Over the last seven weeks, I have been working through a graduate class and putting together a proposal for a makerspace-type setting in our Churchill Library. It's been quite the interesting process and really nice to work through it and really see the actual impact and work it will take to make this happen.
It was very eye opening to see how much we really need to create this in an effective way. Creating a makerspace environment is more than just adding the materials and telling students to go at it; the more I researched and spoke to fellow teachers, the more I saw the need for direction and guidance so it's not just a free for all, but a real enriching learning environment through an after-school makers club and guided prompts and inspiration cards.
I am certainly excited to see this whole project come together. I think it has great potential for allowing us all, students and teachers, to get more creative in our thinking and technology use. This in and of itself, is probably the most positive aspect of this journey: the delight of learning!
All in all, though, creating this process and designing this makerspace concept has been a very interesting and engaging way to greater explore my role as a library-media specialist. It's given me a whole new way to meet library standards and district goals and is a fantastic way to keep our library moving forward.
It was very eye opening to see how much we really need to create this in an effective way. Creating a makerspace environment is more than just adding the materials and telling students to go at it; the more I researched and spoke to fellow teachers, the more I saw the need for direction and guidance so it's not just a free for all, but a real enriching learning environment through an after-school makers club and guided prompts and inspiration cards.
I am certainly excited to see this whole project come together. I think it has great potential for allowing us all, students and teachers, to get more creative in our thinking and technology use. This in and of itself, is probably the most positive aspect of this journey: the delight of learning!
All in all, though, creating this process and designing this makerspace concept has been a very interesting and engaging way to greater explore my role as a library-media specialist. It's given me a whole new way to meet library standards and district goals and is a fantastic way to keep our library moving forward.