ABOUT THIS FORUM: Educators and expanded learning leaders are looking for ways to promote STEM, Growth Mindsets, social emotional learning (SEL), critical thinking, and program quality standards. There is no better way to promote all of these than creating a maker space.

In this hands-on Speaker's Forum, Ilya Pratt and Paula Mitchell will explain what a maker space is, the benefits and challenges of maker spaces, and ways that educators and expanded learning leaders can create a maker space club within their programs. Emphasis will be placed upon ways to develop culturally responsive maker spaces.

SPEAKERS: At the heart of Ilya Pratt’s educational practice is a deep curiosity about how things work, whether it is a child’s approach to problem solving or an engineering design solution. Ilya has worked with children and educators for over three decades, in school and non-school settings. As the director of Park Day School’s Design+Make+Engage program and the Innovation Workshop, Ilya provides integrated and collaborative programming supporting STEM, community service and social justice curricula.

In addition, Ilya is a member of the Agency by Design Oakland leadership team, facilitating a teacher fellowship in maker-centered learning classroom practices. Ilya was a Maker Leader for Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) Project Zero, Agency by Design, a research project exploring the promises and practices of maker-centered learning. She has also been an instructional coach for the HGSE online course, Thinking and Learning in the Maker-Centered Classroom.

Paula Mitchell is an educator with more than 20 years of experience in elementary education. She has a passion for hands-on projects and is delighted that her job as a Teacher on Special Assignment for Project Based Learning/ Maker Education allows her to bring more hands-on, minds-on learning to the East Oakland community she loves. Paula believes in fostering equity and providing access to high quality educational STEAM programs to historically underserved and underrepresented populations through a focus on culturally relevant making and authentic inclusion for students with disabilities. As a part of this work, she oversees her school's very first maker space, the Wonder Workshop- where low tech meets no tech and imaginations run wild. Paula also facilitates workshops for educators and presents at conferences and seminars on the topic of culturally responsive making and authentic inclusion in maker-centered learning.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Out-of-school time and educational leaders and practitioners, funders, and policymakers.

TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING: The California Endowment is accessible by BART (19th Street, Oakland - use the 20th Street exit). Street and bike parking is available. To view nearby parking lots and for directions, click here.

BREAKFAST: Coffee/tea and pastries will be available in the morning only.