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Making Makers: kids, tools, and the future of innovation
This is a book for parents and other educators--both formal and informal, who are curious about the intersections of learning and making. Through stories, research, and data, it builds the case for why it is crucial to encourage today's youth to be makers--to see the world as something they are actively helping to create. For those who are new to the Maker Movement, some history and introduction is given as well as practical advice for getting kids started in making. For those who are already familiar with the Maker Movement, this book provides biographical information about many of the "big names" and unsung heroes of the Maker Movement while also highlighting many of the attributes that make this a movement that so many people are passionate about.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published August 28, 2014
11 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 13, 2015
I don’t remember how I stumbled onto this book. It was not quite what I expected, though I forget now what I was looking for. I really enjoyed the profiles within. The author interviewed a large number of people with diverse interests, but all of them are “makers”. Some use computers or machines, others use cloth or even food. Learning about these people, seeing what they have accomplished, hearing about their roots, I really enjoyed it, and I will enjoy perusing the Internet to find out more about various organizations and/or products they are involved with, such as SparkFun Electronics, DIY Girls, Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, and GlowDoodle. I hope to get some ideas and buy some cool stuff for me and my kids. I hope my kids will emulate these people’s creative, tinkering ingenuity.
As a teacher, I’m used to lists of characteristics that, for example, embody the ideal learner. The concept isn’t completely abhorrent to me. It can be useful for reflection and goal-setting.
This author organized her chapters by characteristics that she felt the makers exhibit, characteristics such as curiosity, playfulness, and resourcefulness. I don’t disagree with her premise. I am interested in what makes these people tick, how they became innovators, and how to, perhaps, encourage that in others. Certain traits, I suppose, are worth encouraging if you hope to raise children who are confident makers. The traits as an organizing principle, however, was just not as illuminating or interesting to me as the actual, individual stories. What other big ideas could she have used to organize these interviews into a book? The author is a professor of engineering. Maybe collaborating with an education expert or, gaw, a sociologist or something could have supplied a better, more rigorous solution, I dunno.
PS The featured makers include a diverse range of individuals, including men and women and people of color. I presume it was on purpose, but more importantly, it did not feel forced or fake.
As a teacher, I’m used to lists of characteristics that, for example, embody the ideal learner. The concept isn’t completely abhorrent to me. It can be useful for reflection and goal-setting.
This author organized her chapters by characteristics that she felt the makers exhibit, characteristics such as curiosity, playfulness, and resourcefulness. I don’t disagree with her premise. I am interested in what makes these people tick, how they became innovators, and how to, perhaps, encourage that in others. Certain traits, I suppose, are worth encouraging if you hope to raise children who are confident makers. The traits as an organizing principle, however, was just not as illuminating or interesting to me as the actual, individual stories. What other big ideas could she have used to organize these interviews into a book? The author is a professor of engineering. Maybe collaborating with an education expert or, gaw, a sociologist or something could have supplied a better, more rigorous solution, I dunno.
PS The featured makers include a diverse range of individuals, including men and women and people of color. I presume it was on purpose, but more importantly, it did not feel forced or fake.
August 17, 2020
You can be maker, this book give a real stories about people whose making themself by follow their passion.
If you want to add this values into your kids and your family members, you can do what is reflected from themselves, one bias try to avoid involved your passion inside their passion, you have to isolate yourself from them, support them but not to take their responsibilities, show them the bath and let the to take the risk in moving toward the goal, their Curiosity is the inventory they have, been fun within your movement is a big lesson they have to master, persistency is the fuel they have to make sure it’s full over the making maker journey, cleverness of getting back to the road map is your resourcefulness, generosity is your other point of view, and don’t forget to make them more optimistic.
Recommended for generate a 21st century innovator.
