"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." - Albert Einstein
Students will engage in self-directed learning and collaborating. These raw materials, coupled with character and motivation, will create the perfect educational setting for those who learn by doing.
Our school's motto is "We never stop learning." We hold true to that, and though we are challenged with budget cuts and staffing restraints, we continue to work together to provide our students with an environment in which they feel both nurtured and challenged.
We come from a rather small town, and have a fairly high rate of families who qualify for free/reduced lunch (70%). Students here may not have access to Internet, and there are several elective courses (such as art) that have been cut due to funding. The MakerSpace would help to fill that gap, allowing students to work on art and technology projects. If they are interested in it, we will find a way to make it! As part of this program, I will also be introducing students to STEAM oriented challenges, which will force them to think out of the box, and work together. Students would be able to use these and other raw materials to collaborate, innovate, and create. If given the opportunity, our students can shine.
My Project
Many of the materials requested will serve as the raw materials that will be available to students. The art materials will help with creating models and to put together final products. A functional MakerSpace aims to provide both low-tech and high-tech materials and options. Many of these art supplies will help fulfill the low-tech materials.
I aim to create the ultimate workshop in which students have a variety of materials with which to create any number of projects. Through the use of these, students will take charge of their own learning, gain confidence, and thus encourage and push others to do the same. They will not only design these project, but define them. This MakerSpace will encourage inquiry-based learning.
We will also need organization for materials and for student projects. We will use bins to help with that, so that work can be preserved in between classes and days.
The MakerSpace will change the way that students see electives.
It will empower them to be self-propelled in their projects, because they will be the ones to design them. It allows students to explore their potential in engineering, artistic, and technological concepts. Rather than a teacher, I will learn along with them. I already have a number of students coming to use the space in their free time to tinker and think about their own projects that they are already working on.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Myers DeWein and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
