Hong Kong International School teacher Wendy Smith’s MaKey MaKey Circuits lesson is part of a Programming and Electronics unit, one of two new science units she has created for the fourth grade this year, says Gene Cheh, associate principal. To culminate the unit, Smith organized the school’s first-ever Maker Showcase, a celebration event in which students presented their final projects to peers, faculty, parents, “and even high school students. The event has since started conversations with other divisions of the school to capitalize on the interests and success of students,” Cheh reports. He adds that Smith has been instrumental in establishing an after-school Makers Club, as well as evening and weekend events that give students and their families a chance to come to the school “to play, explore, and tinker with a host of creation stations.”

“As our school has embraced an inquiry approach to learning, Mrs. Smith has offered her expertise to our greater school community. She works with our school leadership team to plan faculty meetings, leads discussions, and hosts observations in her [class]room as she models our desired teaching methods. As a learner, she also works with her colleagues and observes their classes so that she may better hone her skills,” relates Ronald Roukema, upper primary school principal.