“What if we didn’t divide technology education among all our primary schools, but concentrate on one place? That was the question at the Kindpunt education foundation in Meppel this summer. The experiment was picked up, resulting in a hypermodern technology lab.
“Look. Then we can cut these out of wood, with the laser”, Master Sander Gordijn tells all his students. They have to be careful though, because it can get hot. “But luckily it’s closed and the smoke is going out.” The children are doing jigsaws, but with a modern laser cutter. It is one of the brand new options of primary schools in Meppel. A laboratory has been built there, which the children are already enjoying to the full. “I like it a lot more here than at the normal school. You can do all kinds of things here,” says one of them.
And that is exactly the intention of master Sander, who wants to introduce children to technology in a fun way. “We have converted two old classrooms into the most modern classrooms in Meppel and the surrounding area.” There is a media corner with a green screen, carpentry and brickwork are being done and chemistry tests are being done in the back. “We show them how to deal with the techniques and how to be creative with them. Because that is becoming increasingly important. Both with hammers and laser cutters.”