drive innovation

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The inclusion of art in education seems like a no-brainer to us right-brainers.

You must be kidding. We have to defend the importance of art after how many millennia? We have to conduct research and diagram statistics and argue in business-psych terms to convince educators that art is relevant?

Are we this dumb, still and yet again?

So here’s your visual metaphor, darlings:  Morticia Addams (of the original Addams Family TV show) cuts the lovely blossoms off the roses. Here you are, little children, a STEM for you, and a STEM for you. A whole vase stuffed with STEMs.

Snip. Plop.

Snip plop. Sweep away those art-droppings, would you?