I try not to look at my old elementary classroom / lab / makerspace (sic) when I walk by these days.
It doesn’t look like this, anymore:
The K4STEMLAB at Northfield Community Elementary School, a student-centered, engineering-focused technology learning space, circa September 2012.
I have only been gone a year (I now teach in our middle school – in the same district and building). The space has since been repurposed (made back into two very needed classrooms). The teacher who took over for me has new digs in another part of the school. She’s doing amazing things, with a solid making / design thinking / science bent, and I’m happy for her and the elementary kiddos she teaches. Truly.
But, what I built – painstakingly, passionately, over an entire summer in 2012 – is gone. Three years, the program ran, integrating Engineering is Elementary into a screen-based K-4 technology ed class. (Here are some photos.) We did things no one did before, incorporating an engineering (making!) focus to elementary technology class, and it was glorious. Or, so we (I) thought.
Growth is a natural thing, and when I was offered the chance to literally design a middle school maker / STEAM program from scratch last year, I leapt, without hesitation.
And, then, we built this. (Actually, we built this, the photo below is this year’s version, our v1.1)
Students enjoy “Lunch Bunch” in Digital Shop, the Northfield Community Middle School Makerspace, circa November 2016.
And so, as I walk past my old elementary classroom, reminding myself not to glance over and see what’s become of it, I wonder … will what we’ve created in our middle school endure? I’m thinking beyond the physical space – the program, its emphasis on inquiry, on making, on design as pedagogy, on student voice and choice.
Many of my Fablearn colleagues have maintained wonderful makerspaces like these for years. Certainly, while we’re still with our districts, in the same role / capacity, the life expectancy of the space and program is essentially limitless. Maybe?
But … what happens when or if you move on or change roles?
What will become of your space, your program?
Who will take over for you?
What will your legacy be?
-kj-
Hi, my name is Tukta from Thailand. 🙂 We kicked off the first lab in 2013 and we had been through several curriculum designs also the physical design of tge lab itself. I love it though. I can see that the lab ideas, culture and design changes according to the people involved in. So the more it changed from original, the more I can see ..the trace of people who else had helped us created the lab that they really want. 🙂 Sometimes my lab dominated by product design people, sometimes it’s electronically leading and sometimes it’s coding! and during my time it was really artsy lab! (We had guitars, ukulele and some drums inside the lab.) it’s alive!
So, 🙂 what will be the ideas and knowledge giving away to new generations then? 🙂 My version is..the culture of open to changes and appreciation of differences. I think this is very deep lesson to young generations besides digital favorite or any innovation to be made. I want them to own the lab as fast as I could and watching them play with their playground. Quite a Jazzy lab, I have!
I hope to start number of labs inThailand soon with burning curiosity to see how each lab will unveil itself. I enjoy to see different interpretations and adaptations. 🙂 Because..that’s how creativity and equity really show up.
Thank you! I thought about this a while ago. Your note helped me to share this out. 🙂
Thanks Nalin! I guess my question is: if a lab you worked hard to create was later disassembled, would that affect you much?
Congratulations on having done your first version in 2013. What has been your favorite part of the process so far?
-kj-
Maybe this is obvious, but the main legacy is the kids who were in your program.
True, but … memories do fade … and while impact on the kids is the ultimate end goal … I’m envisioning, hoping, and planning for a day when my entire school/community embraces maker culture … and the physical space and place becomes and remains a vibrant center of learning and exploration (especially in school). So, the disassembly part … yeah … necessary, maybe, and understandable … but … ugh. Kind of like I lost something I’ll never get back, you know?
Kevin,
It is always a work in progress, isn’t it? A couple years ago, I moved from a traditional computer lab and got to design our new space. It’s heaps better than our old lab and I’m very proud of it, yet there is so much I would do differently if I could start over yet again. However, this definitely got me thinking of small improvements I can start making now- Thank you for that! Also, I really like the Harbor Freight cart you mentioned in the video you linked. Will have to check that out!
-Angie
Hi Angie! Thanks for commenting. Agree totally – our work is never really done. (Why be done? Then we’d have nothing to do, haha!)
Congrats on the new lab! What sort of improvements are you considering?
The Harbor Freight cart is not the greatest quality – but you can’t beat it for the price!
Best, kj