Professional Learning for Busy Educators

Three years ago I shared my Makerspace Starter Kit with you or what I was buying to boost our Makerspace area using four empty Library study carrels that no longer held desktop Macs.  That post has been consistently one of the most viewed posts every week for years and years and with more than 83 THOUSAND views I thought maybe it was time to update it. * 

Since then, I've had some Makerspace successes and a couple dismal (and expensive) Makerspace failures!  So, it's time I updated this post for ya'll giving you the good, the bad, and the bloody awful!

I've been thinking about Makerspaces lately and the role they have been playing  in my educational adventures. I have been advocating for schools to look into Makerspaces as a way to promote this creative spirit. I believe that a space can help support ideas that students have and can draw reluctant learners in to try new things, but the mentality needs to be the focus. I started to think really hard about what makes up the Maker mentality to me. I'm sure there are people that have come up with a list of things that define the mentality, but that does not apply to everyone. Making is about creating your world and I think that includes what the Mentality is for you and your learning community. Here are some things that I think make up my Maker Mentality: