Welcome to the era of 21st-century learning, where traditional education meets the demands of a rapidly evolving world.

In this digital age, it's not just about memorizing facts and figures anymore; it's about cultivating skills that empower students to navigate a complex and interconnected global landscape. Enter the 4Cs of 21st-century skills – critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity – the pillars that propel education towards a common goal: equipping learners with problem-solving prowess beyond textbooks and into real-world scenarios.

Are you ready to integrate makerspace into your learning environment? Do you crave hands-on learning that engages your creativity and problem-solving skills? If so, it's time to join the makerspace movement.

Do you want to avoid your classroom or library feeling like a boring, stuffy old place where creativity goes to die?

Well, have no fear! The maker movement is here to save the day (and your sanity). But before you start stocking up on glitter, glue sticks, duct tape, and art equipment, you need to keep a few key ideas in mind when launching your collaborative space.

Are you a maker at heart? Do you believe innovation and creativity should be nurtured and encouraged in future generations? Do you want to foster a collaborative space and be integral to the maker movement? You should consider starting a makerspace in your classroom, media center, or homeschool classroom!

It's that time of year again, folks. The days are getting shorter, the air is getting cooler (but defintely not cooler if you are living in Florida!), and we're all begrudgingly trading in our beach towels for textbooks.

As the end of the school year rapidly approaches, educators seek ways to keep their students engaged and excited about learning until the last bell rings, whether with STEM challenges, STEM projects, or another fun way to help busy teachers get to the end. 

Student engagement is at the forefront of the maker movement and can be included in many different subject areas, but my favorite way to include Makerspace activities is by integrating literacy skills such as comprehension.

Consequently, great books are sitting on our shelves, growing dusty. Without fiction, we are losing the support or conditions that will prompt students to continue reading and thinking in the best ways. Most importantly, children are missing out on opportunities to fall in love with characters and stories in their favorite books.

As a first and second-grade teacher for more than 18 years and then a media specialist, I have seen with my own eyes the benefits of reading and what good literature can do for children, especially for our most reluctant readers. Great stories draw readers in and hook them. Without fiction, we are losing a generation of readers who have a love of books and a love to read for the pure joy of reading lots of books.

The last days of school can be a whirlwind.

Class lists, student folders, and EVERYTHING ELSE are DUE all pretty much at the same time before the last day of school! It really can be a madhouse. Kids are so ready to be done. (That doesn’t help the matter!) You are either cramming the remaining content down the kids' throats, hoping you have covered everything, or you were done a month ago due to having to cover everything BEFORE testing began! Either way, it is A LOT!

There really is no tiredness like end-of-the-year tiredness for a teacher! But so many people don’t get it. (And sometimes even your spouse of 15 years!) So I want to share some tips and tricks for getting you to the finish line confidently and in a fun way for your entire class! (One can only hope!)

While starting a maker space in your classroom, school library, or homeschool area can be an overwhelming task, you can breathe a little more comfortable knowing that the maker mindset community encourages you to approach making in your own way with a focus on new things and new skills.

Makerspaces encourage creative thinking, taking risks, different ways of doing things, project-based learning, and learning from failure for young people.

Organizing and labeling a makerspace can be an intimidating task for classroom teachers or media specialists in school libraries.

But it doesn't have to be! Whether you're starting school makerspaces in a school library or in the classroom, if you're part of the growing maker movement, you can make the most of your maker space with the right organization and labels. With a little effort, it's easy to turn your space into a creative hub that's ready for all sorts of tinkering and exploration. So grab your supplies, and let's get started!

Makerspaces don’t have to be in a Media Center or school library. School makerspaces are also great in a classroom, whether that is a traditional space or a homeschool classroom for young people. Since a Makerspace is merely a place to create, build, wonder, and discover, it can be just about ANYWHERE! That’s the good news. So in this week’s post, I want to show you five Fundamental Ways to Launching A Sensational Makerspace that focuses on creative thinking in different ways and the maker mindset.

Makerspace and the maker movement is a rapidly growing trend in schools across the country, and it is taking education by storm with new things and new skills.

Most Makerspaces can exist in the school library or in spaces designed for school makerspaces. However, I don’t feel it should be limited to these areas in a school. Although I think maker space is awesome in the Media Center, but why not have one in every classroom?