MAKERSPACES: Powerfully Enhance Student Learning in Your Classroom and School (Grades 6-12)

Presented by Heather Lister
Outstanding Educator and National Makerspaces Expert

Specifically Designed for Grades 6-12 Educators: Classroom Teachers, Technology Teachers, School Librarians, Media Specialists, Library Aides, Instructional Coaches, Resource Teachers, and Administrators

The most up-to-date approaches and best practices for enhancing or establishing makerspaces in your classroom, school or library
Discover the best of what really works – see examples, models and structures of quality makerspaces
Explore three types of makerspaces that promote sophisticated student inquiry and innovative learning<
Dozens of cost-efficient ways to meaningfully infuse engaging makerspace opportunities into your existing curriculum, classroom, school, and library

Practical Ideas and Strategies

Maker education enables students to develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills required of our 21st century workforce. Join outstanding educator and national makerspaces expert, Heather Lister, as she shares the best of “what works” and how you can establish or enhance highly effective makerspaces in your own classroom, school or library. This NEW seminar is designed specifically for grades 6-12 educators who want to greatly enhance their students’ engagement, innovation, conceptual understanding, and creativity through makerspaces and making.

What are makerspaces?
Makerspaces are open labs where students with common interests gather to share resources, knowledge and build new devices or projects.
Generally, makerspaces are designed to meet the following needs:

Provide access to a wide variety of tools and technology
Facilitate group interaction, knowledge and resource sharing
Supply access to physical space for individual project development
Provide an open environment for expression of creativity and innovation
Access to equipment for prototyping project ideas

Whether you’re just beginning your exploration into makerspaces, or are knee deep in the maker movement, this seminar will greatly help you establish or enhance your classroom, library or school makerspace.

Ten Key Benefits of Attending

Discover “What Works” – The Best, Most Current Makerspace Practices
Learn “what works” from those who have successfully established makerspaces … The most up-to-date approaches and best practices for establishing or enhancing makerspaces in your grades 6-12 classroom, school or library
Explore Examples of the Three Types of Makerspaces
Discover key features and components of the three types of makerspaces … Promote sophisticated student inquiry and innovative learning as you design or enhance your own makerspace
Materials and Supplies and Resources, Oh My!
Discover the products and supplies that will support your student creations and tips for managing them … Explore dozens of resources, sample projects and templates
Engage Stakeholders and Define Your Makerspace Vision
Learn proven strategies for garnering support and engagement among key stakeholders … Develop a plan that addresses the specific needs of your students, school and community
Boost STEAM Skills Across the Content Areas
Learn how you can use makerspaces to help students increase their science, technology, engineering, arts, and math skills in cross-curricular ways
Build “Making” Momentum in Existing Makerspaces
Perhaps you have a makerspace, but it isn’t quite getting used the way you’d hoped? … Learn proven tips, tricks and strategies designed to enhance and revitalize existing makerspaces
Making Time for Makerspaces
Discover ways to create time for maker education amidst busy classroom and school schedules … Practical strategies to maximize the efficiency and impact of makerspaces
Evaluation in the Makerspace
Learn how to provide meaningful feedback to students and explore frameworks used to assess student creations … Discover ways to powerfully enhance and strengthen the design thinking of your students through the feedback you provide
Design on a Dime
Laser engravers and 3D printers are wonderful but they are far from necessary to have a powerful makerspace … Discover many low/no cost, low-tech, upcycled materials you can use to effectively support your makerspaces
Effectively Manage Logistics, and Receive an Extensive Makerspaces Resource Handbook
Maximize the impact of your makerspaces while minimizing the impact on you – explore outstanding logistical tips and practices including safety, storage and organization ideas … Leave with a makerspaces resource handbook packed with the latest, best ideas, strategies and materials for creating and enhancing successful makerspaces

Outstanding Strategies You Can Use Immediately

Discover the best of “what works” – establish or enhance makerspaces in your classroom, school or library
How to plan, create and launch successful makerspaces
How to choose budget-friendly materials, activities and supplies that will best support your makerspace
Ways to integrate the design thinking process and making into your existing curriculum, instruction and lessons
Methods to gain support from key stakeholders
Proven step-by-step ways to structure your makerspace most effectively
Effective methods to revitalize and enhance existing makerspaces
Powerful maker strategies that maximize students’ higher-order thinking skills, creativity and collaboration
Strategies to develop inclusive makerspaces that support the unique needs of all students
Outstanding organizational tips and tricks from experienced maker educators
Innovative tools and technology to enhance project based learning and STEM in your makerspaces

A Message From Your Seminar Leader

Dear Colleague:

As John Dewey once said, “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.”

Traditional schooling was created in the image of industrialism. Yet, as we continue to move into the 21st century, there is less demand on rote memorization of facts and increased demand on collaboration, critical thinking and complex problem solving. All of these skills require high levels of flexibility and creativity. So how do we provide opportunities for students in grades 6-12 to develop these vital skills, while still addressing the curriculum and standards we are required to teach? Fortunately, the maker movement aims to integrate opportunities for imagination, creativity and an inventor’s mindset.

In our day together, we’ll explore innovative ways to integrate making in your school and classroom. While we will examine many outstanding makerspaces, please understand that no two makerspaces are alike. Still, there are three main types of makerspaces we will examine. You will have the opportunity to identify which type best suits your students, curricular needs and the space you have available.

For those with existing makerspaces or for once you’re up and running, we’ll explore innovative and engaging ways to take your curriculum and makerspaces to the next level. We will examine methods to evaluate your makerspace and ways to assess and provide feedback to students in ways that enhance their creativity, innovation and design thinking.

Throughout the day I’ll share timesaving and budget-friendly tips to help you make the most of the resources you have, and I will share proven ways to garner support from key stakeholders.

No matter where you are in your makerspaces journey, this seminar will provide you with the motivation, strategies and resources you need to create or enhance successful makerspaces.

Sincerely,
Heather Lister

P.S. This seminar will be jam packed with ready-to-implement, budget-friendly activities and ideas to help you establish or enhance engaging, successful makerspaces.

Who Should Attend

Grades 6-12 Educators: Classroom Teachers, Technology Teachers, School Librarians, Media Specialists, Library Aides, Instructional Coaches, Resource Teachers, and Administrators

Special Benefits of Attending

Extensive Makerspaces Resource Handbook
Each participant will receive an extensive resource handbook specifically designed for this seminar. The handbook includes:

Frameworks outlining the three types of highly effective makerspaces
Practical techniques, strategies and templates to plan and establish makerspaces in your classroom, library or school
Numerous low-cost, timesaving makerspace ideas and activities
Ready-to-duplicate makerspace assessment rubrics
Curated directory of maker education communities and learning networks
Samples of design thinking processes to use with students

Meet and Share
This seminar provides a wonderful opportunity for participants to meet and share ideas with other educators interested in establishing successful makerspaces.

Consultation Available
Heather Lister will be available at the seminar for consultation regarding your questions and the unique needs of your own program.

On-Site Training Guarantee

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Consequently, we provide a strong program guarantee.

We guarantee you'll be fully satisfied or you'll owe us nothing after your on-site training event.