“The Making of the Maker” is an article in Parentage magazine by Sarah Virginia White. White interviewed 10 young people about the things they make, what inspires them, and how their parents help them. My favorite quote is from 8-year-old Annabelle Armstrong-Temple, “The secret sauce is time and space to let kids get creative: a lot of boredism.”
“Boredism” is officially my new favorite word.
My 3rd grade GT students and I were discussing why it gets harder and harder to think creatively as we get older, and how school tends to exercise the part of the brain that looks for one right answer. One of the students suggested that, to balance out the different types of thinking, “we should go home from school and brainstorm the rest of the day!”
I think my student and Annabelle Armstrong-Temple should lead the world.
Starting today.
But that probably wouldn’t work because they would be too over-scheduled to ever have the chance to think creatively again.
The moral of this story is to let kids make.
And to stop letting grownups ruin everything.
Read White’s article and you will find more advice on how to make your very own Annabelle Armstrong-Temple.
If you would like more Maker resources, here is my page of Makerspace Essentials. I also have a “Make” Pinterest board here.
