Makerspace Basics for Early Childhood Classrooms
Marthe Spizman and Lindsey Elliott
Meet our guests
Marthe Spizman is an EC educator in Chicago IL. She has been working in education for seven years and grew up in Highland Park, IL. Marthe went to Columbia College where she studied early childhood education. After two years of student teaching and traveling to Reggio Emilia to learn more about the approach, she began her career. In her free time, Marthe loves to cook (and eat), make art, and laugh with friends, family, and her two lazy kitty cats!
Lindsey Elliott (Marthe’s Co-Host!), is also an EC educator in Chicago, IL, and has been teaching for the past 12 years. She grew up in Oconomowoc, WI, and studied at the University of Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art History. After moving to Chicago, she decided to pursue a career in teaching, earning a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from DePaul University. Lindsey traveled to Italy in March 2017 to study the Reggio Emilia Approach and that experience sparked her love of professional development as a continual inspiration for teachers. Lindsey's greatest joy is her two children, Isla and Leo.
Marthe and Lindsey worked as co-teachers at the same school for five years. They recently ‘broke up’ as co-teachers (not friends, though;) and have continued to partner for professional development endeavors as well as all things reflective teaching and learning.
““When the options are endless and there are fewer rules, kids focus and take risks.””
Teacher Takeaways
Makerspaces
Find a space (corner/shelf/tray) to designate as your makerspace.
Think about safety/rules you’ll share/model for your students.
Fasteners to gather: tape (masking, duct, scotch, washi), glue (wood, elmer’s, tacky), staples.
Collect materials:
Recycled materials (cardboard, egg cartons, plastic bottles)
Home Depot buys (hardware stores will often give scraps and leftovers to teachers, just ask!)
Beads
Yarn/string/ribbon
Rocks, seashells (natural materials)
Paper clips, wire
Rubber bands
Old cd’s and records
Start small/simple with just a few materials and one fastener.
Don’t forget to observe your choldren and add/modify as they go!
Skills used while creating: fine and gross motor, math, design thinking, flexibility, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, to name a few!
Resources
Referenced in the Interview
