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In a STEM-obsessed world, let’s remember to value real inventions over test scores

Ever since President Obama announced the “Educate to Innovate” campaign for Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Education in November 2009, U.S. educators have launched a number of initiatives to push down STEM education to an earlier and earlier age. Entirely new curricula have been formed, new school programs have been created, and even classic childhood favorites like Sesame Street have been re-thought for STEM careers. The core belief is that if you teach kids early, they will embrace STEM disciplines and maybe even turn into STEM super kids.

But will all this focus on creating STEM super kids actually pay off?

If by “pay off,” we mean creating the basis for an innovation economy, then it almost certainly will. Just about everyone agrees that pushing down STEM education to an earlier and earlier age works – and may be the only way for America to preserve its innovation lead in the global economy. This makes intuitive sense – kids who get a jump start on STEM education early in their educational lives will probably be more attuned to STEM careers later in their educational lives.

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SOURCE(S): Washington Post