If you want to add this values into your kids and your family members, you can do what is reflected from themselves, one bias try to avoid involved your passion inside their passion, you have to isolate yourself from them, support them but not to take their responsibilities, show them the bath and let the to take the risk in moving toward the goal, their Curiosity is the inventory they have, been fun within your movement is a big lesson they have to master, persistency is the fuel they have to make sure it’s full over the making maker journey, cleverness of getting back to the road map is your resourcefulness, generosity is your other point of view, and don’t forget to make them more optimistic.
Recommended for generate a 21st century innovator.
August 20, 2015
A very entertaining collection of stories shared by some modern makers reflecting on experiences from their childhood. These experiences are organized by the author into themes that represent a solid list of dispositions typically associated with the "maker mindset".
Many of these modern makers also share stories about how they are raising their own children. Through shared experiences, along with healthy doses of freedom and independence, using things like tools, materials, and readily available resources, these parents are guiding their kids to become their own kinds of maker - not duplicates of their maker moms or dads.
This book is a great read with lots of stories to laugh at, and deep summarizing takeaways offered by the author to consider. As both a parent and an educator trying to make makers, this book offers lots of valuable insights. Don't expect a cookbook set of recipes to follow - you'll get a list of ingredients (ie themes), but how you mix and make 'em is up to you!
Many of these modern makers also share stories about how they are raising their own children. Through shared experiences, along with healthy doses of freedom and independence, using things like tools, materials, and readily available resources, these parents are guiding their kids to become their own kinds of maker - not duplicates of their maker moms or dads.
This book is a great read with lots of stories to laugh at, and deep summarizing takeaways offered by the author to consider. As both a parent and an educator trying to make makers, this book offers lots of valuable insights. Don't expect a cookbook set of recipes to follow - you'll get a list of ingredients (ie themes), but how you mix and make 'em is up to you!
August 28, 2015
It starts a bit slow (or at least it took me some time to figure out its structure), but once you get over that hill, it's a joyride. So many interesting stories, each one making another point in case. All the parents (and teachers and lawmakers as well!) should read this.
I will try to follow the guidelines and see what happens, but I truly believe it can change a person's life - and it can happen in kindergarten!
I will try to follow the guidelines and see what happens, but I truly believe it can change a person's life - and it can happen in kindergarten!
July 2, 2016
Making Makers is a reader friendly book that focuses on eight key traits that describe Makers in the 21st Century. The author, AnnMarie P. Thomas, considers herself to be a maker along with being an associate of engineering at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and a mom encouraging her two daughters to be makers. Thomas interviews many makers and targets a key trait that they have and connects them to each chapter. The first chapter gives an overview on what a maker is-someone who makes things which can include clothes, food, tools, houses, robots, etc. The following chapters include Curiosity, Playfulness, Risk, Responsibility, Persistence, Resourcefulness, Generosity, Optimism and Maker Moms/Dads/Teachers/Neighbors/Friends. Each chapter includes current makers and their accomplishments. In the Curiosity chapter Thomas shares that although we don’t get to choose what our children will be curious about, we can guide and nurture their curiosity. As a maker mom, she encourages her daughters to seek out their curiosities. Steve Hoefer is highlighted in the Responsibility chapter because he grew up on a farm and knew all about being responsible. He recalls, “There were daily events where we were told to go off and do something, usually important, given the tools and materials, and the rest we had to figure out for ourselves. And usually it worked out. And when it didn’t, it wasn’t the end of the world.”(1) The Responsibility chapter goes on to give other examples of responsible makers and why being responsible is important in being a maker. Another trait makers must have to “make it” in the maker world is Persistence. AnnMarie Thomas says, “I often hear people extolling the virtues of failure, but I think we should focus more on persistence, and resilience, than on failure. It’s not failure itself that leads to success; rather, it’s the willingness to pick yourself (and your project) back up in hopes of getting it to work. And, if that’s what you do, those early hiccups weren’t failures, they were rough drafts.”