Pacific Academy of Math (PAM) /STEM
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The PAM/STEM Academy serves Migrant education students from the San Joaquin County Office of Education Migrant Education Region 23 area (Stockton and Lodi Unified School Districts). Students are referred to the program based on specific academic criteria from the SJCOE Migrant Education. The academy serves rising 7- rising 12 grades and provides in-depth, intensive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) academy. The Academy stresses the development of abstract reasoning and problem solving skills, as well as the application of this knowledge, through coursework, team projects, class presentations, and examinations. The academy builds a community around the awareness of STEM in our daily lives and the importance of STEM careers through the incorporation of a parent outreach component; a two night financial literacy workshop presented by Wells Fargo, local guest speakers, & field trips The academy serves rising 7th - 9th graders and is a two week residential program. Students stay on the University of the Pacific Campus in residence halls. The academy provides an in-depth, intensive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) academy. The program builds a community around the awareness of STEM in our daily lives and the importance of STEM careers through the incorporation of, local guest speakers, & field trips.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Academy classes are taught by local credentialed teachers. Teaching assistants are former PAM STEM students who have completed the academy and students from California Mini Corps. The program curriculum extends over a five-week period during the summer on the University of the Pacific Campus. Several instructional strategies are incorporated including problem solving, abstract reasoning, project based learning, career opportunity awareness, research and study, teamwork, oral and written communication , team projects, class presentations, and examinations. The academy incorporates a combination of two curricula: 1) GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science) is a leading resource for innovative science and mathematics education developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley. The PAM academy offers three levels of instruction that focuses on the concepts and principles of whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, number theory, inequalities, geometry, and many others.
PROGRAM GOALS
The goal of PAMSTEM is to increase the number of underrepresented students that are prepared to succeed in Algebra I, thereby increasing the number of students taking upper level mathematics courses in high school and in subsequent years in a college or university.
PROGRAM PARTNERS
The Academy is administered in a collaborative partnership between Pacific's Benerd College, the San Joaquin County Office of Education Migrant Education Region 23, & CA Mini-Corps.
