Sunday Reflections: Reflections on Making While Sitting in My Teen MakerSpace

Reflections on Making while sitting in my MakerSpace// Having a Teen MakerSpace has changed some of how I interact with teens in my library. In addition to having a traditional program, I now have a space and a way to interact with my teens on a more come as you are informal way. I know […]

Reflections on Making while sitting in my MakerSpace// Having a Teen MakerSpace has changed some of how I interact with teens in my library. In addition to having a traditional program, I now have a space and a way to interact with my teens on a more come as you are informal way. I know that some libraries have teen spaces with a teen desk that is staffed by a teen librarian, but I have never had a space like that. But this past week I spent the week working with teens in small groups in my small space. And in my down time, I thought about what having a MakerSpace means to me. And I cheated and storified those Tweets for this post today.

Reflections on Making while sitting in my MakerSpace





  1. How to include literacy in MakerSpaces:
    Display teen bks; combine tech w/storytelling challenges; talk to teens about bks as you make


  2. Making doesn't supersede bks in libraries any more than programming did. They go hand in hand. Making is just programming w//diff name/tools


  3. And honestly, if a maker is someone who makes something, a large part of teen programming has always been about making.


  4. But I'm married to an artist, so I'm definitely very STEAM vs STEM oriented. We are all makers. We have always been makers.


  5. These are things I think about as I work with teens in this new space. I am loving the interaction, the creativity, the discussion.


  6. But I also realize that the meat of what I do as a librarian really hasn't changed at all.


  7. My MakerSpace also includes origami paper/bks; drawing supplies bks; a Rainbow Loom & bands; Legos; coloring sheets . . . it's not all tech.


  8. This whole process has really made me think about what I want to do and why as I "sell" it to admin & coworkers.


  9. And our process and definitions keeps evolving as we take in new information, answer questions, and just work with our teens.


  10. The best advice I hear over & over is don't be afraid to just dive in and learn along with your teens. If I wait to feel comfortable doing


  11. some of the things then I will never get them started. Coding, for example, is a huge stumbling block for me. So I am starting w/iPad apps


  12. and learning along with me teens. That has been the biggest difference for me in programming models.


  13. Coding is my biggest fear. My arch-nemesis if you will. But with some good tools & encouragement I'm diving in. Slowly. And w/my teens.


  14. What is a programming or maker idea that you would like to try but are kind of overwhelmed or afraid of? I can't be the only one.

 

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