[ISLMA-Share] MakerSpaces

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Hi Denise and ISLMA,

I am replying all because many of us may be dealing with this situation. I am in the process of creating a Makerspace for our school and am trying to be mindful of not intruding on the electives classes. Last year, our Choir/Drama teacher’s position was cut because not enough students signed up for those electives. Therefore, I do not want the Makerspace to affect enrollment in Stem or art-related classes. The way I am thinking of managing this is by focusing my Makerspace more on creativity than Stem related activities. We are calling it “Creation Station” and it will have a green screen, a black screen stop-motion center, a brainstorming station (tables with whiteboard paint for writing), a recording station, and a building station (recyclables, clay, Legos, etc).

We are still working out the logistics of how it will be used, but I believe classes will be able to come down as a whole to work on a project in addition to small groups coming down. We may utilize it as a space for students who have finished their work early to come down and work on an extension project. For example, if a student finished his/her work on a novel, they could come down and create a commercial for that book using any of the materials/equipment in the Makerspace.

I would love to hear yours and other’s ideas on this topic, as I was literally just thinking about it when your message came through!

Megan Flaherty
mflaherty at maercker.org<mailto:mflaherty at maercker.org>
Library Media Specialist
Westview Hills Middle School

From: islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info [mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info] On Behalf Of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2016 8:05 AM
To: Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info>
Subject: [ISLMA-Share] MakerSpaces

Hi,

We're a middle school and are in the planning stages of creating a MakerSpace in our library.  We are fortunate to have an extensive elective program that includes Woods, Plastics, all mediums of art, sewing, music, etc.  Some of our elective teachers feel like a MakerSpace intrudes on their curricular area.  If you have experienced similar push back, would you please email me off list and tell me how you were able to work through it?

Thanks in advance,
Denise Reeder

--
Denise Reeder
Library Information Specialist
Lincoln M
​​
iddle School
200 South Lincoln Avenue
Park Ridge, IL  60068
https://sites.google.com/a/d64.org/lincoln-middle-school-lrc
847.318.4220

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