A1) We have one makerspace that is shared with PreK – 8th grades and face similar challenges. One solution that has worked so far is to avoid scheduling regular classroom visits (e.g. a particular 2nd grade class at 11:00 every Tuesday) in favor of a more flexible approach. What this looks like in practice is that teachers book time in the space (after planning with the coordinator) and visit for as long or as short as the session needs to be. Once finished, that time slot is open for booking. We use a free service called You Can Book Me (https://youcanbook.me/) where teachers can see the available dates and times then book via the online calendar.

 A2) Upcycle..repurpose things your school already has. Take a look at Mark’s Edutopia article on Upcycling and the Low Tech Makerspace. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/upcycling-low-tech-makerspace-mark-schreiber

A3) This is a wonderful problem to have! If your space is not serving your community, try making a project for students or teachers to design and make maker carts that can be checked out and taken into homerooms or a library or cafeteria. Carts can be designed for electronics, sewing, woodworking and basic arts and crafts.