Remember desks with attached chairs in straight rows, purple ditto copies, and the shoebox dioramas spun from copied cutouts colored with marker and stand-up animals? Those dated elements from previous teaching generations are outdated and obsolete. Today’s classrooms incorporate authentic learning experiences embedded with essential 21st century skills including collaboration, creativity, and communication through Makerspaces.
I want a fabulous Makerspace that entices my 2nd graders to come in and create, a place where science and art generate a fabulous tension that pulls out the best in kid ingenuity, full of materials and literature that capture all my makers.
In Making is Connecting: The social power of creativity, David Gauntlett shares “This shift from a ‘sit-back-and-be-told culture’ to a ‘making-and-doing culture’ means that a vast array of people are exchanging their own ideas, videos, and other creative material online, as well as engaging in real-world crafts, music projects, and hands-on experiences.”
As a 2nd grade teacher, my mission is finding authentic ways to accomplish this in a classroom setting. Makerspace projects are ideal for focusing on experience rather than content and developing creative skills in organic and productive ways.
We are living in the 21st century. I love this quote from Dione Mila, Library Media Specialist for Indian Trace Elementary regarding their implementation of a Maker Space: “Collaboration and teamwork happen naturally. You don’t have to push it. You just give them a challenge and it will happen.” Teamwork is essential to the success of projects. Engaging and productive work is the best antidote to differences and fear.” Yes, please!! I want the learning buzz and classroom climate all rolled into the Maker Space experience. That is the heart of my project, and we need the “building” materials to do so.
About my class
Remember desks with attached chairs in straight rows, purple ditto copies, and the shoebox dioramas spun from copied cutouts colored with marker and stand-up animals? Those dated elements from previous teaching generations are outdated and obsolete. Today’s classrooms incorporate authentic learning experiences embedded with essential 21st century skills including collaboration, creativity, and communication through Makerspaces.
I want a fabulous Makerspace that entices my 2nd graders to come in and create, a place where science and art generate a fabulous tension that pulls out the best in kid ingenuity, full of materials and literature that capture all my makers.
In Making is Connecting: The social power of creativity, David Gauntlett shares “This shift from a ‘sit-back-and-be-told culture’ to a ‘making-and-doing culture’ means that a vast array of people are exchanging their own ideas, videos, and other creative material online, as well as engaging in real-world crafts, music projects, and hands-on experiences.”
As a 2nd grade teacher, my mission is finding authentic ways to accomplish this in a classroom setting. Makerspace projects are ideal for focusing on experience rather than content and developing creative skills in organic and productive ways.
We are living in the 21st century. I love this quote from Dione Mila, Library Media Specialist for Indian Trace Elementary regarding their implementation of a Maker Space: “Collaboration and teamwork happen naturally. You don’t have to push it. You just give them a challenge and it will happen.” Teamwork is essential to the success of projects. Engaging and productive work is the best antidote to differences and fear.” Yes, please!! I want the learning buzz and classroom climate all rolled into the Maker Space experience. That is the heart of my project, and we need the “building” materials to do so.
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