Makerspace
InTASC Standard 3: Learning Environment
The teachers works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction active engagement in learning, and self-motivation (InTASC, 2013).
Brief Description of Evidence
In the Spring semester of 2020, my EDUC 233 class created a book fair run by three different groups in the class. Each group member had to create a visually appealing book report poster on a book of their choosing and develop at least 2 activities that are appropriate for the book's age level. Each poster had to include all details of the written book report including main characters, major and minor conflicts, climax, age level, a summary of the plot, each activity in the additional book kit for students to take home and complete, and a list of standards for each activity. In addition to the interactive and engaging poster and book kit, I also created an interactive PowerPoint for at-home use and to include extra flexibility in the lesson.
Floor Plan
Analysis of What I Learned
Through this assignment, I learned what the most important sections of a book/story are, what types of assignments are appropriate for ages 4-7, how to make an engaging and informative poster/project, and some of the many forms of assessment. I compiled all of this information into an informative and interactive poster and an interactive PowerPoint version for computer use as well. Maria Montessori’s approach to allowing children to express themselves in their learning and use a hands-on approach to learning is highly reflected in this artifact (Woods, 2021). It is important, especially in engineering-focused lessons, to allow students to experiment with their work and explore the lesson by themselves. Allowing students to explore the curriculum, uninterrupted, for as long as they need allows them to focus on areas of interest while motivating themselves to finish their work on time and with maximum effort. It is also important to keep the environment organized and clean and to provide a routine for students so they can focus their attention on their work.
How This Artifact Demonstrates My Competence in InTASC Standard 3
In the Fall semester of my EDUC 201 class, each student had to create a floor plan of a maker space, 5 different activities that students could do in the classroom, and a budget that includes the furniture in the room and the supplies for the activities. I chose to make a space that would be useable by students in grades 6-12 that focused mainly on engineering, computer science, and robotics. I chose to divide the room into sections for each activity, there were roughly 4-5 seats per activity and enough room for 25 students in the room total.
InTASC Standards. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.ccsso.org/resources/programs/interstate_teacher_assessment_consortium_(intasc).htms
Woods, N. (2021, March 20). What is Montessori? 7 principles of the Montessori method. Retrieved April 07, 2021, from https://www.montessoriup.com/what-is-montessori/