My family has been attending the Maker Faire for the last five years. We also attend the East Bay Mini Maker Faire every October in Oakland CA. At these events, we are exposed to amazing innovation and brain power-sometimes it’s simply breathtaking. These events have instilled some very important concepts into me and my family. We are makers. We are inventors. We are creators. Recently, I have begun to see the Maker Movement (as it is called) bleed into K-12 schools as teachers see the value for PBL and engagement. There are now magazines, books, kits, YouTube channels, and clubs spawning all over the US and beyond. My 9 year old belongs to a Curiosity Hacked guild where they build, create, and explore with a set curriculum and badges. We’re sitting in a Scratch class right now @TheMADE; another offshoot of Maker Movement. Makers are made daily as we get up off the couch and begin building again. As a mom, I’m good with that.

One great example of the power of this new movement is “Super Awesome” Sylvia Todd via Mindshift. She’s 13 and has created her own Project Book, hardware kits, and video series geared towards kids to help them dive into this exciting world. It is inspiring to see how this movement has hooked her and how she in turn is so passionate that she is now teaching us all. This is the power of the Maker Movement.

Teachers: Don’t be shy, dive in, step aside and let the kids run the show in this new realm. They will amaze you and teach you a thing or two. If you’re unsure where to start, ask Sylvia!