Inspiring Ways to Bring Maker-Centered Learning Home

In early March, UNESCO confirmed that school closures in an effort to curb the COVID-19 pandemic have affected 290 million students across 22 countries. In the U.S., school closures due to coronavirus have impacted at least 124,000 U.S. public and private schools and affected at least 55.1 million students.

If you’re an educator, you may be finding it incredibly challenging to engage students in learning virtually. Students may have difficulty focusing on their schoolwork with the limitations that come with trying to participate in classes remotely and the distractions of being at home. And if you’re a parent or caretaker of a K-12 student, striking a balance between working from home and homeschooling may be uncharted territory.

Now, more than ever, we’re seeing how important it is to create equitable and engaging learning opportunities for students. When many schools are pivoting completely to virtual learning, students that don’t have consistent access to a computer and/or the Internet may not be able to fully participate, while other students feel disengaged. Activities that are relevant to what is happening right now can help students to make sense of the world and empower them to have agency at a time when they may otherwise feel helpless and scared. Students in Camas, WA and Warwick, RI have been using their skills and access to 3D printers and laser cutters to create eye shields and face masks at home for healthcare workers in their community.

Rather than thinking only about the limitations to learning that this situation has created, we can think about how to support students so that they can continue to learn under these constraints and how to make the most of this unique situation. No one wants to shelter in place or stay at home for extended periods of time, but if this is what we need to do to keep everyone safe and healthy, then at least we can try to create an environment for students at home that is educational, interactive, and fun. This is where maker-centered learning comes in. 

Making can bring to life the virtual learning that is currently the norm for so many students and can be incredibly empowering during what is otherwise a very disruptive time. Drawing from the Make For All community of commitment makers, partners, and supporters, we’re highlighting a set of inspiring resources that can help educators, families, and students bring maker-centered learning home. Access to these activities and ideas are free and the projects, which focus on K-12 students, are accessible because they mostly use materials and supplies that can be found around the house. You can find these in a special collection of our resource library here.

During a time of uncertainty, making together can be simultaneously empowering, therapeutic, and educational for all of us—students, families, and educators alike.

Learn more about how Citizen Schools is responding to COVID-19 and supporting the students, educators, and volunteers we work with here.