Response: The Maker Movement Believes In ‘Kid Power’ – Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo #makereducation

Larry Ferlazzo at edweek compiled responses from award winning educators on how the The Maker Movement can best be integrated into classroom learning.

…Tinkering is a powerful form of learning by doing, an ethos shared by the maker community and many educators. Tinkering is the process of design, the way that real science is done. It is not unstructured, but a process of purposeful iteration towards a goal that may not be well defined. Many inventions were created on the way to another goal, or were “mistakes” that turned out to be valuable. We owe it to our children to give them the tools and experiences that real scientists and engineers use, and the time is now to bring these tools and learning opportunities into real classrooms.

We unabashedly believe in kid power and know that teachers hold the key to liberating the learner. Embracing the values, tools, and activities of the Maker Movement enrich and accelerate that process.

With falling prices and options multiplying by the minute, once futuristic technologies are within the reach of the average school. However, it’s not that technology is going to change how students learn, but the conditions that teachers create in their classrooms. A “makerspace” is a state of mind as much as a space or the stuff in it. A makerspace invites creativity, messing about with tools, materials, and big ideas – all driven by a wise leader who steers students towards meaning.

Options for maker spaces vary widely depending on the classroom (or other space), the teacher, and students. Libraries are popular options because they are cross-curricular, multi-grade, and often have extended hours. These are important traits of a makerspace. Over the past decade, many librarians rebranded themselves as Library Media Specialists; now without changing the acronym, they can be Library Maker Specialists – making meaning, making learning possible, and making things…

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