New Designs for School

Educators everywhere are invited to participate in this year’s Remake Learning Days festival of hands-on learning

If you’ve ever seen a child’s face light up during hands-on learning, you know how powerful these moments can be. Each year during the Remake Learning Days festival, these moments of discovery happen in small towns and big cities. And the best part is this: Children having fun at Remake Learning Days events are learning side-by-side with their parents and caregivers.

Research tells us that these experiences can change the course of a child’s learning career. After surveying hundreds of attendees at past Remake Learning Days events in the Pittsburgh region, the Global Family Research Project (GFRP) found that family engagement in STEAM learning—science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics—makes students more likely to succeed academically, more likely to take advanced STEAM courses, and more likely to pursue STEAM-related careers.

This year, along with hosting hands-on learning festivals in 13 regions of the U.S. and three international locations, Remake Learning Days is inviting educators to host pop-up events wherever they may be located or within an established region—and we’re offering mini-grant funding to help make this possible.

Is this your year to host your own hands-on learning event as part of the global Remake Learning Days festival? See the Remake Learning Days website to find regions where festivals will be taking place and to learn more about hosting your own event.

Hosting is easy. In fact, if you’re an out-of-school-time provider who already holds learning events at places like your local library or at your own location, it can be as simple as contacting us, applying for funding, and then hosting your normal event under the umbrella of Remake Learning Days.

Even if you don’t normally host events, it’s easy—and a lot of fun—to participate in Remake Learning Days. The key is offering families a session lasting perhaps an hour, where they will learn something specific with you. Perhaps you’ll teach them how to program a robot or how to make a family history flag or how to learn a traditional dance that comes from a particular culture. From powerful STEM learning to creative arts sessions, there’s no limit to the possibilities.

Here’s another example: Several years ago during Remake Learning Days, a sewing shop in a small West Virginia town opened its doors and invited local children to drop by with a parent or grandparent. During their event, the kids (and adults new to quilting) had learned basic stitches while sharing stories of quilting’s traditional role in their community.

By the end of the event, the kids and adults had learned together and some families even asked if the shop owner would begin hosting regular classes. Sometimes parents attend Remake Learning Days events all by themselves, as EdPost documented in a 2022 article about the festival.

The festival’s goal is simple: to offer free or low-cost family-engaged learning and also to spread the word about the many hands-on learning opportunities available in every community.

All events touch on one or more of the festival’s learning themes: art, science, technology, maker projects, youth voice, and professional development for educators. Events can be in person or online.

You can apply today and be a part of this movement. The deadline for mini-grants is February 9. Mini-grants are available on a rolling basis after that date. The final submission deadline for events to be included in marketing materials is February 23. If you have questions, reach out to Ariel Beach-Westmoreland at ariel@remakelearning.org and we can guide you through the process.

Photo at top: Duquesne City School District hosts an “Innovation Carnival” for students to teach their parents about the tech tools they use in class. Photo Credit: Ben Filio