ITP - 024: Maker Spaces and Teaching Overseas

Matt: Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast with your host Greg, the single guy and Matt the family guy. We're recording episodes from around the globe to tell you about the best kept secret in education. That’s right, it’s teaching overseas. We’re glad to have you.

Greg: So I’d like to welcome to our show. I actually have called her Jen, originally from the United States, but she’s been teaching overseas in several countries. She’s a makerspace educator currently. So let’s invite her to the show. I think you’re going to totally love this. Welcome to our show, Jen.

Jen: Thank you for having me. It’s great to be here and meet you and talk about makerspaces and international schools.

Greg: You heard our show already, huh?

Jen: Yes, I did. I heard it and saw it on Facebook, and I think it was just suggested for me or somebody I know shared one of your episodes. So I started following along.

Greg: That’s good to know. I reached out to you and I thought it was just my mom listening out there. Maybe you had talked to my mom or something. I was joking about that, but we’re growing. We are growing and we’re trying to get one in every country. I think we’re at like 72 right now and around 4,000 downloads. So that’s pretty good for a young podcast—like 22 episodes.

Jen: Yeah, that is. That’s great.

Greg: It’s sort of a side thing that we do because teachers love to talk, don’t we?

Jen: Yes, we do. And it’s great to reach out and see what other people are doing in other countries. You get ideas of where you’d like to go and what you could do.

Greg: Totally, and that’s why we’re talking. I don’t even know who you are—we just sort of connected immediately. We almost missed each other, but we’re here now. So let’s hear a little bit about your background—how you got into international teaching.

Jen: So I got into international education because I actually lived in Abu Dhabi in the Middle East when I was in elementary school. My dad was in banking and my mom was a teacher at the American Community School there. At that point, the school only went up to eighth grade, so once my older sister got older, my mom decided it was time for us to move back to America.

But that experience really stuck with me. It was very defining, and I always knew I wanted to get back overseas. When I went to university, my mom went back overseas to teach again. She was in Abu Dhabi and then Thailand for a few years, so I knew I wanted to follow in her footsteps.

I started teaching in Abu Dhabi for a few years, then Oman, then went back to the U.S. in North Carolina for a while, and then went overseas again to India in Chennai. And now I’m in Luxembourg.

Greg: So that’s your fourth country now—fourth school, fourth country overseas, not even counting North Carolina. Wow. So you started off strong.

Let’s take a moment here. If you want to reach out, you can find us on Gmail at [internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com](mailto:internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com). Remember, complaints can be addressed to Greg, the single guy. And we’re also on Instagram at ITPXPats.

So you still flew back halfway around the world to go to the fair?

Jen: I still do that. I hope they do it again next year because my new book came out recently, so I’m kind of banking on those face-to-face fairs.

Greg: I love face-to-face. My principal just came back from London. It was one of the first in-person fairs again.

Jen: Oh really? That’s great.

Greg: Search had one recently, right?

Jen: Yeah, they just did one this past weekend. It was the first live one again.

Greg: I don’t know enough about Search because I never went with them. I always used ISS, but it’s great that they’re back doing face-to-face fairs.

You’re so lucky to have grown up in an international environment already. You knew exactly what you were getting into.

Jen: Yes, I definitely had more of an idea than most people. I think a lot of people come overseas without really knowing what to expect.

Greg: I had no clue. I didn’t even know where Honduras was when I first went. I had to look it up on a map.

Speaking of maps, can you give us a little geography lesson about where you are now?

Jen: Luxembourg is a very small country, about the size of Rhode Island. It’s between France, Belgium, and Germany, and you can drive about 30 minutes in any direction and be in another country.

The main languages are Luxembourgish, French, and German. English is spoken enough to get by, but not as much as in some other places.

I’m currently taking Luxembourgish classes once a week. My son helps me with French because he studied it for three years when we were in India. Luxembourgish is tricky—there are a lot of grammar rules, masculine and feminine forms, and different cases. It’s definitely a challenge.

That’s actually one of the reasons I wanted to learn Luxembourgish. In the Middle East, I got by with just English, but here I wanted to make more of an effort.

Greg: Good on you for learning it. It really helps you connect with people. I learned Spanish when I lived in Venezuela, but I regret not learning more Arabic when I lived in the Middle East.

Jen: So at my current school, I’m actually working as a makerspace educator, which is a little different from a traditional classroom role. A makerspace is basically a place where students can come in and create, build, design, and explore. It’s very hands-on and project-based.

We have things like 3D printers, laser cutters, sewing machines, coding tools—lots of different materials. Students can work on projects that connect to what they’re learning in class or just explore their own ideas.

It’s very student-driven. I’m more of a facilitator than a traditional teacher. I help guide them, ask questions, and support their projects. It’s a lot of problem-solving and creativity, and sometimes things don’t work the first time, which is part of the learning process. We talk a lot about iteration—trying something, learning from it, and improving.

I work with a range of students, mostly middle school and high school, and I collaborate with classroom teachers to integrate projects into their units. Teachers come to me with ideas, and we figure out how to make them happen in the makerspace.

One project we did was designing and building assistive devices for people with disabilities. Students had to research, prototype, and test their designs. It was really meaningful because it connected engineering with empathy and real-world problems, and the students were very engaged because they could see the impact of what they were doing.

I got into this role by gradually incorporating more project-based learning and technology into my teaching. There are also professional development opportunities around makerspaces and design thinking, so it’s something you can grow into over time.

Greg: That’s something we talk about a lot—being flexible and open to opportunities.

Jen: Definitely. And raising a family overseas has been an amazing experience. My son has grown up in multiple countries and is very adaptable. He’s been exposed to different cultures, languages, and perspectives from a young age. There are challenges with moving and making new friends, but overall it’s been very positive.

Kids are often more resilient than adults. They adapt quickly, but it still depends on the child and the support they receive during transitions.

Greg: So when you think about moving from country to country, what are some of the biggest differences you’ve noticed between schools?

Jen: Resources are a big difference. Some schools are very well-funded, while others require more creativity. Student populations also vary—some are highly international, others more local—which affects language, expectations, and interactions.

Parent expectations also differ. In some places, academics are the main focus; in others, it’s more about overall development, so you have to adjust your communication and approach accordingly.

Living in Luxembourg offers a high quality of life. It’s clean, safe, organized, and public transportation is free. It’s very international, and travel is easy since you’re close to many countries. The cost of living is high, but salaries and benefits usually balance that out depending on your lifestyle.

For teachers thinking about going overseas, I’d say be open-minded and flexible. Do your research, talk to current teachers, and don’t be afraid to take risks. Some of the best opportunities come from stepping outside your comfort zone.

I wish I had known earlier how much personal and professional growth comes from these experiences. It’s not always easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding.

Greg: Let’s wrap this up. If people want to connect with you or learn more about what you’re doing, is there a way they can reach you?

Jen: Yes, I’m active on social media and share resources related to makerspaces and education. I’m happy to connect with other educators.

Greg: Awesome. Thanks for coming on the show.

Jen: Thank you. It was great talking with you.

Greg: If you have any questions, you can reach us at [internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com](mailto:internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com) or on Instagram at ITPXPats.

This is Greg, the single guy.

Matt: And Matt, the family guy.

Greg: We’ll see you next time.