Year 2: Starting off Strong

It's been an interesting 3 weeks in the Makerspace for year 2, because we are really seeing the difference from the beginning of year 1.  Some of the differences have been negative, but the overwhelming majority have been positive.

The biggest negative difference we've seen is that we can tell the kids didn't spend as much time on the computers last year as they had in previous years, when they were with me in the computer lab for 30 minutes a week.  They are missing some of the basics, most obviously with the kids who were in kindergarten and first grade last year.  This is easily remedied, as we are just changing our weekly structure to be sure that our K, 1, 2 classes have a little time on the computers every week, and we are teaching and reteaching the essentials.  I am optimistic that in year 3 we will see this has leveled out again.

But on the positive side, we are thrilled to see a difference in the way kids are thinking!!  Last year, there was a sense of haste to every project.  The kids tended to choose easy and familiar materials, opt for low-tech designs, and be in a hurry to finish first.  This year, I am seeing so much more planning, attention to details, and integration of high and low tech components together.  They are dreaming big, and motivated to learn how to do what they're picturing for their designs.  There's also a creativity that they didn't naturally demonstrate last year.  I think they are more comfortable with the materials, and so they are willing to take risks and think outside the box.

This is all exactly what we were hoping for with the creation of the Makerspace.  We could not be more thrilled with how the year has started!