At the Table participants

On Wednesday, April 22^nd, Former NASA astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison addressed a crowd of nearly 800 people at the most recent Minnesota Meeting.  Dr. Jemison said Minnesota needs to develop a “science literate society” to ensure its economic competitiveness in the future.  She said all students have “a world filled with ideas and possibilities before them” if they receive a balanced education that includes rigor in science and math through problem solving and real-world applications.

Jemison said that literacy in science will be critical for the jobs of the future.  But, according to the Minnesota Private Colleges Research Foundation, only 40% of high school students in Minnesota are meeting the ACT college readiness benchmark score in science. That percentage drops significantly for African American students – only 9% meet the benchmarks in science, and only 16% meet college requirements for math. Latinos, American Indians, and Asian Americans also experience participation and achievement gaps.

Moderator Eric Jolly, president of the Minnesota Science Museum, agreed, noting that “three of four new jobs that will be created in the next decade that pay more than minimum wage will require basic fluency in science, engineering and mathematics. Our students need to be prepared for that.”

According to Jemison, the accelerated pace of technology development has made science as critical as other school subjects, such as reading. Science and math skills aren’t about memorization, she said, but rather “problem-solving and critical thinking skills are the most important aspects of science literacy – being able to work our way through the day.”  Jemison who balanced a love for the arts and dancing with her technical career said that it the same creativity is used to build the space shuttle as the creativity to make a sculpture or choreograph a dance performance.

Jemison added, “It’s never too early…kids have a natural curiosity, a natural inclination towards learning” that we need to build upon.” She feels that laptops and computer training are significantly less effective than hands on experimentation from kindergarten on.

Building on the messages of teacher quality from the last Minnesota Meeting, Jemison cited teacher quality and training as essential ingredients for effective STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math] instruction. “To get rigor in the classroom from 8^th grade on up you need teachers who majored in the subject. For grade school teachers to be comfortable teaching math and science, they need to have taken some science after high school.” In addition, she said, teaching methodology needs to address a diversity of learning styles.

Panel of speakers

Jemison said effective teaching in the STEM subjects engages students’ “intellect, emotions, interests, and skills.” Students need hands on experiences with these subjects that engage the senses, she said.

It’s not just future engineers who need science and math, Jemison pointed out, but algebra and chemistry are used daily by carpenters, electricians, and beauticians.

She encouraged investment in school labs to help kids make these connections through experimentation. Jolly agreed that it is critical to make science “understandable, accessible, and meaningful” by providing students an understanding of its real world applications. He said, “It’s about challenging students to succeed.”

Dr. Mae jemison

When asked about students who may be afraid of pursuing science and math education because of its difficulty, Jolly pointed out, “When you understand that the use of science and mathematics gives you the ability to help change the world, you’re not afraid of the rigor.”

If you missed Minnesota Meeting, click here for a webcast.

At the same moment, two trains leave Chicago and New York. They move towards each other with constant speeds. The train from Chicago is moving at speed of 40 miles per hour, and the train from New York is moving at speed of 60 miles per hour. The distance between Chicago and New York is 1000 miles. How long after their departure will they meet?

For some of us (well, at least me) this question sends us right back to middle school math class and we shudder at the memories. For others, these word problems are a fun challenge. At the next Minnesota Meeting we will talk about how to get kids excited and stay interested in math and sciences.  In particular, Are there barriers to girls and boys of all races and all socio-economic levels participating in and excelling in these topics?

Our keynote speaker, Dr. Mae Jemison, has had fascinating experiences in math and science. She is the first African American female to travel in space. Her academic career included attending Stanford at the age of 16. Trained as a doctor, she worked in private practice and for the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Dr. Jemison is also an accomplished dancer and has the honor of being the first real astronaut to appear on Star Trek.

Dr. Mae Jemison

Among these many talents, Dr. Jemison is an outstanding speaker and will address the issue of preparing students for the changing demands of the workplace. An academic foundation in math and science is increasingly important, as economic forecasts project 20-33% increase in scientific and technical occupations in Minnesota in ten years. In addition, Dr. Eric Jolly, president of the Science Museum of Minnesota will lead an interactive discussion with local students about their classroom experiences with math and science.

We hope you’ll join us. Click here for more information on Minnesota Meeting and registration.

I do, in fact, know the answer to the problem above.  Post your answer and we’ll see if you are right!