Tales from two Maker Spaces

I had the opportunity to visit gifted classrooms in the two middle schools that feed into our high school this week. Both of these schools have already embraced the use of Maker Spaces, so I wanted to learn from my colleagues as well as see what the kids coming through the program have had experience with.

The eighth graders at both schools are working on an escape room project--each of the classes are working together to design and build their room, and kids from the other school will try to escape. The different schools were in different phases of the project, so I was able to see both the planning and the building.

One of the things that stood out to me was that in the school that was building, the students were completely engaged and motivated. Even before the bell rang, they were getting out their work. They stayed on task the whole time. The teacher made suggestions occasionally, but students felt free to make their own choices. They had complete ownership of their projects and collaborated in a way that would make a professional proud.

When I was talking to the teacher at the other school, she gave me an interesting perspective. She said that she hesitates to call her classroom filled with shelves of materials a Maker Space. Calling it a Maker Space, she suggested, makes it seem special, out of the ordinary. For her, it's just what they do.

My biggest concern at this point, besides wondering if any students will sign up to take the class, is figuring out what materials to request. One big relief after talking to the middle school teachers is that they have not felt stress about materials. Much of what they use is donated by parents, and if they don't have something they want, they put it on a list to request for next year and have the students focus on what they do have. I guess it's just another element of letting go of the desire to control.