Amanda Cox is a PLTW Launch Lead Teacher at Burnside Elementary School in Burnside, Kentucky.
I will never forget the first time I realized what an impact PLTW was having on our students.
In my first year teaching the Pushes and Pulls module to kindergarteners, I overheard a student excitedly say to another student, "Let's build several designs, and then evaluate each one to see which ones are successful."
I was blown away! These were 5- and 6-year-olds communicating with each other as engineers. That moment reinforced my excitement for what the PLTW program had to offer for our students.
I have also seen a shift in the mindset of our students.
Through PLTW, our students are learning perseverance, how important it is to learn from their mistakes, and that if they work hard, they can accomplish their goals. It is amazing to witness the pride students have when they remain persistent and finally solve a tough problem. Our students are starting to see just what they are capable of if they believe in themselves. Furthermore, many of our students who used to deem careers in engineering and computer science as unattainable are now talking about their own future careers in these areas. Their participation in PLTW has changed their mindset and how they see future career possibilities.
With another year of teaching PLTW Launch to kindergarten through fifth grade students underway, I am still amazed at the growth I see in our students each and every day.
PLTW’s blog is intended to serve as a forum for ideas and perspectives from across our network. The opinions expressed are those of each guest author.