All adults in a young person’s life can play a key role in supporting--or inhibiting--their exploration of STEM pathways, beginning before elementary school and all the way through post-secondary. In this workshop, you’ll surface your biases by reflecting on your own school-to-work pathway and exploring data that can interrupt bias about available pathways, cost of postsecondary options, and student aspirations. You’ll also come away with a deeper understanding of the wide range of pathways available to students, and be better equipped to support students’ exploration. This workshop is designed for classroom teachers, school/district administrators, TOSA’s and STEM coaches, and informal educators.

Clock Hours: 1.5 non-STEM clock hours

This workshop is a joint endeavor of Washington State LASER and Washington STEM. Washington State LASER is a statewide network providing equity-focused leadership and assistance for science/STEM education systems, from the classroom to the state level. LASER's vision is that all K-12 students deepen their understanding of scientific ideas over time, engaging in practices that scientists and engineers actually use, so that students are informed and thriving global citizens and succeed in STEM careers if they choose those pathways. Washington STEM is a statewide, education nonprofit leveraging STEM for social change, removing barriers to credential attainment, and creating pathways to long-term economic security for systemically underserved students.