Future Forward STEM

Hello, I’m Mike, a STEM teacher with over 30 years of experience in electronics, robotics, design, and engineering for students aged 8 to 18. I’m excited to bring specialized STEM courses directly to homeschooled students in Wanaka.I make it easy by teaching in the comfort of your home, creating a familiar environment and eliminating the need for drop-offs and pick-ups. Each session is designed for small groups of 2 to 4 students, allowing for a social and interactive experience that keeps learning fun and reduces costs for everyone. Please note: It is up to the lead parent to form these groups with friends or siblings to keep sessions tailored and friendly.Additionally, I offer optional online challenges so students can continue building and practicing their skills between sessions.I provide all necessary materials, so there’s no need for you to purchase anything extra. If your child wishes to have their own equipment, I’ll gladly assist with sourcing the right materials.To learn more about the projects and the importance of STEM education, please explore the links above.

Please click Enquiries for the booking form and general enquiries.

About STEM

What is STEM?

STEM as a subject introduces kids to a fascinating world of learning that goes beyond the usual way of teaching science, technology, engineering, and math separately. Instead of keeping these subjects in their own boxes, STEM combines them to show how they work together in real life. This makes learning more interesting and fun because students can see how what they're learning can be used to solve real-world problems. By exploring STEM, kids can discover new interests and talents, leading them to think about future careers they never dreamed of before. This exciting way of learning helps students imagine themselves as future scientists, engineers, inventors, or tech experts.

Why is STEM important?

The STEM learning experience is very important for all learners as it involves hands-on, minds-on activities that encourage deep thinking and creative problem solving. These activities also develop critical thinking and effective communication. These are the skills they will need to do well in future jobs and in more advanced studies. Sadly, not many homeschool programs provide these kinds of learning experiences because the STEM subjects are boxed up.

How is STEM taught?

The main teaching idea in STEM is the Design Process. This process helps students learn in an organized way by guiding them step-by-step, like a recipe, to solve problems and create new things. This is what the process looks like:

The Design Process

This is what it looks like in action:1. Ask: Students start by asking questions about the problem they need to solve. They find out what the problem is and what they need to know to solve it.2. Imagine: Next, they brainstorm different ideas and think of creative solutions. They let their imagination run wild and come up with many possible ways to solve the problem.3. Plan: After they have many ideas, they choose the best one and make a plan. This plan includes detailed steps and the materials they will need.4. Create: Then, they follow their plan to create or build their solution. They use the materials and steps they planned out earlier.5. Test and Improve: Finally, they test their solution to see if it works. If it doesn't work as expected, they think about what went wrong and how they can make it better. They might go back and change their plan and try again.This design process helps students learn how to solve problems in a systematic way. It teaches them to think critically, be creative, and not give up when things don't work out the first time. By following these steps, students can learn and improve their skills in a structured and effective way.

Are you struggling to teach STEM to your kids?

Don't get frustrated as a parent if you are finding it difficult to teach STEM to your homeschooled children. You are not alone! Here are some typical reasons that make this subject so difficult to teach at home:Resource Overload: With so many resources available, finding the right ones can be overwhelming. You might struggle to identify the most suitable materials for your child's learning needs.Lack of Proper Equipment: Without access to essential tools and equipment, hands-on learning is limited. For example, science experiments and engineering projects often require specific materials that may not be readily available at home.Difficulty in Customising Lessons: Extending or modifying STEM challenges can be tough without teaching experience. Adapting lessons to suit different learning paces and styles requires skill and knowledge in the subject.Maintaining Motivation and Engagement: Keeping your kids motivated and engaged in STEM subjects can be difficult if you lack confidence in your own skills. Engaging your children in complex topics like coding or physics requires enthusiasm and confidence.Hands-on Learning for Technical Subjects: Subjects like electronics and robotics require hands-on instruction, which is challenging to provide without practical experience. Building and programming a robot, for instance, involves skills that may be beyond your expertise.Balancing Teaching with Daily Tasks: Juggling teaching with other responsibilities can be overwhelming. This makes it hard to establish a consistent and effective learning schedule.Interactive and Deep Thinking: STEM education involves encouraging children to think critically and deeply. This interactive approach requires continuous prompting and guidance, which can be difficult without the presence of a knowledgeable teacher or coach.

