Massachusetts School Library Association
Member Portal:
​Join/Renew/Directory
​
  • Home
    • Spotlight Archive
    • MSLA Constitution
    • About Us
  • Membership
  • Conference
  • Resources
  • Advocacy
  • Awards
    • Judi Paradis Memorial Grant
    • MSLA Awards Archive: History of Awards >
      • 2023 Awards Pictures
      • 2019 Awards Pictures
      • 2018 Awards Pictures
      • 2017 Awards Pictures
      • 2016 Awards Pictures
      • 2015 Awards Pictures
  • Bookmark Contest

MassCUE Learning Tour: Sharon Public Schools Makerspaces

10/15/2016

0 Comments

 
Cathy Collins is the Library Media Specialist at Sharon High School
Picture
Library makerspaces are creating quite a buzz these days. But how does one go about transforming spaces from blah to hurrah? On Sept. 13th, MassCUE (Massachusetts Computer Using Educators) guests from neighboring districts participated in a Learning Tour of the Sharon Public Schools library makerspaces. Assistant Superintendent of Administration and Information Services, Dr. John Marcus and I, served as co-hosts for the day, sharing our district journey from imagining and visioning to creating action plans, gathering resources and materials, scheduling formal and informal learning activities, aligning activities to standards and showcasing student creations. We stressed that ours was a journey very much in process, and encouraged participants to share their own vision along with their nuts and bolts implementation efforts. The rich sharing that took place provided fun and value for participants as well as for us as co-hosts!

Therein lies the value of Learning Tours. By visiting other districts and sharing with colleagues working in a wide range of educational settings, we are temporarily lifted above real and imagined constraints, as we collectively learn from each other. It is somewhat similar to that feeling of rising above the gray clouds when flying and suddenly viewing clear, blue skies of possibility.

Participants viewed our library makerspaces at all grade levels through visits that started at the high school and continued at one of our elementary schools followed by our middle school. Along the way, students shared, demonstrated their learning about makerspaces and answered questions. Members of our Digital Literacy Team of instructional technology and library media specialists also shared about the development of our makerspace resources, scheduling, organization and steps toward creating a schoolwide maker culture.

In the words of one participant, Chris Allen, MS/HS library media specialist from Duxbury, “I attended the MassCUE Library MakerSpace Learning Tour this week and it was certainly time well spent. We learned how Sharon Public Schools is approaching the Maker Movement through discussions facilitated by co-hosts for the day, Assistant Superintendent of Administration and Information Services, Dr. John Marcus and SHS Library Media Specialist, Cathy Collins. We were also able to see the physical MakerSpaces of schools at various levels. In addition, we brainstormed Maker ideas for our own schools and districts. It was a fantastic way to see and hear what is happening in other districts.”

The visit would not have been complete without a lunch break at Sharon’s popular “Coriander Bistro,” which allowed for more informal sharing, brainstorming and the ambiance of a delicious Indian buffet enjoyed with beautiful Indian music and décor in the background to further creatively inspire us.

Julia Cameron’s wonderful book, The Artist’s Way, encouraged us to feed our naturally artistic spirits through the forming of “creative clusters,” a spiritual version of PLN’s. So, too, Learning Tours allow us as educators valuable opportunities to share and in doing so, spark each other’s innate creativity.
​

I wholeheartedly agree with Cameron, who said, “It is my belief and my experience as a teacher that all of us are healthy enough to practice creativity. It is not a dangerous endeavor requiring trained facilitators. It is our human birthright and something we can do gently and collectively. Creativity is like breathing – pointers may help, but we do the process ourselves. Creative clusters, where we gather as peers to develop our strength, are best regarded as tribal gatherings, where creative beings raise, celebrate, and actualize the creative power which runs through us all.”

School librarians interested in learning more about MassCUE and our creative cluster are encouraged to contact me for more information.
This article was also published to OnCUE, MassCUE’s online newsletter.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Forum Newsletter

    Co-Editors
    ​Luke Steere and Michelle Fontaine

    Michelle is School Librarian at Epstein Hillel School in Marblehead; Luke is School Librarian at  Wilson Middle in Natick

    Click to set custom HTML

    Categories

    All
    AASL
    Academic
    Advocacy
    ALA
    Authors
    Book Bans
    Book Challenges
    Book Trailers
    Cataloging
    Censorship
    Column
    Conference
    Copyright
    Culture
    Databases
    Dewey
    Digital Citizenship
    E Books
    E-books
    Elementary
    ESSA
    Ethics
    Evaluation
    Graphic Books
    Graphic Novels
    Inquiry
    Leadership
    Learning Commons
    Legislation
    Literacy
    Maker Space
    Nonfiction
    Orientation
    Picture Books
    Planning
    PLN
    President's Remarks
    Professional Development
    Reading
    Research
    Science
    Secondary
    Social Justice
    Standards
    Technology
    Union
    Volunteers
    Weeding

    Archives

    February 2025
    May 2024
    February 2024
    October 2023
    May 2023
    February 2023
    October 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    April 2015

    MSLA Forum Past Issues:
    January 2015
    April 2015
    ​
    2002-2015 MSLA Forum
The Massachusetts School Library Association  works to ensure every school has a school library program that is fully integrated at all grade levels across the curriculum and has a significant and measurable impact on student achievement….Read more…..and Learn more about MSLA

Picture
Contact MSLA:
Emily Kristofek, Office Manager/Event Planner
P.O. Box 336. Wayland, MA 01778
[email protected]
​
508-276-1697 

Massachusetts School Library Association. All Rights Reserved.  Copyright 2025.