The importance of the so-called “MakerEd” phenomenon, as it relates to nurturing the next generation workforce, is something we’re passionate about in Fremont. You may recall a recent blog post by Fremont parent, Grace Karr, which defines the movement and why it’s important to our innovation ecosystem.

We’re happy to report that together the City and Fremont Unified School District have initiated a conversation about how to bring this idea to life in our K-12 classrooms. Last month, over 30 education and community stakeholders gathered at the “FlexLab” classroom at Hopkins Junior High to discuss the possibilities. Participants included parents, teachers, school district staff, principals, education experts, community-based organizations, and yes, even students!

The initial discussion focused on a few central questions:

  • What does a “Maker” classroom or school look like?
  • What tools and materials do we need for a successful Maker Initiative?
  • What do teachers need to know to engage students in making things, and who else is available to help?
  • What are kids making, and how can students help address community challenges?

There was no shortage of great ideas coming out of this exercise. Here’s a snapshot of a few of those ideas:

  • Creating more indoor/outdoor classrooms
  • Generating more “experiences” for students — even if outside the regular school schedule
  • A “maker-mobile” that could travel from school to school, and “touring tools”
  • An Idea Fair to identify what problems our students are most interested in tackling
  • “Teacher-ships” — a summer internship opportunity for teachers to build stronger relationships with local industries
  • A commitment to incorporate tool usage throughout school curriculum

Perhaps the most interesting was a discussion about whether “MakerEd” best captures our thinking about this movement. Many different labels could work beyond “Maker”, including: “Inventor,” “Imagineer,” “Solutionary,” “Actioneer,” or “Techie.”

Regardless of the label, the commitment to working on this effort is strong. Perhaps you’d like to join us! And if you need more inspiration, check out this “Kid President” video that is charming, funny, and the embodiment of the end goal — curious kids, empowered to create solutions to real-life problems.