Maker Philosophy
Now more than ever time for making is needed. Children are told what to do and how to do it starting in TK, and in my experience, by the time they get to me in 4th grade, their creative nature hasn't allowed to develop or be nurtured. Of course accountability is important, but so is curiosity, creativity, and imagination. The ability to problem solve and take risks are lifelong skills that need to be developed while students are young. Having a makerspace in your classroom, school, or community encourages students to be problem solvers, risk takers, creative, imaginative, and curious citizens who will be able to contribute to our global community in unimaginable ways.
I believe it is not only important for children to imagine, plan, create, fail, try again, fail, and sometimes succeed, but they also need to be able to talk about their experiences. Weekly, students in my class talk about their projects, their failures, and their successes. They are able to articulate their thinking. And, they are able to question one another about their projects. Being able to talk in front of an audience, share tips and tricks, and to question one another is a lifelong skill that needs to be developed and fostered in a safe, non-threatening space.
I also believe in student agency. Students need opportunities to decide what they want to create, to build, and what to tinker with. They need to be given opportunities to work alone and with others. They needed to be exposed to a variety of activities and tools. They need to be given time to work on things that matter to them. Makerspace affords students the ability to try new tools, develop or enhance skills, feed passions, become mentors, solve problems, and maybe even invent the next "big thing"!
I believe it is not only important for children to imagine, plan, create, fail, try again, fail, and sometimes succeed, but they also need to be able to talk about their experiences. Weekly, students in my class talk about their projects, their failures, and their successes. They are able to articulate their thinking. And, they are able to question one another about their projects. Being able to talk in front of an audience, share tips and tricks, and to question one another is a lifelong skill that needs to be developed and fostered in a safe, non-threatening space.
I also believe in student agency. Students need opportunities to decide what they want to create, to build, and what to tinker with. They need to be given opportunities to work alone and with others. They needed to be exposed to a variety of activities and tools. They need to be given time to work on things that matter to them. Makerspace affords students the ability to try new tools, develop or enhance skills, feed passions, become mentors, solve problems, and maybe even invent the next "big thing"!
