After reading the blog post, “6 Active Learning Spaces Your Library Should Have” by Diana Rendina (2016), I reflected upon my mentor’s elementary library at Gullet Elementary and how her facility fit within these listed spaces. The spaces included were: small group areas, large group areas, community area, technology-rich areas, quiet/solitary areas, and makerspaces. My mentor’s library, serving approximately 600 elementary students, is a mid-size school library that has been recently renovated. Within the space, there are flexible seating options, a presentation area with foldable tables, story steps for lessons and read alouds, and a computer area with desktop computers. Based on these offerings, my mentor’s library has small group areas from flexible seating, two large group areas that also serve as community areas, a technology rich area, and solitary areas. Reflecting on the spaces described Rendina (2016), the only type of space not included in my mentor’s school library is a dedicated makerspace area. I approached my mentor asking why her library did not include a makerspace area, and she informed me that at her school’s students were given dedicated class periods for specific makerspace activities through a class called the “STEAM Lab”. Though this additional course offering for campus students may satisfy and fulfill teaching inquiry and 21st century skills to Gullet students, I do believe that a small makerspace area included within the library space would promote students visiting the library outside of their scheduled, class time. In “A Team Approach to Designing Future Ready Library Spaces”, Caroline Foote (2019) emphasized the present need to modernize the school library. Other than focusing on fulfilling the six fundamental spaces for modern libraries that Rendina (2016) mentioned, librarians and administrators should also consider community stakeholders, visiting aspirational and effective library facilities, gathering data regarding current facilities, resources, and engagement, and emphasizing 21st century skills within library facilities when considering redesigning their school libraries. Looking towards the future, in order for library lessons to integrate AASL standards for 21st century learners, each library space must include the elements of inquiry and technology to provide a truly effective library program. Additionally, increasing engagement through community stakeholders, such as parents, teacher, and administrators through cross-curricular instruction that makerspaces provide, would ultimately advocate for the library program. For these reasons, my suggested redesign for my mentor’s library would be the inclusion of a small, portable makerspace area such as STEM bins on rolling carts. Having been recently renovated, the highlight of my mentor’s library is the flexibility of the space through large open spaces and flexible furniture options. To continue in this same vain, I would wish for the makerspace area to be flexible and portable as well. Additionally, the recent renovations mean that there is not much money or support for further renovations to the space. Therefor, I believe STEM bin carts would be a great addition and solution to creating a makerspace area within the library, and could easily be supported by data and TEKS as Foote (2019) suggested in her article. To make a makerspace cart, you would need a rolling cart (found at any craft store), plastic pencil boxes, and a variety of building materials such as legos, unifix cubes, or base ten blocks. Many of these resources can already be found on campus. Then, the librarian can either develop their own challenge cards for students to utilize the STEM bins with, or the librarian can find a variety of these challenge cards available online. The original creator and visionary of STEM bins, Brooke Brown, sells a variety of challenge cards and materials on her site and through her Teachers Pay Teachers store (Click Here to See/Buy Brooke’s STEM Bin Materials). After this minor redesign, I would ultimately hope to see more inquiry and discovery within the library setting in conjunction with the already fabulous and modern spaces within the Gullet library. This suggested redesign would be a minor and manageable way to implement an engaging makerspace area in the library. Figure 1. Makerspace Area in Library. Photo is from a blog post by Diana Rendina (2016), https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/6-active-learning-spaces-library/ References Foote, C. (2019). A team approach to designing future ready library
spaces. Knowledge Quest, 47(3), 9-13. Retrieved from knowledgequest.aasl.org Rendina, D. (2016, January 27). 6 active learning spaces your library should have [blog post]. Retrieved from https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/6-active-learning-spaces- library/ Rendina, D. (2016, January 27). Makerspaces: Access to hands-on materials [photograph]. Retrieved from https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/6-active-learning-spaces- library/
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorMy name is Mackenzie Wright. I am currently a teacher in the Austin area, and am finishing my Master's in school librarianship through UNT. Categories
All
|