A Chance of a Lifetime

It's taken me about a week to digest the fact that one week ago on Monday I was in the White House among leading American school districts discussing the Maker Movement and the future for students in our nation.  I was extremely fortunate to invited by my school district's innovative and inspiring superintendent, Dr. Mike Lubelfeld, as someone who would help lead our district in bringing more opportunities for making in our district.  I am forever grateful to him for this experience, which is, hands-down, a pinnacle in my 17 years in education.

Our two-day stint in D.C. began at a Maker Ed event.  I'll be honest here and confess that I had never heard of Maker Ed before attending this workshop on a Sunday afternoon.  After spending time with individuals from this organization for two days, I can't imagine not using their website and materials for help.   If you, too, haven't heard of them, Maker Ed is committed to supporting teachers and has a wealth of ideas and resources available on their website: http://makered.org/

(Definitely check them out!)  Besides finding this great group, I really enjoyed this Sunday afternoon committed to an authentic experience.  Sure, we read all about makerspaces and give our students experiences, but how often to educators get to sit down and play and experiment?  We were given close to an hour with our "Possibility Box" full of all kinds of doodads:

There were other items on our table as well--sheets of origami paper, LED lights, batteries, paper, poster board, etc.  There were also tables set up in the room with extra supplies as well as fun tools such as hammers and electric drills.

As creative as I think I am, I found myself a bit frozen when this started.  What was I going to make? There were so many materials available to me.  What inspired me?  I quickly found myself drawn to the lights and batteries and given that I had just spent time weeding and mulching my garden back at home, I felt the need to create my own little garden:

 

"How Does Your Garden Glow?"

And it got messy--messy and creative and collaborative and fun.  

It was interesting not only to work with these materials on my own, but also to watch others experiment and create.  Each table showcased such diverse, innovative, and amazing items--all from the same set of materials and options I had.  

What I found truly exceptional was experiencing a maker experience firsthand.  Not reading about it in some educator journal or observing students doing it.  I was doing it. And I was having a blast while solving problems and using my creativity making whatever I liked.

It's no surprise that I entered Day 2, the highlight of the trip with our visit to the White House, still floating from the day before.  I was revved up from the Maker Ed workshop and ready to discuss and learn more.  And, we certainly did just that!

The White House event was all I expected and more. (But, no, my dream of getting a selfie with President Obama didn't quite happen!) This roundtable event was the result of President Obama's call to action the year before:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/18/fact-sheet-president-obama-host-first-ever-white-house-maker-faire

Representatives from different school districts around the nation shared highlights of the amazing makerspaces they have as well as the projects they were completing--truly an inspiration as I ponder what I would like my makerspace to look like come August and September.

We also had a chance to mingle and network.  I met people all across the nation from all walks of life--teachers in the trenches like me, district superintendents, representatives from museums and public libraries, President Obama's advisors, and even the creator of MAKE Magazine and Maker Faires around the globe.  These valuable interactions gave me even more ideas and helped me identify individuals I can turn to and rely on when I'm seeking resources or support.

The part I found most interesting were the lightning roundtable discussions.  We signed up for topics based on our interests.  I immediately chose community partnership because I felt this is an area we could improve upon in our district.  Quite frankly, we aren't connecting with our community members and community businesses, so I wanted to get some ideas in order to do so.  I left with two pages of notes and all kinds of great ideas to get me started. 

In the end, this was a two-day trip to D.C. I will never forget--a chance of a lifetime.  It truly was an honor and a privilege to represent Deerfield District 109 along with my superintendent at the workshop and roundtable discussion.  Most importantly, I feel equipped with connections, ideas, and resources to get started.  It's time to make my makerspace!

And So It Begins...

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  ~Lao-tzu

Today marks the first day of summer break.  For many, this is a time to enjoy with family and friends, catch up on some reading or films, travel the world, or sit on a beach or by a pool. For me, it marks my first step in preparing for my new role as a library information specialist at my middle school in the fall.

My journey to this point began almost four years ago.  I was an eighth grade language arts teacher at the time and was itching for a challenge.  Every few years I find myself in this place, craving some change and professional development.  As I sat in my school's LMC that morning, listening to another one of dozens of book talks I had heard over the years, the answer fell from the sky and landed in my lap.  School librarian!  I would love to be a school librarian! With my English literature degree and over 12 years of teaching eighth grade language arts under my belt, it seemed like the perfect position for me.  And it just so happened that our amazing LMC Director had put in retirement that previous spring with a plan to retire in four years.

That afternoon, I called my husband and my parents.  "I'm going to be a librarian!" I declared, never more sure of anything in my life.  To my surprise, they all responded with, "You'll get bored."  

Bored?!? Gone are the days of librarians sitting at desks sshing patrons and checking out books. School libraries, or learning commons, are active learning spaces.  They are patron-centered, flexible, noisy, messy, creative places.  They are fun, inspiring, and full of energy.  They are the heart of the school.

So here I am on the first day of my summer break, taking my first step by envisioning the learning commons I want to create--not just this year but in one year, three years, five years.  And while I may not have it all figured out on this Saturday evening, I can tell you this: I will not get bored.  I'm ready to dive in to this new, exciting age of librarianship and help transform learning at my school.  I just can't wait to get started.