What started as a conversation about creating a materials library turned into something much bigger at Shaver Elementary. Principal Jessica Stewart Keys recognized the importance of giving students and teachers not just access to high-quality, open-ended materials, but also a dedicated space to gather and explore together.
Through partnership with Teaching Preschool Partners, she saw the opportunity to transform an underused room into a makerspace. We began with brainstorming sessions: sitting down with images, references, and what we know about Shaver’s community. We asked ourselves some grounding questions:
- What do we want this space to feel like?
- Who is it for?
- What possibilities can it open for children and adults alike?
Collaboration was always at the center of the project. The school’s parent association helped set up the room, moving shared art supplies and gathering volunteers to prepare the space. Teachers were also included from day one: during their first professional development session of the school year, they were invited to explore the space as users: experimenting with wire, watercolor pencils, loose parts, cardboard, and tape, and reflecting on what children might experience there. Then, as facilitators, they imagined how they could use this space for inquiry with their students and to create joyful and hand-on experiences.
Walking in “with the eyes of a child,” teachers wrote what they wanted:
- A shared space that excites students, one that prioritizes curiosity and creativity.
- A place that feels special, separate from the classroom, with student artwork on display.
- Opportunities for open-ended creativity and hands-on learning that connect to reading, science, and storytelling.
They also named practical needs like storage for unfinished projects, clear labels with pictures, and equitable systems for scheduling and accessing materials. This early input shaped not just the layout but the identity of the makerspace itself.
A teacher leadership team stepped up to manage and create systems for the room, and they suggested engaging a group of student leaders to help care for and manage the makerspace: ensuring that it remains a living, community-centered space.
Today the makerspace has become a community project: dreamed up by a principal, nurtured by teachers, supported by parents, and brought to life for children. Now we wonder:
What ideas will the children bring to life in this space?
How might they make this space their own and shape what it becomes next?
