Final Thoughts on My Inquiry Project

Survey Results: 

Grades 2/3 & Grade 4/5 
Kindergarten & 1st Grade
 
Note: Scroll over the graphs to see the number of responses in that area.

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Category 1: Preference or Lack of Interest

Claim 1: Students need a wide variety of activities to find their forte.

Ironically, the 1st time I set out the iPads with the Osmo App, not one student chose it as their 1st rotation. The technology table sat quiet. I found this quite surprising as I am very technology minded. But as the session continued, I quickly realized that the Makerspace activities alone were engaging for the students. Students wanted time to build, create and explore primarily with their hands.

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Category 2: Feelings

Claim 2: Students' memories or feelings toward class activities and to the teacher will directly relate to their overall acceptance to try something new or participate in day to day activities.

Grade 2/3 & Grade 4/5 Student Comments include:

"Your maker space is the best."

"I like the books she picks."

"You are the best maker space teacher ever."

"You are the best." (2)

"I LOVE BEING IN MAKERSPACE WITH YOU MS. W."

"I relly perashate you."

"Will you be here for second session?"

New Wonderings: What else could I have done to connect to the 6 that answered disagree or strongly disagree?

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Category 3: Mindset

Claim 3: Students need repeated discussions about mindset.

Claim 4: Students need to experience failure and discussions on how to handle it.

The additional read alouds I selected where chosen in part because the characters portrayed a growth mindset. Even with repeated discussions about growth mindset, how a character in one book connected to characters in other read alouds, there were still students who shied away from certain materials/rotations. It never really occurred to me that a student wouldn't participate in the marble run rotation because "Marbles are too tiny and keep falling out of my fingers." I also found it very enlightening that a 1st grader described her sad rating due to feeling stressed while trying to make her marble track. The response "Because someone took my marble." was less surprising as the marbles would easily disappear or roll under furniture, etc.
   

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Category 4: Access

Claim 5: Repeating activities/strategies through the year will allow students who are absent to not feel so disconnected or left out.

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It was evident right away that Magna-tiles were a favorite rotation. When I dismissed students to choose a rotation, it would have large groups of 5 or 6 at a time if I didn't limit the number of students per activity. The Marble Run was also popular. It is for this reason that I brought the Marble Run my brother and I had as a child so more students at a time could participate in this station.

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Claim 6: Every student deserves a chance to try something new even if it means the teacher has to break out of his/her comfort zone.

I have mentioned before I am technology minded, but I haven't had a lot of experience with iPads. I do like to crafting and scrap-booking, but I had not used a potholder loom in years! At first I was a little apprehensive, but soon realized that I could direct students to the true experts in the room, their classmates. On the days we used new Board Games, I let the students to figure out the rules or even make up their own.

Through this experience, I have learned I don't need all the answers.

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Category 5: Discovery/Questioning

Claim 7: Students need experiences for discovery if for nothing else as an outlet. This comment sums it up...

"I think makerspace is fun, and that we should do it more often at Sunshine. Okay, ANY time at Sunshine!"

Makerspace was everything I thought it would be and much more! I would teach it again in a heartbeat. I rarely had behavior issues because the activities provided by the District and the materials I added were fun and engaging. I have seen my Explore! students in public (at Target, at Meet the Teacher) and love the connection we have now.

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Category 6: Collaboration

Claim 8: Collaboration is key. There we some activities were each student just did not have a chance to have their own. Ozobots, for example, are $50 a pop. Students quickly realized they had to work together if they wanted a chance with these cool mini robots. They designed mazes and tried each others mazes out too.

This experience has reinforced that "play" is important. After my Explore session, my family went to St. Louis for a mini-vacation before school started. We visited the Science Center and the amazing Makerspace area on the second floor. Every kid should experience something like that in public schools.

Changes I hope to make in my own teaching practice include

• A dedicated time for "Genius Hour" during the day, particularly during Wildcat Time

• Makerspace After School Clubs 

New Wonderings:  

1st Grade Student gave ALL read alouds a Sad Rating. T - Why? S - "I hate to read. I hate to have books read to me." The student would not select even one book that she liked just a little more than the others.

What interests does this particular 1st grader have? What makes her "HATE" reading at such a young age?

In conclusion:

I hope that if given the opportunity to do Makerspace again, I can direct students to this Makerspace Manifesto because it sums it up the experience perfectly.