It is so important that students have


the opportunity to try out what they have learned; it is not enough to simply deliver lessons about the theory. Without practice, there may be memorization, but not neces- sarily real comprehension. In order to deter- mine if instruction has resulted in true un- derstanding of the material, students need to demonstrate their ability. Differentiation of instruction and pro- judgment in the classroom allow


fessional


educators to be flexible with their approach to engaging students in the learning process and with assessment of learning. Tere is so much talent that students may not discover and demonstrate if pencil-and-paper tasks are not their strength. Te following is a small sampling to illustrate how my makerspace ex- periences with students allowed them to truly engage with their learning and shine. Mohamed* was a very shy student who


loved talking about his pet birds but strug- gled to connect with his classmates. Te moment he demonstrated a strong skill for building a car out of Lego, the students flocked to him. Mohamed became a group leader. He was revered by his peers for his knowledge of the mechanics involved with putting pieces together with a motor to pro- pel his vehicle forward. Jules* tried hard to find her place among


her peers because she felt that they all had expertise in something. When she show- cased her sewing skills with a collection of outfits she made for her dolls to represent the attire worn by an ancient civilization, Jules found her place. Samantha* loved to dance, but the reg-


ular classroom did not allow for her to do the thing she loved the most. At the end of the year, she used her Makey Makey skills to create a dance video game for our arcade game day. Josie* was a quiet student whose difficulty


with spelling did not stand in her way of ex- pertly incorporating an automata into her light-and-shadow box to show movement. Tese are but a few examples that dem-


onstrate how important it is that all students have the opportunity to showcase their abili- ties and understanding and enjoy experien- tial learning. Proper funding and professional development are essential to the development of this practice. It is more important than ever to help students have varied experiences to prepare them to make informed choices for whatever might lie ahead, and for each stu- dent to be able to find success in whatever area of interest they choose to pursue.


22 ETFO VOICE | WINTER 2023 Michael Fullan, an expert in educational


reform, posits that if we want students to come out of school as adaptive and creative thinkers, we need to provide opportuni- ties to foster those skills all through their schooling experiences. Te makerspace is the perfect environment for this to happen. By making mistakes with building or cre- ating, students learn what works and what does not. Making mistakes becomes nor- malized when every student experiences setbacks and develops the courage to per- severe and correct them. Mistakes are what give students pause to rethink an approach and to develop innovation to work towards a new solution. It is precisely when students are encouraged to be creative, without lim- its, and are provided with logical and tan- gible steps to guide their idea-development process that they become thoroughly en- gaged and produce tangible results. Tis approach also recognizes that there


is nothing standard about creativity. It is as unique as each student who enters my classroom. As Diane Ravitch, a historian of


education and the former United States as- sistant secretary of education noted in a 2015 keynote speech, “Sometimes, the most bril- liant and intelligent minds do not shine in standardized tests because they do not have standardized minds.” As educators, we need to embrace the


creativity our students are capable of and create opportunities for them to shine. It is with continued professional development and exposure to a breadth of experiences that teachers can make unique assessment choices to identify and highlight each indi- vidual learner’s strengths, which will in turn guide the students toward making informed decisions about their futures. Students do not all learn in the same way,


and therefore should not all be taught and tested in the same way. Our students are re- markable individuals who have tremendous capacity for learning. Educators need to be as brave and creative as their students – to meet them where they are. Tey are worth it! n


Nicole Netherway is a member of the Niagara Teacher Local.


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