Makerspace

Jackson Vogt & Jess Jarvie continued teaching the Makerspace programme through 2024. Due to health reasons this position became a job share with Jess focusing mainly on the Garden to Table programme, whilst Jackson continued with the Maker Programme for the days he was at work.

All Year 1 students attended the Makerspace an hour each week, while all Year 2-6 students attended in the Makerspace in alternate weeks. The other half of the class attended the Creative Space with Hannah West/Tia Peleti giving class teachers their weekly hour long CRT allowance and providing a unique hands on small group learning programme taught by specialist teachers.

Jackson/Jess worked with teachers across Teams 1-4 to develop learning that complemented and extended the school wide inquiry focus at each level. Planning and preparation for the projects has ensured the continuity and sequence of learning throughout the school as well as the resourcing of tools and materials for each project.

2024 has been a year of providing students a wide range of technologies from cooking, gardening to laser cutting, air pressure rockets to 3D printing .

Our Partnership with Garden to Table continued with nearly all classroom gardens planted by students and harvested to be sent home or gifted to the community via the Pātaka Kai. Grow, harvest preapre and share are the Garden to Table Process that is followed in this programme.

The teaching in the Makerspace has a strong commitment to cultural responsiveness and Jess & Jackson also took responsibility for projects that reflect the perspectives of communities represented in our school and their aspirations.

Makerspace Projects and Partners

Laser Cutter

In 2024 the Laser Cutter could only be used on days when Jackson was at school but tauira still recieved opportunites with this great tool.

Students have experimented with a wide range of materials including, bamboo, paper, perspex, plywood and cardboard boxes. More teachers have been encouraged to use this tool to create resources for their classrooms.

An extension group of Year 7-8 students, the 'Makerspace Technicians' have been learning how to use the machine and its software to convert their ideas and designs to decorate the Pātaka Kai.

3D Printer

Like the Laser Cutter, this tool could only be used when Jackson was present.

Tauira continued with Tinkercad. Students were excited to not only design and print their own Croc Jibbitz, but to use the CAD software to work on their classroom furniture design project.

ePro8 Engineering

We re-evaluated the value of EPro 8 in 2024 and as a result have decided not to participate in 2025, due to time contraints and the challenges of meaningful integration.

The tauira who participated definitely got joy out of this but it was really an "add on" and we have decided to give it a rest for 2025.

Garden to Table

Our partnership with Garden to Table grew in 2024 as Jess grew the connection with the local coordinator who supported with planting and harvesting. We improved our procurement and received donations of materials.

Jess continued to encourage and support all teams and teachers to use their gardens as a learning resource that classes can take pride in. She has worked with Tim, our new Caretaker and Gordon, to rejuventate the gardens and plan for an irrigation system

Students have been able to study soil ecosytems , planting and maintaining a garden in the areas they learn and play in and develop respect and kaitiakitanga for the natural world.

Students gave great feedback and were extremely enthusiastic about this. They expressed their love of this.

Pātaka Kai

The Pātaka Kai is a simple, open outside facing cupboard for both the the school and the community to donate food and collect food from. Much of our produce from the Garden to table is distributed to families via the Pātaka Kai.

The 'Makerspace Technicians' and school staff have the privilege and responsibility to decorate, maintain and clean the Pātaka kai to encourage more people to use it.

Jackson Vogt/Jess Jarvie/Russell Burt

Makerspace teachers

November 2024

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