You’ve read — here and elsewhere — about how some influential folks in maker publications have focused much of their attention on the work of males, particularly white males. And this has been a big concern for us here at … Read more >
Earlier today, I was handed a battered copy of Brandenberg and ALIKI’s What Can You Make of It? This 1977 Greenwillow “Read-Alone” book tells the story of a family of mice. What the father mouse considers junk (empty … Read more >
As our semester came to a close, we held our second exam-week North Quad MakerFest. (Sofia Gutierrez wrote about our December event here.) MakerFest is about making, not showing off what you’ve made. With that in mind, we don’t … Read more >
Recently, while reading Alfie Kohn’s new book The Myth of the Spoiled Child, I stumbled upon a phrase by progressive American educator John Dewey: a child’s “center of gravity,” and I felt I finally found words to … Read more >
Libraries are logical destinations for makerspace activity. They have how-to guides; Internet access; community trust; an existing infrastructure for planning, promoting, and presenting programs; and big tables for workspaces! But what might a makerspace look like in a secondary school … Read more >
Over on the Library as Incubator Project blog, I was delighted to see a University of Michigan School of Information alum, Eden Rassette, blogging about what she called a “pop-up teen makerspace.” It’s a clear plastic box full of … Read more >
One of the ways we help kids make sense of the world is through readalouds, bedtime stories, and shared literary experiences. Through books, we show our kids what’s possible in the world and to “try on” experiences in a safe … Read more >
Ah, ’tis the season for Black Friday, when shoppers invade big box stores looking for gifts. But what should you buy for the maker kids on your list? That’s a question we’ve fielded a few times recently. Here are some … Read more >
Jan Toth-Chernin is the head of media and technology at Greenhills School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and author of E-Textiles, part of the Cherry Lake Publishing Makers as Innovators series (full disclosure: I was the series editor as well … Read more >
Happy New School Year, Everybody! Last month, Rachel Goldberg shared her perspective on the Michigan Makers project, a pop-up middle school makerspace featuring University of Michigan School of Information students as mentors and middle school students as makers. … Read more >