Genius Hour

Genius Hour

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Why Genius Hour?

Out of all the options, the concept of Genius Hour caught my attention the most because this option truly puts the students in charge of their own learning. The student gets to decide the topic and pursue their own passion which may or may not have anything to do with academics. Many students feel so disconnected from school because they do not find education meaningful. Also, as a parent of two gifted and talented kids, the need for dedicated time for self-directed learning within the school day, really resonates with my own life.

RESOURCES

BARRIERS

ADVANTAGES

IMPLEMENTATION

GOAL

DEFINITION

DEFINITION

Genius Hour is a scheduled & dedicated time for students to research, design, and create something of their own interest. This time is highly structured with guidelines and expectations from the teacher however the topic is chosen by individual students based on their own passion. This is not free time. This can be 20% of the day, one day per week, or something else. However, this is scheduled and within the school day when school resources are available. This is inquiry-based, student-led, self-directed learning where an individual student chooses the topic they want to pursue, decides the resources they would like to use, designs the learning path and activities that will lead them towards their goal, and the final product, i.e. how they would like to display their learning to the larger community.

What is Genius Hour?

What is the Role of the Teacher?

GOAL

This time is meant to provide students with complete freedom (school appropriate) to design their own learning. Students get the benefit of the support system of school while pursuing their own interests at their own pace. The main goal for the student is to create something. It can be in the form of a product, book, song, play, game, etc. decided by the student. The teacher’s role is that of a coach and facilitator by helping students to stay focused and problem solve, to keep them accountable, providing strict structure and expectation, etc.

What is the Goal for the Student?

There are several ways to implement this strategy. It can be done using the 80/20 rule by dedicating 20% of the school day towards this. It can be done by dedicating one class period per week for this. It can be done during other blocks such as library, flex time, etc.

What is flexible? What is non-negotiable?

How to implement in my school?

IMPLEMENTATION

As a middle school math teacher, with a vast material to cover in an already inadequate time, and very few TEKS to be tied to this type of learning, the 80/20 or one per week may not be feasible. However, we have 30 minutes built into the daily schedule for every student as enrichment time. This time is typiucalluy alotted for social-emotional learning, guidance lessons, math and language arts interventions, etc. This is possible as a school to assign one or two days per week of enrichment time towards genius hour. If it can be done during the enrichment block, we can be flexible about whether to tie it to any TEKS or not. Also, grading is not strictly necessary however recommended. GRIT rubric (guts, resiliency, integrity, tenacity) is one way to do this. However, the strict structure and accountability of this time is non-negotiable, and also the regularity. The time is not free time, nobody is allowed to just not work, and some expectations with respect to timeline is a must as well.

What are some common ways?

ADVANTAGES

This type of learning has many advantages. The learning is guided by intrinsic motivation, students feel valued and empowered. Student engagement increases while behavior issues decrease in the process. Students truly learn how to self-direct learning, and have a sense of accomplishment. Students evidently fail many times during the process and reach obstacles and dead-ends. These all teach grit and perseverance. There are students, especially GT students and twice exceptional students, who have diversified interests that have little to do with school. These students often feel disconnected from school and might totally disengage. They may not have the time or resources available to them outside of school to pursue their passion. Genius Hour provides them with a purpose, resources, and the support system of school.

What are the Advantages of implementing Genius Hour?

The first obstacle comes from lack of time. Schools already have a lot of TEKS to cover in a very short period. There is also the administrative pressure on standardized tests and focus on moving students from one performance bracket to the next. Convincing the administrator of the benefits of this type of learning will be difficult. Even though several language arts TEKS might be naturally connected to non-fiction reading and writing, some science TEKS to research, very few math and social studies TEKS might fit this type of learning. Even though not impossible, it may be harder to justify setting aside one class period per week. There is also a lack of professional training in this area. Without proper training in the implementation, the time might turn into chaos and free time. Training and onboarding of all staff, if implemented though enrichment time, is imperative. Funding is likely to be another major obstacle. Students will most likely need material resources to realize their plan and product.

BARRIERS

What are the Barriers to implementing Genius Hour?

Helpful Resources:

The inquiry Process: A tool to guide the process

The 1-Day Genius Hour Program by A.J. Juliani This is a 5-part one day long for educators. This is available for individual educators as well as for groups or whole school

RESOURCES

Professional Development:

20 Questions To Guide Inquiry-Based Learning

What Is Genius Hour And How Can I Try It in My Classroom? - Elizabeth Mulvahill

Genius Hour In The Classroom: 6 Principles

Learn How To Launch and Run The Ultimate Genius Hour Experience in Just ONE Day - A.J. Juliani

Your Top 10 Genius Hour Questions Answered - Jennifer Gonzalez

Websites Consulted