If you believe in joyful education that allows kids to discover their passions and prepares them to live their dream life, this book is for you. All kids deserve to believe that they can pursue their dreams, not as pie in the sky illusions, but as the real possibility of something better. I have seen this happen for countless young people, who have beat the odds when everything was stacked against them. Now, I invite you to join me on my mission to make joyful learning and actualized dreams a reality for all kids through maker education. There are a lot of books out there on the Maker Movement, so how is this one different? Creating a class around making is not an easy task...until you've done it. We did it. And our program was wildly successful. Unlike other books, 180 Days of Making offers the perfect storm of the "why" and the "how." It reads like a hybrid documentary and visionary manifesto; a broad strokes road map for integrating making in your school, including all of the pieces necessary to create your own middle school elective course. This is the real-world application of a teaching philosophy we know works; with the full detail of how we made it happen, so you can too.
About the Author: Author and consultant, Michelle Carlson, is an internationally recognized leader and change agent in education. She has been featured in various publications, was recognized with an American Graduate Champions award in 2015 and was nominated to be a White House Champion of Change for Making the following year. She is a member of the American Indian Society of Scientists and Engineers, speaks regularly at conferences on the Maker Movement and serves in multiple leadership roles and as a board member of several education related nonprofits. Michelle is, above all else, a social entrepreneur, believer in the power of "we" and lover of all things making. She is passionately devoted to building a better, brighter future for all, through her work, community service and network of like-minded dreamers and doers. She is proud of the fact that she is a female entrepreneur, with a Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology. She will tell you, with a mischievous smile that she knows how to code, knit, sew, and rebuild classic cars and will follow that statement with, "and you can too!" As CEO of Future Development Group, LLC, Michelle continues to build on her passion, providing places of learning with the support and resources they need to give all students the education they deserve. Her work has served as a catalyst in her community and region, inspiring a diverse group of leaders to come together collaboratively, think big and forge new pathways in unexpected places.