Member Login Contact Us Search DO Online Members and students For the public Policy and regulation About us ABDO advice on Covid-19 Join ABDO Tips for talking to students about STEM Home > Stem Ambassadors > Tips for talking to students about STEM For the public eyecareFAQ Careers in eyecare What is a dispensing optician? Working with Careers in Eyecare Stem Ambassadors Becoming a STEM Ambassador STEM Lesson Plan What’s it like to be a STEM Ambassador? Tips for talking to students about STEM Work experience More than just a DO Find an optician Media centre Eye info for kids Leaflets about eyecare Related pages What’s it like to be a STEM Ambassador? How to find work experience Employers’ guide to work experience Work experience STEM Lesson Plan Becoming a STEM Ambassador Stem Ambassadors Lucy Knock BA MA PGCE is the Early Careers Manager, Clinical Services for Specsavers. Part of her role involves inspiring the next generation of eyecare professionals, talking to students at schools and colleges, and in this article she shares her tips. Firstly, if you are talking to young people about careers in eyecare, show, and really demonstrate, how STEM impacts our everyday lives. You could show how an OCT scan picks up subtle changes in layers of the retina allowing optometrists to diagnose life changing conditions years earlier. Try to make anything you show relevant to the students you are talking to. Next, link your company activities to their curriculum. Always show how you might use the skills or knowledge they gain at school in your field. If you can, use real challenges as examples with students. Actual problems that you come across in your role will provide students with much appreciated authenticity and by showing the students respect in this way, you will often find engagement levels improve. You may even you elicit some creative, unexpected, and useful responses! Vary your style, methods, even tone of voice so that you keep your audience’s attention. Relying on one type of communication in your workshop or talk will result in reduced engagement. You could use infographics, short films, practical demonstrations, slides, group work, different voices by bringing in colleagues, experts in a particular field etc. Get the young people moving, encourage hands on interaction, use technology, involve them, try things out, quizzes, games, voting, testing equipment as research shows that young people often learn more if they can get up and move at points in their lessons. And finally, promote a culture of decision making, problem solving and risk taking – encouraging the message that it is okay to make mistakes as that’s often where the learning is! Would you like to talk to schoolchildren and students about careers in eyecare? Find out how to become a STEM ambassador here. Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email About ABDO About Dispensing Optics Student & Members Privacy Policy Contact us Website design by IE Digital © ABDO 2019 We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Cookie Settings Accept All