After nearly a decade in education, specifically education technology and the Maker Movement, Michelle Carlson is sharing her vision, wisdom, and resources in a book titled 180 Days of Making. The book will document and share all of the resources and processes of a program which started out as a 180 day elective class with 50 students enrolled and became the model for an entirely new school, which Carlson and school leaders predict will change everything for kids.
Carlson has been called a visionary, a change agent and a dear friend by young people, teachers, principals and superintendents alike and has proven that, not only does she care about making education better for all, she is doing the work to make it happen.
She was recently honored to be nominated as a White House Champion of Change in Making and last year was recognized for her dedication to education with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Graduate Champion award for her “vital community service, commitment to education and support of students and their families.”
“The book is something different than what we normally have access to in education, and because of that, it will bring a whole new level of support to schools seeking to set a course for relevance and better learning for students,” said Carlson. “It takes the ‘how school can be better’ piece to new heights with the addition of the ‘here’s how we did it’ piece. This is a rarity. People get paid a lot of money in education to tell schools how to be better, but few share that information along with tangibles like lessons, activities, and plans schools need to actually make it happen. Even fewer would share all of that for only $15. The book, 180 Days of Making, will do just that. I’m excited about the possibilities this will open up for all schools and all kids.”
The book is being funded through an active Kickstarter campaign, which can be found here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/buildthefuture/building-kids-futures-through-180-days-of-making
Collaborating on the project with Carlson are: Rick Fitzpatrick, the program’s district superintendent; Noelle McDaniel, educational technology curriculum support provider; Heather Vine, the graphic artist who designed all of the art for Carlos Santana’s new album; and Dale Dougherty, founder and CEO of Maker Media, Inc., widely recognized as the founder of the modern Maker Movement, which has been written about in nearly every major media outlet.
“Having this team of leaders on board with this book is a big deal and these people bring some serious credibility to the work. We’re offering a well rounded and authentic perspective, documenting the program from many different positions, which will mean the work will resonate with everyone in a school system, not just admins or teachers separately,” said Carlson. “We’re excited to share this opportunity with others who share our vision for what education can be.”
Those interested in supporting the book are encouraged to visit the Kickstarter link above to learn more.