Spur of the Moment: Genius Hour

All I have to say is, take an HOUR out of your day and join the "Genius Hour" movement.  Whether you are in the education field, business or merely curious about something...(You have to do it!)

In the education realm, Genius Hour is essentially a movement that allows students to explore their own passions and encourages creativity in the classroom.  The teacher allots a certain amount of time for the students to work on their passion projects. It provides students a choice in what they learn during a set period of time during school.  Students may spend several weeks researching the topic before they start creating a product that will be shared with the class, school, or even the world.  Deadlines are limited throughout the process, the teacher facilitates the student projects to ensure that they are on task. Genius Hour is an example of passion-based learning, where technology can be utilized to allow for collective learning and also personalization. I think Genius Hour will mean something different and unique in every classroom, depending on the grade and students. 

Please refer to the following link for more information regarding Genius Hour:

What is Genius Hour? - Introduction to Genius Hour in the Classroom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMFQUtHsWhc

I believe that students are capable of anything. Students have ideas and passions that should be harnessed at a young age. Knowing your students allows teachers to relate classroom material to things that students are interested in or have experienced. Teachers can use these interests to make things more interesting and relatable to students. When teachers encourage students' passions and interests, they can improve students' motivation to learn. Most importantly, their intrinsic motivation to learn, the type of motivation that comes from inside an individual rather than from any external or outside rewards. In the new culture of learning, intrinsic motivation is a key concept. 

The following video clip is of fifteen year old Kelvin Doe, who despite not having a lot of resources, is passionate. See what he is passionate about: 

When I was presented with the task of Genius Hour, I really had to question with my fellow group members, what are WE passionate about, and more importantly, what am I passionate about? As I began to think, I tried to stick to something basic. What do I love? I came to the conclusion that I love talking to people and hearing their story. I thought, how amazing would it be if we could hear about other people's education experiences, in the capacity of reflecting on our own. My group really liked the idea. We created a flexible task list on where to begin...

1. We began to reflect on our own experiences in education/schooling and started to converse with others face to face about their experiences... 
2. Look at the research surrounding our areas of interest (culture, disability, divorce, etc)
We realized our topics of research varied, but that's what we appreciated about our Genius Hour... We wanted to see how different people experienced education/schooling, and everyone has a different story to tell
3. We began to take on different areas of research and see what the literature had to say versus the stories of the people we talked to (or our own)
4. We worked together but each of us took on different roles... One more research based, one focused on the slideshow, while another focused on creating the blog to share
5. Reflect. Reflect on the people we have talked to, their stories, and our own stories. This experience will be a reminder for us in the classroom, that everyone is unique and you can never genuinely judge someone, you must get to know them (you cannot merely rely on statistics and research)

The following is a video of released a video by Soul Pancake titled "Take a Seat- Make a Friend?" I have always appreciated this video because you never know someone's story until you talk to them!

As I write my last "official" blog for this class specifically, I wonder what my next Genius Hour will be? Where will my passions take me? 

(Personal Pictures/Permission to Use)

I am passionate about travelling, being active, family/friends, event planning, students/teaching, food, and baking. 

Where will my passions take me? 

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go"- Dr. Seuss

Information/education concepts from:

Drake, S.M. & Reid, J.L. & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21 Century Learner. Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.