The survey of science, technology, engineering and maths teachers found that 61% agree that the current curriculum is failing STEM careers, while only 1% disagreed. When asked about teaching methods, almost nine in ten (87%) said that STEM subjects should be taught with more practical examples to bring the subject to life. Greater scope for creativity was also something that 82% of those surveyed said is important. More traditional methods, such as multiplication tables, are still popular, and have the support of two-thirds of respondents.
Only 3% of the teachers said they felt as if they were ‘well-consulted’ by government on the current STEM curriculum. The respondents were also unanimous in their agreement that parents should do more to encourage their children into STEM careers – not one teacher disagreed with this. Just under two-thirds (63%) said that parents have a key role to play in the development of a child’s interest in STEM, with parents being seen as the biggest influence on a child’s future careers choices.
In terms of extracurricular activities, 79% of respondents believe that students who do STEM-related activities after school are more motivated by STEM subjects in the classroom. In a separate MathWorks survey, 60% of STEM professionals said their love of the subject came from outside school, with trips to places like the Science Museum with their families sparking their interest.
Over half (55%) of teachers also say that students begin taking an interest in career choices at the Key Stage 3 (age 11-14) level, or earlier. This is therefore the best time to encourage children into STEM subjects, the survey argues.
