Working in the Wonder Studio: Self-Reliance

As part of my job as a learning specialist, I carved out a space for children to explore and imagine freely.  It is called the Wonder Studio, and it is in a hallway lobby space outside my office, which is part of an old sprawling Victorian era house.  The walls have been freshly painted, the windows are large, there is a brick fireplace in the alcove, and a large sturdy banister with carpeted stairs.  The floor is the original wood whose varnish has been worn away.  It is the perfect place for kids to build, paint, and create.

I conceived of this space eight years ago, and I am reminded daily that it was the right decision.  I have had to change spaces and shorten times in the Wonder Studio.  Sometimes, I have wanted to give up, but I didn’t because I knew this space and time was important to the children.  When the children rush into the room and start working on projects, I step out of the way and watch them create – each of them working on a different project – each of the engrossed in their own creations.  They are totally focused, active, and content.  They will call on me if they need me, but mostly they are on their own making their creations.

Liv, an introverted fourth grader, was working on her latest engineering projects.  She has worked on many projects in the past year and a half making spinning tops, hinged boxes, and assorted doodads and fidgets.  Always something small.  Always something that can move in some way. Liv has a quick and quiet mind.  She does not like to bring attention to herself. She just wants to work and build.  She finds herself a quiet corner and gets down to work.  Last year, she overcame her fear of the hot glue gun.  Prior to that, I was employed as her hot glue gunner, but when I got too busy showing other students how to stitch, Liv decided that she needed to find her courage and tackle the glue gun herself, and she did!  I’ll never forget the day, that she put her tiny spinning top in my hand and said with a grin, “I am so proud of myself.  I got over my fear of the glue gun!”  Liv has been an avid glue gunner ever since!  It may seem like a small thing, but these small Wonder Studio victories play out in the classroom too.  The students become more confident and resilient.  They learn to advocate for themselves and work through initial failure, learning as they go.

Liv’s current project was a bunkbed made from balsa wood.  She designed, cut, and glued her construction all by herself.  She didn’t ask me for a single piece of advice except at the end when she needed some kind of weight to make the swing move freely.  Yes, her bunkbed has a swing made from straws and pipe cleaners.  Marbles were glued on as counterweights.  When I look at the ladders on Liv’s bunkbed, I smile because I realize how much gluing she had to do to construct them.  Indeed, she no longer has a fear of getting burned.  Her confidence has grown so much, and though still very shy, she also knows that she is a designer and builder.  Liv has confidence in making things.  She does not quit.

Making is an essential part of learning. In the early elementary grades, children have a lot of opportunities to work with their hands.  As they get older, those times for free expression lessen, and it is just at that time in their lives that they need to be encouraged to create more.  By building and failing they are learning and setting a firm foundation of resilience, confidence, and accomplishment.  I know people sometimes look at the things the Wonder Studio makers have created and see just a mess of paint and glue and cardboard.  But I see treasure, pure childlike imaginative treasure.  And in that treasure, I see creativity, determination, and resourcefulness, which will stay with them a lifetime. And that makes all the difference!