The Willows, since its founding in 1994, The Willows has been a proponent of the integration of hands-on, experiential learning, and Maker philosophy within our curriculum. Now, the Maker Movement, the technology influenced DIY community inventing, designing, and promoting hands-on learning, has gathered momentum in our 21st century society and educational programming. In a continuing dedication to these principles, The Willows has enhanced our commitment to experiential learning, deep problem solving and design thinking with the creation of our new Tinker. Make. Innovate. Lab and Teacher Learning Center, which join our S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) Educational Lab as process-driven, project-based, collaborative spaces to foster the Maker initiative. These facilities offer students a variety of 21st century tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, power tools, robotics, conductive dough and more to make connections with circuitry, design and fabricate models, build with PVC, and invent, tinker and create.
The Willows will host a free, open to the public, Maker Panel on Thursday, January 15, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. in The Willows Theater. The panel of Maker Movement Leaders feature acclaimed Maker expert Gary Stager, Ph.D., co-author of “Invent to Learn,” founder of the Constructivist Consortium, principle of Constructing Modern Knowledge; Sylvia Martinez, Educator and co-author of “Invent to Learn;” Jean Kaneko, Designer and Founder and Head Tinkerer of The Exploratory in Culver City; and Amy Dugré The Willows Director of Technology. Join our panel as they discuss the benefits of the learning revolution sweeping the States – Making, the role of the Maker Movement in Education, the fact that “making” and “doing” are the natural way to learn, the future of the Maker Movement, and much more. The event is free. RSVPs are required. To rsvp visit: www.thewillows.org/events.
“Our Maker spaces challenge our students to create and innovate and think deeply,” says Head of School Lisa Rosenstein. “They are asking questions like, ‘How does this work?’ ‘What is the best tool for this job?’ They are experiencing the joys and challenges of inventing. Students actually solve their own problems with the guidance of a teacher and learning comes to life for them. This is truly igniting an education and the love of learning.”.
To learn more about The Willows visit www.thewillows.org.
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