“Wow! "Moment - Popup Makerspace in French

Isn’t it wonderful when you hear your students having those moments?

Last spring, I set up a popup maker space. For a whole morning, my students tinkered, made, built and played with scribbling machines.

“The role of the teacher is to create the conditions for invention rather than provide ready-made knowledge”
Seymour Pappert.

I’m telling you, setting this popup Makerspace was a big thing for me. It involved disrupting the “usual” French learning, disrupting the whole classroom.
As I organised my room that morning, my mind was spinning with “ what if..”, what if the students can’t do it, what if it all fails, what if it’s too easy for them???
Added to that, the funny look on my colleagues’ faces didn’t help to relax!
Yet it was a completely and truly amazing morning!

How did I get organised...

[caption id="attachment_470" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Photo M. Brutel[/caption]

I was lucky enough to attend Learning2 Europe in Milan last spring and to participate to the Popup makerspace precon with Mark Shillitoe.
I made good use of my learning experiences and I re-used and remixed everything for my students’ needs.

Space: I arranged all the desks to make one big table. This design encouraged conversations and allowed movement.
Tinker table: on the big table, I drew a “how to” guide in French and put all the materials needed.
Curiosity: I had one scribble-bot ready to use.
Remix: I also had one unfinished scribbling machine.

[caption id="attachment_465" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Photo M. Brutel[/caption]

I also had one Makey Makey. I used it as a giant controller mat to play Pac Man. This activity was ready to play. However I let my students discover how to use Makey Makey.

[caption id="attachment_469" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Photo M. Brutel[/caption]

What I wish I had...

My morning schedule is divided into 4 lessons of 40mn each. Students in Grade1, 2, 4 and 5 participated in this Popup Makerspace. The time was very short, in particular for the first group. Yet, there were 4 scribble-bots ready to go at the end of the lesson.
When the next group entered the room, they remixed some of them. I wish the makers could have seen it!

Why did I do it?

• Firstly, I just love making things!
  Secondly, as a learner, I know that I just learn better by doing.
  Thirdly, my students were able to reuse French words in a real situation.
  And at last and not the least, here is a list of qualities shared by Michael Gorman from the Makers movement:


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  Allow for student intrinsic motivation and self-directed learning

  
  


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  Support students in a natural connection toward the facilitation of the 4 C’s

  
  


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  Engage students in significant content by allowing for connections to curriculum

  
  


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  Immerse students in experiences that promote the idea of flow

  
  


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  Provide students opportunities that allow them to fail in order to succeed

  
  


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  Emphasize to students and teachers the importance of process over outcome

  
  


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  Engage students in relevance and connections through an authentic learning experience

  
  


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  Create opportunities for students to be producers of content and products

  
  


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  Facilitate to students the idea of entrepreneurship through innovation

  
  


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  Introduce students to the iterative process for problem solving

  
  


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  Support student inquiry by relaying the importance of good questions and continued questioning

  
  

[caption id="attachment_467" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Photo M. Brutel[/caption]

What’s next?

I’m planning on having another Pop up Makerspace soon. I have found more ideas from the Tinkering studio. I have 3 Makey Makey now. My idea is to have a workshop using Scratch and Makey Makey with my students during Hour of Code in December.

[caption id="attachment_463" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Photo M. Brutel[/caption]