From “Stuck” to “Sparked” in STEM (For future scientists, engineers, coders, and inventors!)

Image courtesy of https://www.pexels.com/search/spark/

Have you ever felt stuck while doing something like homework, a project, or even practicing a sport? Where, you think, “Ugh, this is boring,” or “I’m just not good at this,” or “I don’t feel like doing it anymore”?

You may even hear someone say, “I’m stuck in a rut.” 

A rut is when something feels the same every day, but not in a good way. And your brain loses its enthusiasm, its catalyst - its spark.

So how do you switch from being stuck to sparked - especially when you’re learning STEM?

Here are five easy ways to bring back your STEM spark.

1) Stay curious (keep your “wonder” turned on)

Curiosity is like fuel for your brain.

When you are curious, you ask questions like:

• “Why does that happen?”

• “What if I try it another way?”

• “How does this work?”

Curiosity makes scientists and engineers so powerful. They don’t always start with the answer; sometimes they start with a question.

If you ever feel bored or stuck, try this: Ask yourself one “what if” question.

That single question can “spark” your brain back up.

2) Go to learn (not just to finish)

Sometimes we do schoolwork just to get it done. But STEM is more fun when you do it to discover something.

Try switching from “I just want to finish,” to “I wonder what I’ll learn?”

Even if you’ve done something before; like math problems or a coding lesson, there’s always something new to notice and learn.

In STEM, the best learners aren’t the ones who never struggle. They’re the ones who keep saying: “Let me understand this.”

3) Write it down (build your own “brilliant notes”)

Inventors and engineers write things down all the time because writing turns ideas into tools.

Try keeping a simple STEM notebook where you write the “what’s” down. What are the “what’s”?

• “What I tried…”

• “What worked…”

• “What didn’t work…”

• “What I’ll try next…”

These, in no particular order, of course! 

This writing can be a science-and-solving notebook! Like your personal guidebook.

Here’s the amazing part about that. When you write it down, you’ll see patterns, and your brain goes: “Oh, … I get it now.”

That’s when you lean into the spark!

4) Teach it to someone (even for one minute)

Want a superpower that makes you smarter?

Teach what you have just learned.

That’s right, teach! And you can teach a friend, a parent, a sibling, or they won’t sit still long enough, try your stuffed bear! (It works!)

When you teach, your brain needs to organize the idea, and you remember it better.

Also, teaching builds confidence because you realize:

“Wait … I know this.”

And when we learn to trust our own knowledge, we become unstoppable.

5) Make it fun (because your attitude is part of the experiment)

STEM isn’t always about being correct. It’s about trying, testing, and improving.

Sometimes your project won’t work the first time. That doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re doing STEM the real way.

When you get frustrated, take time to reset. Take one slow breath and say: “I’m learning, not failing.” Then, choose one small next step. Remember, fun doesn’t mean everything is easy. But it can still stay fun if you keep going even when it’s hard.

Here’s a reminder for future STEM stars: The next time you feel stuck, don’t stop. Instead, get curious, write what you notice, teach what you learn, try again, and remember this: your spark is still there. Sometimes all it needs is one brave question to shine again. 

A Final Question for You:

When you feel stuck or bored while learning something new, which of these five do you feel would help you most: curiosity, learning, writing, teaching, or fun?

Whichever it be, make sure it takes you from stuck to sparked!

About the Author

Marc has been a Newsletter Content Contributor with Pink Space Theory since March 2023. Based in Northern California, he enjoys using his creativity to craft engaging STEAM articles that educate and inspire the families we serve. With a passion for storytelling and a keen interest in STEAM education, Marc helps make complex concepts accessible and exciting for young learners.