My fondest memories of school are of the occasions on which I
made stuff. When I think about what other aspects of my learning
I enjoyed most, I always come back to the basic principle of
creativity. Getting me involved in creative tasks that result in
tangible outcomes was one of the ways my teachers ensured that I
remained engaged and enjoyed the process of learning. Working on
a model of the solar system was a sure way of getting me to
remember the planets (9 in those days) and our place in the
universe. I was never naturally good at maths or physics, but
making tracks and ramps down which to throw ball bearings gave
me a much better understanding of Newtonian physics than any
number of equations you might want to throw at me. Technology
today gives us the tools and the possibility to enjoy making
stuff and exercise our pupil’s creativity in new ways: Now you
can make stuff virtually as well as actually. My classes and I
exploit these new possibilities by regularly embarking on
projects which require exerc