The first in a series which chronicles the evolution of The STEAM Makerspace. |
Background
The 2015-16 school year has been a year of change and growth for me. Moving from my 2nd grade classroom to a brand new STEAM Middle School has proved to be both exciting and challenging. As the Integration Technologist, my job includes duties such as: Chromebook repairs, instructional technology, and media specialist. Early on, my principal shared his vision of our makerspace which would eventually include all of the popular makerspace gizmos and gadgets, as well as, several 3D printers. But...I am getting ahead of myself. We started the school year in an unused wing of a high school. My "area" was a desk under a stairwell and my budget was $0. I knew that we would be moving to our permanent location after our winter break and that I would eventually be given a budget, but in the meantime, I was determined to get the makerspace up and running so it would be part of our evolving school culture.A desk in a stairwell....so many possibilities... |
Getting started
Did I mention that I started with $0 budget? Good thing I am "The Frugal Teacher" and after years of being a 2nd grade teacher/home crafter, I was able to raid my garage for art supplies and paper. My dad made me a few shelves and $10 at Dollar Tree helped with the storage issue. The school was receiving daily shipments of supplies, books, etc... so we had an overabundance of cardboard. We also relied on donations. Our school is divided into houses (think Harry Potter), so I set up a house challenge and points were given as donations came in. We received tools, plastic lace, craft supplies, and old electronics.
Build it and they will come?
Not really. The students did not know the function of a makerspace. They came from traditional schools and had not experienced this type of space. They looked with curiosity as they walked through on their way to class or lunch, but they weren't sure what to make of it. Eventually, students found their way to the area during class time to work and collaborate. Some would shyly ask to use the craft supplies for a poster or a project. Some found their way during intervention time (i.e. study hall). I also had a small group of teacher's aids during 5th period who would tinker and try out the newest additions. By mid-September, I was getting a regular crowd. My desk and a folding table became our workspace for crafts like origami, wonder looms, and plastic lace lanyards. Students also started tinkering with the cardboard and old electronics. Teachers would send kids for cardboard and other supplies so they could create models or products for class projects.
By October, the STEAM Makerspace had become a hub for gathering and creating, but with limited resources, I had to figure out a way to sustain the interest. The World Clock Challenge fit the bill for drumming up more interest in the makerspace and for using up the excessive amounts of cardboard we had accumulated.
Stay tuned for part 2
Stay tuned for the next post detailing our World Clock Challenge.
At first it was a comfortable spot for studying... |
and then it became a place for making! |
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