Maker Philosophy
The Beginning
In the beginning, I did not want to join UTeach Maker. I heard about what Makers already in the program were doing, such as creating a light-up cardboard sign and flying airships with helium balloons, and I did think that those activities were interesting. However, I did not think that I was qualified to be a Maker. I grew up knitting, crocheting, and beading, but I had no experience with woodworking or even using a power tool. Because I was too intimidated, I initially declined Shelly's invitation to join UTeach Maker. However, I applied because of her eagerness, and I joined UTeach Maker in December 2017.
Summer Reading Club
During the summer of 2018, I participated in a book club that Shelly started. I read an entry about making and responded to questions on an online discussion board. I had just joined UTeach Maker only 6 months prior to this, so I did not have my own definition of making yet.
I read chapter 2 from Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, which was about the differences between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. People with fixed mindsets believe that you are born with traits that cannot be changed. For them, you have to be born smart to be smart. However, people with growth mindsets believe that you can get smarter. Reading this was an interesting experience because it felt like the author was writing about me. I could identify with all of the characteristics of having a fixed mindset. My goals were success and validation, and I would avoid challenging myself because I wanted to make sure I succeeded. Success to me meant not making mistakes, and not making mistakes meant that I was smart. My responses to the discussion questions go more into detail about this.
1. Can you think of a time you faced a project or challenge with a fixed mindset?
"If things get too challenging - when they're not feeling smart or talented - they lose interest," is a quote that describes me well. Just like John McEnroe, I try to repair my self-esteem after a failure by assigning blame and making excuses. There have been times when I blamed the personality or attitude of the professor when I was not doing well in a class. I do this because I do not want to think that I am not smart enough to get good grades.
2. What were your thoughts and worries-- about your abilities? --about other people's judgments? about the possibility of failure?
There are times when I am confident in my abilities and times when I doubt them, which I think is the same for everyone. I tend to compare myself to others and seek approval to feel smart. When there is a possibility of failure, I feel afraid. Sometimes this leads me to take the easier route instead of challenging myself. However, choosing to do difficult tasks and overcoming obstacles is more satisfying in the end.
Reading this chapter and responding to those two questions was a wake-up call. If I thought that success meant accomplishing tasks on the first attempt, then my students would be afraid to make mistakes. They would not raise their hands to try to answer a question if they thought they could be wrong. Me having a fixed mindset would surely negatively influence my students. My response to the third question of the reading discussion reflects this realization.
3. In what ways does this week's reading relate to your journey as a teacher, learner, and maker?
I think that I have a long way to go and a lot to learn as a future teacher. If I want my students to have a growth mindset, I need to have one also. Being in UTeach Maker has already started changing the way I think. Making is all about making mistakes, reflecting, and making adjustments, so I am learning to embrace failure.
Equity, Diversity, and Access
I would love for all of my students to have access to making. However, not everyone has the resources. I ran into this issue while implementing my maker lesson. I gave my students options to come to school early or to stay after school to work on their projects. Only 2 out of 19 students showed up. I thought that if I provided the equipment, my students would all have access to it, but I was wrong. When I later asked my students why they didn't come, some said they had work, and others said that they didn't have rides. By implementing a portion of my lesson outside of normal school hours, I prevented a majority of my students from participating. In the future, I will make sure to have making happen during my class period.
Something that I have to keep in mind when introducing making is that my classroom is made up of diverse students. They each come from different backgrounds, so even if one student has experience woodworking, for example, I cannot assume that other students have the same experience. All students also work and learn at different paces. When I bring making into my classroom, my goal will be to create an environment where students do not feel intimidated. I will welcome students of all levels.
Making to Me
After being a Maker for 3 semesters, I am now able to provide my own definition of making.
Making to me is to embrace a growth mindset
to create a personally meaningful product.