Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected students everywhere. This can be seen especially in regard to middle school, where kids are first learning about math, science, and technology. This has many people worried about the future of STEM since the pandemic has exposed many of the barriers that are present in students' lives. Mrs. Sharita Ware, Indiana's 2022 Teacher of the Year, explores the different social and economic barriers among her middle school students and what her hope for them is in the future along with the negative consequences she has noticed following the pandemic. She explores the different challenges she has faced, due to this pandemic and how she is working to overcome them.
Barriers in STEM during the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected students everywhere. This can be seen especially in regard to middle school, where kids are first learning about math, science, and technology. This has many people worried about the future of STEM since the pandemic has exposed many of the barriers that are present in students' lives. Mrs. Sharita Ware, Indiana's 2022 Teacher of the Year, explores the different social and economic barriers among her middle school students and what her hope for them is in the future along with the negative consequences she has noticed following the pandemic. She explores the different challenges she has faced, due to this pandemic and how she is working to overcome them.