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About me

Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to take a moment to introduce myself.I'm Mike, originally from the UK. For the past 33 years, I've had the incredible opportunity to live and work overseas, teaching at large international schools in various roles such as a teacher, coach, and administrator. My journey began in England, where I earned my degree and teaching qualifications. Over the years, I've also completed a MEd and earned teaching certificates from Lesley, Tufts, and Carnegie Mellon Universities in the US.My passion for education has always revolved around engineering, design, electronics, and robotics. I've had the joy of creating numerous STEM programs in schools and coaching many teachers to deliver fun and challenging STEM experiences to their students. Yet, my greatest joy comes from working directly with kids, helping them discover hidden talents and watching their excitement as they solve problems and bring ideas to life.With a lifelong career in education, I've come to believe that the skills, knowledge, and mindset nurtured by STEM are among the most valuable gifts we can offer the younger generation.Now that my family are happily settled in Wanaka I'm really looking forward to starting a new chapter in my career meeting and working with homeschooled children and introducing them to the wonders and joy of STEM.

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Micro electronics

Microelectronics is the exploration of a hidden world of tiny, powerful gadgets that make our favourite devices work! Learning about microelectronics is like solving a fascinating puzzle, where you discover how these small pieces connect to make big things happen.There are two great devices that let us explore this tiny world, so lets take a look:

Micro Bit - Beginner

The BBC micro bit is like a tiny microprocessor no bigger than a sticky note! It's designed to help you create cool projects, like making games, controlling robots, or even inventing your own gadgets. With its built-in buttons, lights and sensors, the micro bit makes learning to code super fun and exciting. The best way to get started on your journey is by creating fun projects

Coding Style: Visual Block Coding

Arduino - Advanced

The Arduino is like the big brother to the microbit. While it is a little bigger it doesn’t have all the sensors and cool lights built in. This means you have to pick and connect the parts yourself. Even though it’s not as easy, it lets you decide exactly what you want to use for your new project and that leaves you with almost limitless choices. Just like the Micro:Bit learning starts with fun projects to develop coding and electronics skills and understandings.

Coding Style: Visual Block Coding or C++

The examples below give you idea of the options kids can choose from. There are literally thousands of possible projects and so this is just a sample. All projects can be completed using either the Arduino or the MicroBit.

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Robotics

Dive into the world of robotics by building and programming your own Lego EV3 robot! You'll learn how to design robots for specific tasks, like navigating an obstacle course or sorting and moving items all on its own. This hands-on experience strengthens your problem-solving and coding skills, teaching you how to break down tasks and think logically. By the end, you’ll have a robot that you created, programmed, and put to the test, all while having fun and gaining valuable skills for the future!

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Engineering Challenges

Please Note - These activities are not available at the current time.

Various engineering challenges offer hands-on projects that introduce your child to engineering concepts in an engaging and authentic way. Through activities such as building simple machines, developing rescue equipment and designing vehicles for the moon, children will develop skills in the areas of problem solving, teamwork, creativity and effective communication. These projects help students understand how things work and encourage them to think like engineers, preparing them for future learning in science and technology.**These challenges are designed for small groups of 4 to 6 people.

Example ChallengesToxic Waste
This is a fun, interactive challenge that encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and communication. The team must work together to transfer "toxic waste" (usually represented by a small object, like a ball or a cup of water) from one container to another without touching it directly. The challenge is to do this as quickly and safely as possible using only the provided tools.This challenge helps highlight the importance of teamwork and creative thinking under pressure.Mine Rescue
A miner is trapped deep underground after a tunnel collapse. Due to their injuries, they are unable to move or use their arms. Your mission is to use your engineering creativity and problem-solving skills to design and build a rescue mechanism that can safely retrieve the miner without the need for use of their arms.Rescue Across the Ravine
A vital bridge has collapsed, leaving people stranded on the other side of a deep ravine. Your task is to engineer a device that can span the ravine and safely transport the stranded individuals across to safety. You will primarily use paper as the main material to build your device. Exploring the properties of paper such as its strength, flexibility and how it can be reinforced will be key to your success.

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