PHOTO/HOLLY HUTCHINGS
Teachers from around the state participated in workshops during the conference.
“We have to remember that arts education cannot be addressed through STEAM.”
maybe those kids that are “So, we see creativity to being really into nature will go, ‘Oh! essential to everything we do Reading’s got patterns like across the board. Tesla’s a very nature!’” flat organization so you’re That’s what it’s about constantly working with differfor Craig Rosen, community ent subject matter experts and engagement and professional different teams, and the arts can Pilar Biller, development administrator of also teach you to deal with that Teacher the Desert Research Institute’s ambiguity and get used to it and Science Alive outreach get excited about it.” program, which works with Putting the arts into the teachers in the state year-round. He started STEM mix is said to foster innovation and this conference six years ago with teacher problem solving, but there are those that trainings and has watched it grow into the hope STEAM is not replacing traditional arts contemporary event. education. Pilar Biller, visual arts teacher at “It’s those catches, those ways to get Damonte Ranch High School and the 2018 teachers excited about presenting the Nevada Teacher of the Year attended the science through creative means,” Rosen conference to keep her finger on the pulse said. “It also allows students who experiof what’s happening in the field she loves. ence this the opportunity to really get their She wants people to understand that arts hands on it in ways they might not normally and STEAM are not the same and should be do through a book or a story or a lesson utilized in different ways. She worries that or lecture. To really get their hands on the by bringing some of the art components into science, and that’s where the creative piece STEAM, we’re not covering what arts educacomes in. Art is definitely an entry way into tion is all about. science. It’s a great tool to be able to bring “I value both of them,” Biller said. “It’s the science to life.” a concern that we are already struggling to Those thinking-outside-the-box kids are maintain value for people and to say, ‘We’ll who businesses in our state want in a future add art to STEM, and it’ll be a thing.’ No, workforce. Chris Reilly—head of workit’s not that thing. It is important, but we force development and education for lead have to remember that arts education cannot conference sponsor Tesla—said that when be addressed through STEAM. It can’t. designing a factory line from idea to reality, The arts can enhance STEM, but it’s not a they’re vital. replacement.” “You need to be able to think about The conversation will continue when those skill sets differently and I think the the Nevada STEAM Conference hosts a arts really bring that balance right into play symposium for educators later this month with engineering together,” Reilly said. in Southern Nevada. Ω
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