Introduction:
Thank you to Vicky Loras for reminding us all with her blog post that it is time to work on the #Support_a_Movement Goal as part of the #30GoalsEdu by our awesome leader @@ShellTerrell https://vickyloras.wordpress.com/2015/05/25/goal-1-2015-support-a-movement-30goalsedu/ --This is my "Support a Movement" Post and I hope I earn my badge! http://www.badgelist.com/30goals As always, thank you Shelly!!! School Library Maker Movement + #Choose2Matter Movement =?
I have been working on imagining and creating a future makerspace in the school library in collaboration with my friend and co-worker, Elizabeth Rich, our gifted teacher. Like many educators we believe kids need to tinker and explore, conceptualize and create. We know there are many ways this can be done and there is no right or wrong way to do this. Our vision began by supporting the maker movement in school libraries. Here are some pictures from our progress but we are not yet finished, also we changed the yellow color to orange in the middle of the project because we thought it looked a lot better:
Below, is a great video of an active school library makerspace by Fairfax County Schools! You can click this link or click the image. You will be taken off this web page to view it. http://www.ebmcdn.net/fcps/fcps_video_viewer.php?viewnode=5ab88c9128958
In creating a makerspace in the library, I am supporting the School Library Makerspace Movement, which is part of the larger maker movement which moves us from consumption to creation. Check out this awesome SLJ article about schools with makerspaces!! movement. http://www.slj.com/2015/05/programs/where-the-magic-happens-the-maker-issue/#_
But wait.....For the past few years, I keep talking about the #Choose2Matter Movement by Angela Maiers- @AngelaMaiers ! I believe that people should use their special gifts to make a difference in the world, that is they should #Choose2Matter! I believe in this movement so much that I have no fewer than a dozen pieces of clothing embroidered with either #Choose2Matter or #Youmatter. Anyhow, we are talking about the makerspace right? Well first, please become familiar with the movement by looking at the #Choose2Matter website and/or video below-
I uploaded the #Choose2Matter video to SchoolTube from YouTube since YouTube is blocked for students at my school but I can take it down if it's not ok to do that. :)
So we have now reached a drum roll moment, so can I please have a drum roll?
Because I love community service, and because I value global collaboration projects, and because I am always talking about #Choose2Matter, my friend and partner in crime Elizabeth Rich came to one day and she said "Instead of Makerspace, why don't call it "Maker Difference Space?" OF COURSE!!! This was so obvious (now that she mentioned it). We collaborated with an artist parent to create a personalized wall banner, which went through months of iterations.
So now, our Maker Space has a framework--Our students will create projects that make a difference in the world. The project choices, or rather the "causes" will be largely determined with student input. But, creating projects that impact others in the world is not a new idea. Lots of schools already do things like this. Shannon Miller's Banding Together Project comes to mind which sent student made bracelets to India.There are countless examples of schools doing local and global community service work.
Even though our space was not complete, the students really wanted to do a Maker Difference Project. They came up with the idea of making abacuses for our friend Govinda's brand new school in Nepal. This is a school that many of us have been contributing to over the years, it is the Tripur Kinder Academy, a school for 2 1/2-5 year olds. Our kiddos worked in pairs after having lots of guided practice to show they understood how to thread the beads correctly.
The teamwork, even with kindergarten students was amazing! The kids were SO HAPPY to be CREATING in the LIBRARY!
We were lucky that we had a student heading there with his family as our ambassador but the project was selected before anyone knew he was going. As a matter of fact none of us knew the student had Nepalese roots!
I would have to say that this first Maker Difference project gave me confirmation, that combining the Maker Movement with the Choose2Matter movement was the right decision for our school! Our artist even integrated Choose2Matter into our banner but I do wish it was slightly more prominent, but shhhh don't let my artist hear that! LOL
Footnotes:
-This space will not be exclusively defined as a community service project space but that will be a unique feature, The Maker Difference Space will contain traditional raw materials and upcycled donations.However students will also have access to all of the technology related items that are often found and encouraged in maker spaces such as 3D modeling, circuit building, coding for robotics, game design, app development etc. In addition, young children will be encouraged to have open play time to work with age appropriate materials to encourage creativity. I have felt guided and encouraged by the work of many awesome teacher librarians implementing makerspaces including: Laura Fleming, author of Worlds of Making: Best Practices for Establishing a Makerspace for your Schools Diana Rendina who inspires me every day- http://renovatedlearning.com Andy Plemmons who tests out the new technology and lets us know how it is! http://expectmiraculous.com/ THANK YOU. #YouMatter!
5 Comments
6/8/2015 02:41:00 am
What incredible movements, visuals, examples and collaboration! Thank you for sharing and of course you get your badge.
Reply
6/8/2015 04:23:09 am
Sue, this is beyond fantastic! I hope to join the ranks of Makers this next school year and will now you to my list of inspiring Maker Space TLs! :)
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Judy
8/22/2015 03:37:51 am
Awesome!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
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8/25/2015 10:59:12 am
I don't know how I missed this post, because this is awesome. Your space looks amazing, and I love how you've made community service a core theme of your space. And that wall banner is absolutely gorgeous.
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AuthorSUE LEVINE- Archives
June 2017
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