MakerSpaces
This, My Books Alive post, rather than being a student lesson based on an Inspiration Book, is instead, a review of how the MakerSpace movement has been part of my philosophy for many decades, well four decades to be exact. While it may not be the exact definition of Makerspace: A makerspace as a unique learning environment that encourages tinkering, play, and an open-ended exploration for all (Laura Fleming), it meets most of the definition most of the time.
Inspiration Book:
Pass go and collect $200 : the real story of how Monopoly was invented by Stone, Tanya Lee — Henry Holt and Company, 2018 794; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 5.3. A nonfiction picture book history of Monopoly, one of the world's most famous games"--Provided by publisher. CCBC, NFD, NSSTB List 2019
Sometime in the 20teens, the term MakerSpace appeared on the library media landscape and quickly took voice around the media library thinkers in the country. Pass Go and Collect $200 triggered my deep thinking about Makerspaces and how I have used them, probably with a different name like Project-Based Learning or Hands-on Learning or Inquiry Learning and not always in a designated space. The MakerSpace concept in various iterations has been part of my philosophy since the beginning of my career. The Text below is almost a library autobiography.
Let me begin with my first experience at my first library. I began my first library media career at the middle school level in a brand new facility. Wow! Two newbies in the same place. I was fresh out of library school and full of ideas. Fortunately, the librarian who had participated in the design of the new facility was full of ideas, too. There was a huge main room that could easily be divided via furniture and shelving into four classroom sized areas. As a result, we could have quiet study space, teaching space, interactive display/museum space, and project space. It was not unusual for all four spaces to be active. Additionally, we had a TV production room (wish green screens had been available then) where video (on the equipment of the time) could be made and/or reproduced, stored and viewed. We had two collaborative learning rooms that could be divided or combined. They were called conference rooms at the time. Then behind the video room and collaborative learning rooms were two additional spaces that could be used as Makerspaces for classroom projects. The teachers signed up for the space--mess wouldn’t be in their room, mess could be left out, mess would be secure. Because it was a self-contained windowless room at the time it required direct teacher supervision. I understand that now some of the walls and doors have been removed to allow easy access and flow to and from that large main room. The second space behind the collaboration rooms and main room was a library workroom and storage room. One whole wall was cabinetry, two other walls were shelving, and tables ran down the middle. This made a fantastic project room for some of the first techie projects because the first computers were in that room--almost a lab, but not quite. Computers also spread out into the library space along the carrel walls. Students had access to cameras, computers, minimal software at that time, but lots of ideas. Since desktop computers were still new, there was a lot of excitement and teachers and students used the equipment often mentoring each other. The facility became so busy and active that within two years another media specialist was hired to continue to expand the collaborative space called the library media center.
The following year, I returned to the University to work on what was then called an educational specialist’s degree, a degree meant to provide trained personnel to teach at universities, but not necessarily to be part of the research staff. It was sort of a degree between the master’s degree and the Ph.D. My area of specialization was children’s and adolescent literature, storytelling, and library management. My imagination allowed me to use all of those specialized areas to continue the development of my MakerSpace philosophy. This next comment will really date me--I put the original data for my major paper on punch cards to be run through a big commercial local computer.
After my additional training, I taught afternoon and evening classes at a local university and moved from the middle school library to elementary libraries. The majority of the remainder of my career has been at the elementary level with a little time at a K-8 school and a public library. The additional training, not only gave me the necessary information and research background, but it also gave me a voice. And, it was a voice that I needed at the first elementary assignment I had. The school had been built just before WWII--it had a lovely kindergarten room with a fireplace and small work areas and a library the size of a school communal boys’ or girls’ bathroom. I was shocked! If a class was in the room, nobody else could be in the room. If I even wanted to have students work on a project or do research, there was no room to walk around and assist. Only half the class could look for books at the same time. If I wanted to do a story hour, half the class might have their backs to me or others. When the assistant superintendent came to visit the Friday before school started, he asked whether I was organized for the new year. I told him I wasn’t sure where I would be holding any classes, maybe out in the hallway so others could use the tables and look for books. His eyes were surprised that I voiced my opinion. By the end of the day, he was back and told me that there was an empty kindergarten room--enrollment had declined-- on the other side of the building and wondered if I could hold the start of library use for a week. Immediately, I say, “Yes.” Over the weekend the buildings and grounds department workers, installed shelving--have no idea from where--moved the tables and chairs. The next week I moved the books, locating them on the shelves where I wanted them located. It was a beautiful room with floor to ceiling south windows that made an excellent story center and easy book area. BUT, the best area was the old coat area just outside the door. That coat room became committee rooms, work and project space, collaboration area, and even tutoring area. Just because it had been a kindergarten room it also had bathroom facilities, lots of cabinets, and even a sink. I could make the space into a temporary MakerSpace. It was a beginning.
