SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About TLT
  • Reviews
    • Book Reviews
    • A to Z Book Lists
    • Book Review Policy
  • Teen Issues
  • Middle Grade Mondays
  • Programs
    • TPiB
    • Tech Talk
  • Professional
    • Teen Services 101
    • Things We Didn’t Learn in Library School
  • MakerSpace
  • Projects
    • #SVYALit
    • #FSYALit
    • #MHYALit
    • #Poverty in YA Lit

June 4, 2017 by Karen Jensen, MLS

Sunday Reflections: I Did Not Succeed, but I Also Did Not Fail

June 4, 2017 by Karen Jensen, MLS   2 comments

tltbutton5

Yesterday I sat in my Teen MakerSpace with four teens and we tried to build a Lego car that would move by voice activitated LittleBits. We did not accomplish this task. In fact, we could not figure out how to attach the wheels in a way that would move.

As we built the car, the teens began telling stories using their Legos. By the end of the day they had built a regular Lego car and a house and were telling an eleborate backstory for Nancy and several other characters. They acted it out using Minifigs and the tale continued to grow as each teen contributed their part.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Later they sat down and colored.

But still there was no voice activated car that moved.

It would be easy for me to think that I failed, but I did not. Sure, I didn’t succeed in building the voice activated car, but I succeeded in several other goals. These teens were being creative in their own self-directed way. They took the reigns and started doing something else that they apparently wanted to do. And while they did it they were social, engaged, and building positive feelings about the libraries. They were in a safe environment with caring adults and engaging in positive behaviors with short and long term positive outcomes.

So no, I did not successfully build a voice activated Lego car. But I also did not fail.

Filed under: Sunday Reflections

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
FailureMakerSpacesSuccess

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

March 2023

Sunday Reflections: My Child Deserves Representation in the Library

by Karen Jensen, MLS

July 2022

Sunday Reflections: What Do We Mean Both Sides of the Holocaust?

by Karen Jensen, MLS

June 2022

Sunday Reflections: On being a Librarian and a Christian parent to an LGBTQ kid with a uterus in 2022

by Karen Jensen, MLS

August 2021

Sunday Reflections: Endings and Beginnings

by Karen Jensen, MLS

July 2021

Sunday Reflections: In Which TLT Turns 10 and I Reflect

by Karen Jensen, MLS

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Now on The Yarn Podcast: Our 2023 Newbery Medalist

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Creating a Collective Black Ancestry: Researcher Kimberly Annece Henderson Discusses Dear Yesteryear

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Recent Graphic Novel Deals, Early Mar 2023 | News

by Johanna

Heavy Medal

March suggestions: early Mock Newbery possibilities

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Book Review: Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave with illustrations by Tom de Freston

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Newbery Medalist Amina Luqman-Dawson visits The Yarn

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Duke MDs’ Prescription for Schools? Masks, with Enforcement, and Psychological Support for Teachers, Students.

37 Kidlit and YA Titles in Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month

The Human Rainbow | Dr. Ibram X. Kendi on Antiracism

Pronouncing Kids’ Names Correctly Matters. Here’s How to Get it Right.

8 YA BookTubers To Watch Right Now

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Liz Mabey says

    June 4, 2017 at 4:50 pm

    I would say you all WON.

  2. JennB says

    June 5, 2017 at 3:00 pm

    We used to get hung up on the fact that the attendance wasn’t huge. However, making that shift to quality over quantity is a big step! Those four teens got exactly what they needed (and really so did you!) Congrats on your very successful program.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023