I’ve written a lot of theory in this blog, but I think it would be a nice idea to share with you some practical things I’ve learned teaching my classes. We will always face challenges in class because we are working with human beings, and humans are complex and diverse in their very own nature.

So, what makes a regular teacher different from a good one are the tools one has available to deal with and tackle those challenges. Here are some of my tools to overcome some common challenges I’ve faced in class:

How can you help your students develop Maker abilities?

Once in a while, there’s a student transferring from a traditional school to my classes. It’s quite tough, because they are not taught to think autonomously. In the beginning, they struggle a lot, mostly when I don’t give them the answers to their questions right away. As difficult as it may be, this process must occur in order to empower their maker abilities.

We should always model by example, but never make something for a student. It’s not about the quality of the final product; it’s about the journey they have taken to get there.

We love to learn by playing!

Sometimes, teachers ask me “How do students learn in your class? They’re always playing around!”. It really bugs me sometimes, but I can understand where this question comes from. We all grew up in an educational system where learning was boring. However, Educators have been conducting research for a looong time about playful learning. Paulo Freire, Piaget, Papert, Montessori, Resnick and so many others have written about the importance of playful learning in school. Through play, students experiment with concepts that would be hard to learn abstractly. It’s not only engaging, because they love it, but it’s also better for them to develop critical thinking and a scientific mindset (develop hypothesis – test – check the results).

5 steps to help you adapt Maker Classes to any context

This is a tricky topic, and most teachers think Maker-Centered learning isn’t for them because it would never work in their schools or classes. But don’t worry! Maker is for everyone! And there are 5 easy steps to implement it in your school.

1. Maker is about community > Engage your students in the activities by having them work as a team.

2. Maker is about finding opportunities > If you don’t have a super laser-like Puzzle, I’m pretty sure you do have some tables with plenty of space for students to play and learn with their projects. So why don’t you start there?

3. Maker is about looking closely > Give students enough time to observe things. The parts, how they are attached to each other, and what they can do. This is essential to give them space to create more and more!

4. Maker is about exploring complexities > If you don’t have a specific tool or material, what can you use instead? The kits were designed to provide you with everything you need, but in case you need to adapt anything, there are several options to substitute things.

5. Maker is about empowerment > When we make things, we are proud of them. Foster this feeling in class, and be proud of what you’re helping them make! You are an essential part since you’re making this happen!

When the project fails: Dealing with frustration in class

Wow, this is a tough topic, because there are two kinds of frustration we teachers have to deal with. Our students’ and our own. When a student isn’t able to execute a task due to any obstacle they can’t overcome, they become extremely frustrated. Our first reaction is to help the student by doing it for them, and it might solve the problem at first, but it doesn’t help them overcome their hardships. As teachers, we need to teach them how to overcome those barriers. Or if they are too difficult to overcome, how to deal with that initial feeling before building steps to overcome them gradually. Remind your students that life is not a race and they are not falling behind if they don’t understand something. Once they have a safe space to deal with their feelings, help them design steps to learn whatever they need.

And about yours, go easy on yourself! Remember, your students may fail and they will learn from failure. And it is your job to guide them.

Don’t focus on the final product; care about their journey with you to get there instead.