(2) Persistence helps makers to continue to create and not allowing mistakes to cause their project to come to a permanent halt. Sometimes a halt is needed in order to have time to reflect, but with persistence, the maker perseveres until the creation is ready. Generosity comes naturally to makers because they love sharing and collaborating with other makers. What good would a creation be if it couldn’t be shared? AnnMarie Thomas feels, “If children are taught to fear that others will copy them or that successful people are too busy to help beginners, would we expect them to grow into adults who are generous with their time, knowledge, and belongings? It seems like a better way is to show them the power of collaboration, and in helping others, and to let them observe us thanking those who are generous to us.”(3) The beauty in makers is their ability to want to make this world a better place by creating something that can make a difference or improvement in our world. Their Optimism pushes them forward. A very optimistic maker is the founder of Maker Faire, Dale Dougherty, and he says, “Makers believe that they can make a difference in the world. This doesn’t mean that all makers are setting out to cure diseases or to launch a space shuttle from their back yard. What it does mean is that this is a group of people who believe they can learn new skills and bring their ideas into a tangible form.”(4) An awesome example of a maker who showed optimism was Jim Hensen, maker extraordinaire, and father to the Muppets and Sesame Street. He sums up true makers in his famous quote, “When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there.”(5) And that he did, as so many makers do and will continue to do as long as we continue to encourage and support them along the way.
Clearly AnnMarie Thomas does a fine job sharing her enthusiasm about making makers and gives the reader eight traits using real makers to define the traits. Her intent to inspire others to become makers comes across the chapters eloquently. Thomas was able to interview many makers that fit the qualifications of her traits. In my opinion once you read this book, you will want to either become a maker or seek a maker to support or mentor. She does a fine job seeking diverse makers to express her passion for making, sharing their stories with photos and descriptive language. Thomas ends the book with some steps to take as a maker, parent, teacher, neighbor or friend.
Step 1. Share your passions- (Generosity and Optimism)
Step 2. Let Children Follow Their Own Interests- (Curiosity, Playfulness and Risk)
Step 3. Step Back- (Persistence)
Step 4.Teach the Importance of Safety and Responsibility- (Responsibility and Resourcefulness)
Step 5. Let Kids Get Their Hands, Clothes (and even their rooms) Dirty- (Playfulness, Risk, Persistence and Resourcefulness)
Step 6. You Don’t Have to Have All of the Answers- (Persistence)
Step 7. Now Go Make Something!-(Curiosity, Playfulness, Risk, Responsibility, Persistence, Resourcefulness, Generosity and Optimism) (6)
The eight traits that Thomas includes in her book can be easily incorporated into her seven steps. Her future is bright because she will stop at nothing to spread the word about making makers. She has written another book called Squishy Circuits and gave a demonstration on TED Talks about the play dough squishy circuits in order to inspire others on how easy making can be. I look forward to following her on Twitter and FaceBook to keep up with her creative talents so I can inspire my scholars to follow their maker passions.
AnnMarie Thomas is a Mom, Maker and Professor of Engineering at the University of St. Paul, Minnesota with a true passion for making makers. She is clearly qualified to share her knowledge about making because her teaching and research focus on engineering design, especially in grades PreK-12. Her first book, Making Makers, takes the reader on a journey to discover the traits on what it takes to be a maker-curiosity, playfulness, risk, responsibility, persistence, resourcefulness, generosity and optimism. AnnMarie’s second book, Squishy Circuits, was inspired by her preschool-age daughter who was curious about building circuits. The “Mom” in AnnMarie came up with a safe way of building circuits using play dough. Her qualifications for being a maker are shared throughout both books. She is curious, playful, risk-taking, responsible, persistent, resourceful, generous, optimistic and is very determined to influence others with her passion for making. AnnMarie taught at Art Center College of Design and served as the Founding Executive Director of the Maker Education Initiative. She has an SB in Ocean Engineering from MIT, MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech, and a professional certificate in Sustainable Design from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Being a mother of two gives AnnMarie more qualifications because she has a unique skill set that enables her to think of safety factors involved with making as she proved in Squishy Circuits. She certainly inspired me to become a maker.
