My maker philosophy draws a lot of inspiration from both my teaching philosophy and my UTeach experience. If I had to summarize what teaching and making mean to me in two words or less, there is one phrase that echoes in my mind, and that is: student-centered. The lessons that I teach, the activities that I incorporate into my classroom, and the relationships that I strive to create, are all built around one entity: the student. I believe that making is an experience of building and creating that is meant for anyone; it is the freedom to create or design something however you want to. The choice to make something through specific instructions or through your own experiences and intuition is completely yours to decide.
In combination with these ideas of student voice and choice, I also believe in the freedom for students to learn through exploration and discovery. That knowledge is continuously being built and constructed through these experiences, and there is no limit to what a student can learn or learn to create. My beliefs in constructivism and growth mindset are heavily influenced by the works of Jean Piaget and Carol Dweck, and additionally, takes from Seymour Papert’s Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas.
In his work, Papert discusses the idea of the child being 'the builder' and focuses on the fact that all builders need materials to build with. This is something that resonated with me, and made me think beyond what we consider the 'materials'. Perhaps the materials are physical, for example, crafting supplies, computers, or circuit boards. But also, maybe the materials are experiences, intuition, culture, or prior knowledge, that the student is bringing with them when they learn and when they express themselves. Regardless of that "material", my goal in my classroom and my belief is that all students should have a safe space and the opportunity to build and create from. A product that celebrates both them and their effort - to solve problem, explain an idea, or describes a concept in way that speaks to them.