I used my newly found voice when I was transferred to another school two years later. The facility had been designed as a library in the mid sixties and was just a room with shelving around two walls. There was a little work room with a sink and a tiny storage room. A whole class could fit comfortably and other students could wander around to find books, but that was all. The opportunity to use my voice occurred when there were too many students for the number of classrooms. I had noted that there was a large multi-purpose room that was rarely used. I suggested the library be moved there and the old library facility be made into a classroom. Suggestion worked. The result, twice the amount of space and a collaboration room for MakerSpace activity. We did need to add a window for observation purposes. The downfall of the space; it was very close to the kitchen and gym. In the future life of this school, a new L-shaped library facility with an attached computer lab was built. The base of the L-shape was a perfect location for MakerSpace projects: Legos, puzzles, GreenScreen, photography, tinkering, building, exploring
Remember that voice I found? I was next asked by the district administration to reopen a building and restock the library. I loved it. The library area was an addition to an old building and had been built at the same time as the middle school discussed above. It had some of the same features: a large main room, a production room, two collaboration rooms. It also had a story pit; it had four to six classrooms surrounding the main room. The whole area was conducive to the MakerSpace concept. Different areas of the space could be set up for research, reading, projects, collaboration, individual work, group work, even lectures. It was also at a school whose staff had been handpicked and advocated assorted grouping and learning styles. It was a staff that saw the value of flexible schedules. It was a staff that understood the value of a cohesive school community. It was the staff that put the library on the country map for the Library won the AASL “Library of the Year Award.”
Remember that school with the bathroom size library? There were more like that in our district. Remember that visionary library supervisor who helped design the first library? He had another vision. Every elementary school should have a library big enough for three or four classes, a collaboration room, and an attached computer lab. He was able to accomplish that for all elementary schools. He accomplished another vision. He wanted a full-time trained professional in each elementary school no matter how small the population. And, it was achieved. At this time I requested a transfer because I needed a new challenge, a challenge of working in an inner city area. My new principal and I put our heads together and made the school the community center for the neighborhood. Each year the kindergarten teacher, the reading teacher and I did family evening workshops. At the beginning of the year the teacher made home visits and personally invited each family to come. We had child care and food to avoid those two excuses plus a MakerSpace area where children and parent(s) could collaborate and explore. Then we divided the kids and parents into three groups. One group went to the kindergarten room for a parent-child project; one group came to the library for a story hour and book selection; one group was split--the parents went to the reading reacher for tips on helping their child reading learning and the children went to the gym with the principal for games or free play. The next year parents begged us to continue and to add their first graders. We did. This was also the school we brought in professors from the local university on Friday afternoons to upgrade teacher training in math instruction, integrating computer technology, reading tips. And inquiry-based instruction. The principal, a teacher aide and parent, and I worked with the students in the computer lab, gym, or cafeteria on project-based activities.
I have had three other assignments, but the story is basically the same--
MakerSpace philosophy often depends on the library media specialist and her/his philosophy, a librarian who sees the role as an educational role, not a keeper of resources.
MakerSpaces may have many names and iterations.
MakerSpaces look different and serve different purposes at elementary, middle or high school. Community MakerSpaces may actually have their own building.
MakerSpaces require space--a dedicated corner, an area in the library, a separate room, even the hallway.
MakerSpaces require staff. Trained volunteers may suffice once the space is established.
MakerSpace activities may be guided or unguided, structure or unstructure or a little of each. I have found at the elementary level that guided is most effective.
MakerSpaces require thinking out of the old and traditional teaching/learning mode.
MakerSpaces require collaborative planning with the teachers and media specialist to be more than an indoor playground.
MakerSpaces need to have a change of supplies from time to time. I find at the elementary school that some of the supplies and possible activities need to change monthly, other supplies may be permanent.
MakerSpaces in my elementary school(s) setting have a literacy connection--specific title, genre, book characters, book club, technology club, etc.
MakerSpaces don’t need to cost an arm and a leg, but may.
MakerSpaces will probably change how they look, where they’re located, and their names.
MakerSpaces are not the be all and end all for a modern school library, but they offer students a chance to collaborate, create, explore, and learn in another style.
Lastly, how did I connect Pass Go and Collect $200 to MakerSpaces? Why, students (basically third grade up) make their own games after I share the book. I make materials and supplies available. Sometimes the teacher requires a game be produced; sometimes the idea is simply
suggested and the supplies and space provided; sometimes we merely display the results. Students know where they can invent, explore, make, collaborate in the library, and Pass Go and Collect $200 was the idea kernel that provided the jump start to their imagination.
RESOURCES:
Ways to Start Adding a Makerspace to the School Library--Laura Fleming May 8, 2019 https://www.techlearning.com/news/6-ways-to-start-adding-a-makerspace-to-your-school-libraryA Library AND a Makerspace--Colleen Graves March 14, 2016 https://colleengraves.org/2016/03/14/library-makerspace/
Opportunities and Vignettes for Library Makerspaces--a white paper--National Forum : Research and Assessment in Library Makerspaces at University of Wisconsin--Madison, August 6-7, 2019 https://makered.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/IMLS-LibraryMakerspaces2019_WPweb_final.pdf
Ultimate Makerspace Resource Guide https://www.makerspaces.com/makerspace-guide-school-and-library/
The Daring Librarian, “Makerspace Starter Kit” https://www.thedaringlibrarian.com/2015/06/makerspace-starter-kit.html
The Daring Librarian, “Makerspace for Little or Nothing” https://www.thedaringlibrarian.com/2019/04/makerspace-for-little-or-nothing.html
Demco Ideas and Inspiration: Start the School Year with Maker Education--Jacie Maslyk https://ideas.demco.com/blog/start-the-school-year-with-maker-education/