Clearly AnnMarie Thomas does a fine job sharing her enthusiasm about making makers and gives the reader eight traits using real makers to define the traits. Her intent to inspire others to become makers comes across the chapters eloquently. Thomas was able to interview many makers that fit the qualifications of her traits. In my opinion once you read this book, you will want to either become a maker or seek a maker to support or mentor. She does a fine job seeking diverse makers to express her passion for making, sharing their stories with photos and descriptive language. Thomas ends the book with some steps to take as a maker, parent, teacher, neighbor or friend.
Step 1. Share your passions- (Generosity and Optimism)
Step 2. Let Children Follow Their Own Interests- (Curiosity, Playfulness and Risk)
Step 3. Step Back- (Persistence)
Step 4.Teach the Importance of Safety and Responsibility- (Responsibility and Resourcefulness)
Step 5. Let Kids Get Their Hands, Clothes (and even their rooms) Dirty- (Playfulness, Risk, Persistence and Resourcefulness)
Step 6. You Don’t Have to Have All of the Answers- (Persistence)
Step 7. Now Go Make Something!-(Curiosity, Playfulness, Risk, Responsibility, Persistence, Resourcefulness, Generosity and Optimism) (6)
The eight traits that Thomas includes in her book can be easily incorporated into her seven steps. Her future is bright because she will stop at nothing to spread the word about making makers. She has written another book called Squishy Circuits and gave a demonstration on TED Talks about the play dough squishy circuits in order to inspire others on how easy making can be. I look forward to following her on Twitter and FaceBook to keep up with her creative talents so I can inspire my scholars to follow their maker passions.
AnnMarie Thomas is a Mom, Maker and Professor of Engineering at the University of St. Paul, Minnesota with a true passion for making makers. She is clearly qualified to share her knowledge about making because her teaching and research focus on engineering design, especially in grades PreK-12. Her first book, Making Makers, takes the reader on a journey to discover the traits on what it takes to be a maker-curiosity, playfulness, risk, responsibility, persistence, resourcefulness, generosity and optimism. AnnMarie’s second book, Squishy Circuits, was inspired by her preschool-age daughter who was curious about building circuits. The “Mom” in AnnMarie came up with a safe way of building circuits using play dough. Her qualifications for being a maker are shared throughout both books. She is curious, playful, risk-taking, responsible, persistent, resourceful, generous, optimistic and is very determined to influence others with her passion for making. AnnMarie taught at Art Center College of Design and served as the Founding Executive Director of the Maker Education Initiative. She has an SB in Ocean Engineering from MIT, MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech, and a professional certificate in Sustainable Design from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Being a mother of two gives AnnMarie more qualifications because she has a unique skill set that enables her to think of safety factors involved with making as she proved in Squishy Circuits. She certainly inspired me to become a maker.
June 6, 2022
Very good book for educators and parents for ideas of trying to spark an interest in areas of making. It is also a decent book for parenting in general...don't force your kids..let them show what they are excited about...etc.
March 18, 2016
A very interesting book, plentiful of anecdotes from makers, moms and dads of makers, sons of makers. It also contain valuable thoughts and practical ideas to help your kids in their creative endeavors. The general idea is to not directly interfere or impose but rather create a fostering environment where they creativity (and identity) can thrive. The concept 'maker' though is treated here in a very culturally narrow way, basically represented by the very idiosyncratic population of subscribers of the Maker magazine and the Maker fairs attendees. It doesn't even cover the complete 'maker movement', already a very american phenomena. It feels like the author interviewed just her small circle of friends at MIT and Caltech. That said, most of the finds, lessons and ideas are universal and could be applied for any creative endeavors.
