One Thing Leads to Another...

After the presentations by the Grade 5s, everyone took some time to process what the students had put forward in their business cases and their presentations. The drive that the students had was evident and was also commented upon by their parents in our most recent parent-teacher interviews. Many of them mentioned that their daughters had never spent that much time and put in that much effort in any other project. This exemplifies the importance of authentic tasks as well as student choice and voice. They continue to inquire about what is happening and where we are in the process of creating a (“their”) Makerspace.

The most exciting recent news is that we have funding for the Makerspace. We have decided to focus on the materials and the supplies first and then move on to furniture and re-designing the room. I will have to let the Grade 5 students know that we are going to be able to start building our Makerspace. I think I might have the Grade 5s come up with a name for the space.

The creation of the Makerspace is only the first step. Next will be creating the MindShift within the school and the school community. In consultation with others, I will put together a PD plan for teachers around the use of the space and the use of the materials and supplies. Assessment will be another component of the continuation of my action plan.

One things leads to another…and my action plan will continue evolving while the Makerspace and the MindShift is growing in the Branksome Hall Junior School!

My Action Plan

5 Replies to “One Thing Leads to Another…”

Whoo hoo! Go go go! But go in with a plan – with a vision not just of what it looks like, what it contains, and what will be done/made inside it…Go in with a clear vision of HOW you want the students to think when they are there, how you want the teachers to view the space.

When Starbucks began, they basically invented the concept of the “Third Space” (i.e. it’s not home, and it’s not the office). Starbucks are hubs for authors, meetings – both formal and informal – where valuable ideas, and creative ideas are fostered. Yes, even Cohort 21 began in a Starbucks at the corner of Yonge and Davisville! So what is this space to you? How will you welcome students to think big, think differently, and then encourage them to take that thinking with them to their classrooms? How will you encourage Teachers to embrace the space.

If there is one thing that I would do differently when I launched our design lab, it would be to get as many teachers in there as possible. I did hold PD sessions, but they were voluntary. How might you excite the teachers and get them to enroll in your vision of what this space can be?

I’m so excited for you!
garth.

This is awesome @crussell! You and your team have brought Maker culture to Branksome Hall and the writing is on the wall…..literally!!!!! Reading your posts throughout the year I could not help but smile and watch as you brought design thinking into the Junior School and the girls just ate it up! I would often share your posts with our Grade 2 teachers and they inspire them to think differently about what is possible with that age groups. It is nice to know that there are so many CIS Ontario schools playing in this space and that we can all share, experiment and learn together. Great work Cathy!

Thanks for this Cathy! You were such a great blogger that I really enjoyed following along on your journey! I regularly shared your work with my Director of Teaching and Learning so that we could explore creating a Maker Space. Thanks @gnichols for the great insights in launching the space – really neat idea – I didn’t know the Starbucks story.

It’s great that you felt re-energized to push forward again – I hope that C21 can be your “energy drink” from here on out and I hope you’ll continue to blog so that I can follow your follow-up. See you on Friday!

Cathy this sounds like a success in the making! I think it will fit seamlessly with the STEM programs being built in the upper grades, and that the girls will find it very inspirational! Congratulations and please keep posting in the future to share how the project moves forward!

This is FABULOUS news, Cathy! You and your students have made great strides in making the Maker Movement a reality at your school. You have so much of which to be proud! I love that you continue to include your students in the process at this stage of development. Their perspective and ‘ownership’ will be key. Please keep blogging about the project. I have thoroughly enjoyed following along on your Maker journey.

Garth Nichols on April 18, 2016 at 12:14 pm said:

Whoo hoo! Go go go! But go in with a plan – with a vision not just of what it looks like, what it contains, and what will be done/made inside it…Go in with a clear vision of HOW you want the students to think when they are there, how you want the teachers to view the space.

When Starbucks began, they basically invented the concept of the “Third Space” (i.e. it’s not home, and it’s not the office). Starbucks are hubs for authors, meetings – both formal and informal – where valuable ideas, and creative ideas are fostered. Yes, even Cohort 21 began in a Starbucks at the corner of Yonge and Davisville! So what is this space to you? How will you welcome students to think big, think differently, and then encourage them to take that thinking with them to their classrooms? How will you encourage Teachers to embrace the space.

If there is one thing that I would do differently when I launched our design lab, it would be to get as many teachers in there as possible. I did hold PD sessions, but they were voluntary. How might you excite the teachers and get them to enroll in your vision of what this space can be?

I’m so excited for you!
garth.
Justin Medved on April 19, 2016 at 12:54 am said:

This is awesome @crussell! You and your team have brought Maker culture to Branksome Hall and the writing is on the wall…..literally!!!!! Reading your posts throughout the year I could not help but smile and watch as you brought design thinking into the Junior School and the girls just ate it up! I would often share your posts with our Grade 2 teachers and they inspire them to think differently about what is possible with that age groups. It is nice to know that there are so many CIS Ontario schools playing in this space and that we can all share, experiment and learn together. Great work Cathy!
Derek Doucet on April 19, 2016 at 1:28 am said:

Thanks for this Cathy! You were such a great blogger that I really enjoyed following along on your journey! I regularly shared your work with my Director of Teaching and Learning so that we could explore creating a Maker Space. Thanks @gnichols for the great insights in launching the space – really neat idea – I didn’t know the Starbucks story.

It’s great that you felt re-energized to push forward again – I hope that C21 can be your “energy drink” from here on out and I hope you’ll continue to blog so that I can follow your follow-up. See you on Friday!
Ruth Eichholtz on April 19, 2016 at 1:38 am said:

Cathy this sounds like a success in the making! I think it will fit seamlessly with the STEM programs being built in the upper grades, and that the girls will find it very inspirational! Congratulations and please keep posting in the future to share how the project moves forward!
Shelley Thomas on April 20, 2016 at 8:35 pm said:

This is FABULOUS news, Cathy! You and your students have made great strides in making the Maker Movement a reality at your school. You have so much of which to be proud! I love that you continue to include your students in the process at this stage of development. Their perspective and ‘ownership’ will be key. Please keep blogging about the project. I have thoroughly enjoyed following along on your Maker journey.