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Making Is A Process

No 2 makerspaces should hold upward precisely alike, because no 2 schoolhouse communities are precisely alike. Properly planning your makerspace volition ensure that you lot uncover themes that are unique as well as meaningful to your school.  It volition ensure that your infinite is vibrant as well as relevant, equally good equally 1 that is sustainable into the future. “ – Laura Fleming, writer of Worlds of Making

When nosotros created our makerspace at New Milford High School many years agone nosotros never fully realized the positive comport on it would possess got on our learners. In a fourth dimension where woods shop, metallic shop, as well as agriculture were cutting for the mere argue that the content was deemed non-essential or could non hold upward tested something had to change. This was the reality for many schools inwards the Northeast. In our detail instance non having trade-based courses was devastating equally 1 3rd of our population was classified exceptional needs. For all intensive purposes most of these students could tending less almost the curriculum, Common Core Standards, or standardized tests (i.e. PARCC).  The creation as well as evolution of our makerspace solved this problem.

The premise was simple; permit students to utilize guided interrogation inwards an informal learning environs that was facilitated past times the work of real-world tools to do real-world work. Students were non merely able to actively explore their passions, but also larn from failure equally good equally lawsuit as well as error.  Our students thrived inwards an environs where the discussion “fail” actually stood for start endeavour inwards learning. There was no clearer evidence of this equally when students were using onetime reckoner parts to blueprint as well as create an alone novel operating arrangement from scratch.

The makerspace was less almost the latest technological gadget as well as to a greater extent than almost the procedure of tinkering, inventing, creating, as well as making to learn. This is likely the unmarried most of import lesson I learned from Laura Fleming, the instructor librarian extraordinaire who was the master copy architect of our makerspace.  I state master copy architect equally subsequently the infinite was initially established she empowered the students to nautical chart its course of pedagogy going forward. Success rested inwards her mightiness to focus on her role equally a facilitator or autobus equally opposed to somebody who knew who to work all the stuff.  She was the quintessential guide to possibilities who unlocked the learning potential of our students.  

In a fourth dimension when nosotros tend to focus on the adjacent big affair inwards technology nosotros learned that planning was substitution as well as that a focus on learning as well as pedagogy would aid us to attain ameliorate learning outcomes for our students. This was truthful for many of our alter efforts including BYOD, blended learning, as well as virtual learning. The makerspace was no different. We meticulously planned alongside our students a vision for how the infinite would foster powerful learning experiences grounded inwards rigor, relevance, as well as relationships. Maker activities naturally align themselves to Quad D operate equally outlined past times the Rigor Relevance Framework. It is through these hands-on activities that students employ a make of higher-order thinking skills to solve real-world, unpredictable problems that possess got to a greater extent than than 1 solution. Through this engaging procedure students also readily brand connections to a make of other disciplines. 

Planning is key. Many people possess got the approach of ordering equipment as well as materials earlier taking fourth dimension to excogitation out the infinite (same tin hold upward said alongside 1:1 initiatives). This should hold upward the final step. Talk to your students, lookout them, as well as empathise their needs, wants, as well as interests first. Assess existing curricula, programs, as well as offerings inside your schoolhouse community Consider global trends as well as best practices, which volition as well as thence aid you lot to railroad train themes.  After considering these of import steps a systematic approach to ordering technology as well as other items volition aid to create a makerspace that best meets the needs of your learners.




Process is everything. I seek to emulate this when I demeanor hands-on makersapce workshops.  The substitution takeaway that I wishing educators to move out alongside is a focus on open-ended exploration.  There is no ameliorate prompt than brand something that does something. It is simple, even thence so powerful inwards that educators (or inwards your instance students) possess got to operate collaboratively to come upward up alongside a creative solution to solve a problem. Take a hold off at this video from a workshop I late conducted (also below). In improver to gear upward materials that I provided, I encouraged attendees to utilize anything else they could find. The results were nix less than spectacular.


The most of import human face of a makerspaces is that it tin spark your student’s natural wishing to learn.  I recollect nosotros tin all concord this should hold upward the intended termination when leading the maker movement. With a careful attending to planning as well as blueprint thinking your makerspace tin transform the learning civilization of your schoolhouse similar ours did.

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