Not all though. I can't help but mention something I found completely unjustified in this book, even antithetical. One of the chapters focuses on risks, and how important is to allow kids explore the limits of what's safe. So far so good. One of the featured cases is a very young girl, that being only 4 was allowed to use fire guns and shoot animals. There's even a picture of the little girl holding a bunch of dead ducks. No further mention of any constructive or creative activity done by her or her parents. Just another friend that wanted to be part of the book?
Not all though. I can't help but mention something I found completely unjustified in this book, even antithetical. One of the chapters focuses on risks, and how important is to allow kids explore the limits of what's safe. So far so good. One of the featured cases is a very young girl, that being only 4 was allowed to use fire guns and shoot animals. There's even a picture of the little girl holding a bunch of dead ducks. No further mention of any constructive or creative activity done by her or her parents. Just another friend that wanted to be part of the book?
January 11, 2016
I'm already sold, largely, on the Maker "movement." I don't have a child who popped out of the womb, umbilical cord still attached, and decided to disassemble the NICU single-handedly (IVs were in the way) but I was raised around tools, took shop classes (and probably benefited greatly from tetanus shots) and her father even more so. We made things (my husband destroyed things, too), and I'd like her to do the same.
Unlike other Maker books, this is pretty much just a series of anecdotes about how wonderful Maker types and/or their kids are, how wonderful it was back in the days when kids could use real tools without a neighbor involving protective services, and how wonderful and accomplished everyone the author interviewed was. And the author.
I think it's supposed to be inspiring (some of those people were just making do because their parents couldn't drop hundreds of dollars on the 1970s equivalent of a Little Bits--or whatever--kit), but it's more self-congratulatory. Everyone is just so resourceful and so talented and so persistent! Which is nice...but perhaps reading it all in one sitting isn't a good idea. It gets old quickly.
Unlike other Maker books, this is pretty much just a series of anecdotes about how wonderful Maker types and/or their kids are, how wonderful it was back in the days when kids could use real tools without a neighbor involving protective services, and how wonderful and accomplished everyone the author interviewed was. And the author.
I think it's supposed to be inspiring (some of those people were just making do because their parents couldn't drop hundreds of dollars on the 1970s equivalent of a Little Bits--or whatever--kit), but it's more self-congratulatory. Everyone is just so resourceful and so talented and so persistent! Which is nice...but perhaps reading it all in one sitting isn't a good idea. It gets old quickly.
December 26, 2015
This isn't exactly what I was looking for, but I did find value in the miny biographies of individuals who grew up to be creative and innovative tinkerers. Most everyone's story starts with a parent or adult in their childhood who allowed access to exploration and tools that nowadays would be considered borderline negligent. But if we don't give kids opportunities to take risks, fail and then overcome, we will be preventing the experiences necessary for building confident self-driven humans; and that seems fairly negligent too.
June 25, 2016
This book is a nice overview of the Maker movement - http://makerfaire.com/maker-movement/
- reading like a case study of some of the successful Makers today. These overviews highlight different aspects of supporting and encouraging development of young Makers, noting along the way that it's never too late to become a Maker. Ms. Thomas summarizes the importance of supporting the development and appreciation of human ability to create and appreciate, vs. just consume...
- reading like a case study of some of the successful Makers today. These overviews highlight different aspects of supporting and encouraging development of young Makers, noting along the way that it's never too late to become a Maker. Ms. Thomas summarizes the importance of supporting the development and appreciation of human ability to create and appreciate, vs. just consume...
November 16, 2014
I had the pleasure of seeing Dr. Thomas speak at MakerFaire, and just finished her book, and well worth the read. It has mini bio's from some of the top people in the Maker movement. If you need examples of why your institution needs a creative space this book is full of them. Buy it for you favorite teacher or parent!
January 8, 2017
“Making Makers” by AnnMarie Thomas is an accessible introduction the values of the maker movement, emphasizing interviews with famous figures in the U.S. maker movement and speculating on what fosters making in childhood.
February 5, 2016
A good primer on characteristics of adult makers based on interviews about their childhoods.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews