A Model of: Customizing a MakerSpace that Transforms a SchoolDr. BriAn ClAyTon, PrinCiPAl

BY THE NUMBERS

1,765 Students

61% White

21% African-American

5% Hispanic

7% Asian-American

20% Free/Reduced Lunch

97% Graduation Rate

WHAT is our strategy? A MakerSpace is a place where students can gather to create, invent, tinker, explore, and experiment using a variety of tools and materials. They can be located anywhere in a school. MakerSpaces are cross-disciplinary, with elements of art, science, and craftsmanship. They offer tools and materials that encourage students to create rather than consume.

At James Clemens High School (JCHS), our MakerSpace is in the library. Key to its success is an informal but clearly structured atmosphere, as well as room for students and teachers to collaborate and connect as makers, doers, innovators, and risk-takers. It offers students areas to explore:

• Robotics• ArtsandCrafts• EquipmentAutopsy• BuildingandTinkering• Coding• Games• GreenScreenRoom• GoogleCardboard(augmentedreality)

This is the first year of James Clemens High School’s MakerSpace, a place and a program that has already shown how a multi-faceted and creatively directed MakerSpace can become central to a school’s identity and attraction.

‘WELCOME TO THE RABBIT HOLE’

At JCHS, the MakerSpace has evolved into a central gathering place and hub for students to express individuality and explore in safe and creative ways. “Refuel Hour,” an hour built into the school schedule on a daily basis, is a time when all classes stop and students can choose to go to

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Studentsarewelcomedintothe“RabbitHole,”asthemakerSpacecallsitself—aplacewhereanythingcanhappen.Theyattesttofeelingliketheyhave“walkedintoamagicalplace”wheretheycanusedigitaltoolstobuildbelonging,identity,fun,andcommunity.

lunch, tutoring, clubs, and office hours. Many students end up in the MakerSpace for all or part of this hour; some days, up to 300 students at a time can be found in the MakerSpace. Gradually, teachers are beginning to find ways to tie innovation and making into their curricula because students now have an interest in incorporating the MakerSpace into learning and inquiry. Students are welcomed into the “Rabbit Hole,” as the MakerSpace calls itself—a place where anything can happen. They attest to feeling like they have “walked into a magical place” where they can use digital tools to build belonging, identity, fun, and community. If a student likes to compose music, he can use his time in the MakerSpace to concentrate on that interest. Socially reserved students are welcomed and included, often as those who can help assist with technology.

HoW did we build this strategy?Crucial to the overnight success of the MakerSpace at our school has been the school librarian, Nikki D. Robertson, who sees her role as a celebrator of students and teachers who want to try new things. In her first year in her role, she saw that the school needed a place where it could come together in a low-stakes and welcoming way to connect, share, learn, and collaborate. With the support of her principal, as well as a $5,000 grant, she researched MakerSpaces and took the plunge on materials and the redesign of a portion of the school library space. She purchased robotics, and such open-ended, adaptable learning and building kits as K’NEX, Legos, Cubelets, LittleBits, and Dash and Dot toy robots. The Madison City School district helped purchase a 3-D printer and a digitizer. There were enough materials and resources for her to begin inviting students and encouraging their engagement. Soon, they were trying various activities, including:

• Blockcoding• dronebuilding• Exploringcircuits• Creatingrobotsand3-dprojects• Writing,recording,andsharingmusic• GraffitiWindow,awindowinthemakerSpacethatencouragesindividualexpressionandstudentownership(andiserasedeverynineweeks)

‘FREE RANGE’ AND CREATING A METHOD TO THE MADNESS

The space in our library is arranged with all tools out and available. There are examples and challenge cards on display with various tools so students have a sense of how to engage with the tools and materials. The MakerSpace provides a lot of choice while also ensuring that our students know the rules and parameters:

• differenttablescontaindifferentmakerSpace-relatedactivitiesorchallenges.Pleasebeactivelyengagedinthechallengeatyourtable.

• ThemakerSpaceisforactivelyengagedchallenges–yourownGeniusTime.Standingaroundcanhappenanywhere.Here,youcangetyourgeniuson!

• PleaseeatlunchbeforeenteringthemakerSpacesoyourtimecanbespentactivelyengaged.

BE ADAPTABLE, BE FLEXIBLE: “I FEEL LIKE JANE GOODALL”

Ms. Robertson discovered that it was essential to observe students and be willing to make changes in order to find the right fit for the school’s “DNA.”

“I feel like Jane Goodall a lot of the time,” she said, observing kids in a learning process in their native habitat. She has changed the space around at least six times, based on how it is being used, and worked to keep it inclusive and welcoming while still maintaining rules.

Teachers can reserve the space and the librarian can assist as much as necessary to solve a problem or work on a project. In its first year, our MakerSpace has been used by teachers in many ways:

• Biomedclassesusethe3-dprintertobuilddnAsequences,usingAurasma—avirtualrealityapplication—toscantheirmodels.

• EnglishclassesuseBreakoutEdU/EscapeRooms—popular,hands-on,problem-solvingchallengesforallgradeslevelsandsubjects,requiringthatparticipantscode,solveproblems,collaborate,andevenunlockShakespeare.

• HourofCodeisaone-hourintroductiontocomputerscienceinwhichteachersobservehelpingstudentsintheirscienceclasses.

• Greenscreen,allowingsubjectstobesuperimposedontovirtualbackgrounds,isusedformanyclasses,includingGovernment.

• Artclasses,amongothers,makeuseofthe3-dprinter.• internationaldotday,aglobalcollaborationofcreativityforartandotherclasses.

“ifeellikeJaneGoodallalotofthetime,”shesaid,observingkidsinalearningprocessintheirnativehabitat.Shehaschangedthespacearoundatleastsixtimes,basedonhowitisbeingused,andworkedtokeepitinclusiveandwelcomingwhilestillmaintainingrules.

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@jchs_library

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www.facebook.com/JCHSJetsLibrary

POSITIVE OUTCOMES JUST BEGINNING

Teachers are learning how to be facilitators, not controllers, and seeing the value of creating and learning without the stress of tests, results, grades, or “doing it the wrong way.” Data points and other “growth,” “score,” or “test” related results is usually discouraged for a MakerSpace as the point of it is to provide students an alternative. Teachers are beginning to offer “Genius Hour” in the MakerSpace as a reward for accomplishments.

Our MakerSpace is also positively influencing social elements at our school:

• BothboysandgirlsareusingthemakerSpacewiththeuseofpositivesalesmanshiponthepartoftheteachertogetthemengagedatfirst.Asstudentsengage,theyhavebecomemorecomfortableandthus,havebecomeengagedandmoreconfidentinSTEm-relatedactivities.

• Socialgroupsaremixing.Kidswhowouldnotinteractwitheachotherfeelcomfortablewhentheyareworkingwiththeirhandsandgainingconfidenceatsolvingproblemsandhelpingothers.

• Specialneedsstudentsarebenefittingfromanoutletforhands-onexpression.

• Generalattitudesaboutschoolhaveimprovedoverall,includingincreasedengagement,willingnesstotakerisks,collaborativeinitiativeandincreasedattendance.

TiPS for BuilDing A MAkerSPACe:

• ThereisnorightwayorwrongwaytoformatyourmakerSpace.• Bewillingtolistentostudentvoiceandadjustyourspaceaccordingly.• it’saboutthestudentsandtheirinterests,notabouttheinterestsofadults.• don’texcludesomethingfromyourmakerSpacejustbecauseyoudon’tunderstandit.

• KnowthatagoodmakerSpaceebbsandflows.Flowwithit,notagainstit.• EngageyourProfessionallearningnetwork(Pln)beforeyoubeginsotheycanhaveavoiceandbeincluded.

• Yourinitialbudgetdoesnothavetobebig;makerSpacescanbestartedwith$350.

• Havefunanddon’tafraidtobesillyorgetyourhandsdirty.

Teachersarelearninghowtobefacilitators,notcontrollers,andseeingthevalueofcreatingandlearningwithoutthestressoftests,results,grades,or“doingitthewrongway.”

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1587 Route 146, Rexford, NY 12148 | (518) 399-2776 | www.leadered.com | info@leadered.com

following up on this StrategyRELEVANT RESOURCES:

UnCommon Learning: Creating Schools That Work for Kidsby Eric C. SheningerShows how to transform a learning culture through sustainable and innovative initiatives such as Makerspaces, Blended Learning and Microcredentials

Creating MakerSpaces in Schoolsby Mary Beth HerzCreating spaces for open-ended creativity, designing, tinkering and thinking in schools

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