Hello again...

So it's been a while since I lasted posted. In the time that has passed, I've attended the Midwest Education Technology Community Conference, learned that at least 13 kids have signed up for the class next year (!), moved into a house (generating tons of cardboard for them to work with), and read two books for inspiration and encouragement: The Nerdy Teacher Presents: Your Starter Guide to Maker Spaces by Nicholas Provenzano and LAUNCH: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani.

Although I am grateful that I had the opportunity to attend METC, it really reiterated the need for more design-oriented classes at the secondary level. Perhaps I was bad at choosing sessions, but I struggled to find content that was geared toward high school kids.

Because I am struggling to find models for what I am trying to do at the secondary level, I really appreciated Nick Provenzano's background, especially because he, too, got his start as a Language Arts teacher. He writes, "Let's get rid of the idea that Making and Makerspaces are for STEM classesor programs only. That's not the case. We need to add the "A" (for arts) to STEM and create STEAM. There is so much the "A" can bring to Makerspaces it's crazy to suggest that the "A" does not belong." Although, my Maker Space is not for my English classes, I'm glad to see this Making focus originate from a non-science source.

Provenzano also believes what I had previously learned at the Maker Faire Education Forum in New York: That although people sometimes get fixated on the cool gadgets that often come in a well-funded Maker Space (3-D printers, robots, etc.), Making is a state of mind, not stuff. He says, "Making is a way of thinking. A spirit that is larger than any gadget that can be brought into a room. Handing students paper and crayons can lead to amazing creations in a Makerspace."

Of course, he talks about the cool gadgets, too, and makes some good recommendations. I was glad to see things that I already put on my wish list, like Little Bits, Makey Makeys, and Raspberry Pis, as well as some new things to look into.

For a teacher just starting out and dabbling with the idea of a Maker Space, I think Provenzano's book would be helpful and unintimidating.

I'll review LAUNCH in my next post!