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Maker Philosophy
My maker philosophy is built on the foundation that anyone can make. Making is a mindset, one that acknowledges that failure and mistakes are okay because failure is just a step towards success. In my classroom, I hope to instill this willingness to persist in the face of hardship in my students so that they realize that they can overcome any challenges they may face but also so they realize that they can do whatever they set their mind to.
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Making is also an expression of oneself. Through making, students can showcase skills and creativity in ways that most "standard" classes don't allow for. This agency helps build a classroom identity and community. Community is a pillar of making and in my opinion should also be a pillar of any classroom. When students feel comfortable to be themselves and know that they are supported by their teachers and their classmates, they tend to be the most receptive to learning new things.
Ever since working at The Foundry I have had a desire to have my own maker space within my future classroom. I have seen it done before by past Makers like Kira and others, so I know it is possible but I have always debated about what I would physically need to have a quote-on-quote "makerspace."
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This book answered my calls. First off, the sheer cuteness factor of the book should carry a lot of weight for any maker, as it provides fun drawings and nerdy pop-culture similes throughout the entire novel. When getting to what tangible items one needs, Provenzano puts emphasis on the idea of asking your students what they are most interested in using/doing in the maker space. Do they want to use the space to design 3D models, or create videos, or code, etc. Possibly the most important theme to take away from this book is the belief that the tools are just an accessory for students to explore making and that a maker space is about the ideas within it and not the objects that fill it.
This is a great book for anyone who wants a brief overview of the maker movement, its origins, where it's trending and everything in between. It begins with a brief overview of Piaget and constructivism, a theory that is a key part of both my maker and teaching philosophies.
One of my favorite parts about this book is how it lays out different ways to effectively implement making into the classroom. It covers ways to keep maker lessons relevant to students by relating to various concepts outside of the classroom. This is another cornerstone of my personal philosophy and something that I believe is one of the most attractive aspects of the maker education movement in general.
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The last part of the book that I really want to draw attention to its walkthrough of how to make a solid project. Martinez and Stager do a great job of tackling how to be equitable while still finding ways to challenge each student to create something that is meaningful to them.
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Both "Your Starter Guide To Maker Spaces" and "Invent To Learn" are easy to read and provide great insight into how to be an effective maker teacher. I would highly recommend them both to any aspiring teacher.
I stumbled upon this show this past summer when my motivation to make was lacking amidst the pandemic and racial cruelty on display in the United States. It could not have fallen into my lap at a better time and even inspired me to build my cornhole boards (found within my "Projects" tab).
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As I watched the show I saw constant reminders of just how amazing the maker community is. If you are not familiar with the aim of the show, they bring on a group of contestants (eight season one, ten season two), to compete against each other in various making endeavors.
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However, as I was watching the first craft of the first episode, I was shocked at the end of the challenge. Crafters who finished their pieces early were... helping their competition? I couldn't believe it. In a competition where the winner walked away with $100,000, the contestants were assisting their opponents. Not only this, but some individuals would cry as their competition was eliminated. These were both themes that continued throughout the entire duration of both seasons. The truly selfless love in this show left an lasting impact on me and solidified my belief in how incredible and supportive the maker community is.
My first true experience "making" probably came building Legos. For a long period of my childhood it was my passion. I was building the Legos that were marked for kids ten years older than me in no time, and I soon began to create my own designs out of unassigned pieces. My most proud creations were giant "mini" figures, where I scaled up a few of my favorite mini figures to about a foot in height. I soon began to dream of being a "Lego Master." I even met one at a showcase in Chicago once and talked with him about my passion and he urged me to pursue it. Unfortunately, I became embarrassed of how old and "still playing with Legos" and gave up on my dream.
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However, Lego was a huge part of me showing my creativity as a child and when this show came out this past year I knew I had to watch it.
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Immediately it brought me back, I watched eagerly as everyday people pursued my dream of earning the title "Lego Master." This program showed me that building Lego is just as much of an expression of creativity as anything and that it's acceptable to be an adult who "plays with Legos." I think this is an important realization for everyone to come to. There will always be people who look at something you do and question it, but that should never stop you from pursuing something that brings you happiness and is an outlet for you to express yourself.
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