Purpose: STEAM is one of the fastest growing sectors of the Massachusetts (MA) economy, but BIPOC individuals and women are underrepresented. Early exposure and experience to STEAM topics through participation in STEAM afterschool programs is an excellent way to promote an increased interest, persistence, and identity in STEAM. According to The Commonwealth Corporation’s 2021 STEM Brief, STEAM occupations include computer and math, architecture and engineering, healthcare, and life and physical science occupations. STEAM workers make up 21% of the labor force in MA, higher than the U.S. average of 14%. A 2021 Pew Research Center report states that Hispanic and Black workers make up 17% and 11% of employees across all occupations, but just 8% and 9% of all STEAM workers, respectively. Women make up a majority of workers in health-related jobs, but remain underrepresented in other STEM jobs, such as the physical sciences (40%), computing (25%) and engineering (15%). Research shows that a more diverse team drives innovation, workplace culture, and productivity, and companies with more racial and gender diversity outperform those with less (Dixon- Fyle, et al., 2020). Research also shows that by increasing proficiency in STEAM, positive STEAM identity can be increased as well. By providing experiences where students experience success in STEAM, instructors can positively impact students’ feeling of belonging and STEAM identity (Martin-Hansen,
2018). A 2016 report by Partnerships in Education and Resilience (PEAR) found that 78% of afterschool STEM participants improved their attitude about STEM, 73% improved their STEM identity, and 80% increased their STEM knowledge.
Kids in Tech Afterschool Program Instructors, serving in program site teams, will provide those opportunities for increased STEAM proficiency in our community through one-on-one and group STEAM classroom support during school and afterschool in Afterschool Tech Clubs (ASTC) to 9-14-year-old (grades 4-8) students in 9 elementary and middle schools and community centers in Lowell and Boston,
MA.
Responsibilities:
Essential Functions
- Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will build rapport with students and serve as a positive near peer mentor and role model to demonstrate ways that STEAM is an integral part of our lives and futures.
- Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will maintain a positive, encouraging, and orderly classroom environment.
- Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will build rapport with partner site staff to ensure that the KiT STEAM curriculum is meeting the students’ needs.
- Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will implement 2 cohorts of ASTC for up to 15 9-14 year old students, 2 times per week, for 60 minutes each lesson, for approximately 30 weeks.
- Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will prepare lessons and projects using the KiT curriculum, prepare necessary materials for hands-on learning, lead the ASTC by implementing the curriculum, research and coordinate 1 field trip, 1 job shadow day, and 1-2 guest speakers per site.
- Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will drive strong family engagement, reaching out to at least 10 families of children engaged in ASTC monthly, and in-school support to provide a whole-child approach to improve STEAM engagement.
Marginal Functions
- Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will engage in monthly text and newsletter family outreach to provide updates and information about students’ STEM activities and to offer support and seek engagement using the C.A.R.E. (Connect. Act. Reflect. Empower.) framework.
- Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will collect and enter student attendance and outcome data using KiT data tools.
