This document provides an overview of Genius Hour, an approach to learning that allows students to spend time each week learning about self-directed topics of their choice. It discusses that Genius Hour aims to make students feel productive, creative and empowered by letting them decide what to learn and follow their passions. The document covers what Genius Hour is, why it's implemented using insights from educational experts, how teachers can structure Genius Hour sessions in their classroom, when it should take place, where students can research their topics, and resources to support Genius Hour. It encourages giving students autonomy over their learning by dedicating one hour per week to this self-directed style of learning.
4. ● What is Genius Hour
● Why behind Genius Hour
● How to get started
● Who enjoys or should do Genius Hour
● When should you do Genius Hour
● Where can your students do Genius Hour
● Genius Hour Resources
● Questions?
Our Time Today
8. Genius Hour – Productive, creative, empowered
students making decisions about what to learn, and
then passionately learning and creating.
~Denise Krebs
9. What is Genius Hour?
I like the idea of asking my kidlets to think about
what THEY want to learn. Kids get so used to just
spitting out answers and they stop being able to
really think for themselves. I want students to find
things that THEY are passionate about and I want
them to share these passions with our class. So
many students don’t excel in the things
schools/government decide is important. Why not
have one hour a week where everyone can feel
like they are a genius?
~Kat Ling
10. Genius Hour is a precious time, loved by all my
students. It is when they are allowed to develop
their own inquiry question about whatever it is that
they want to explore.
~Gallit Zvi
11. Genius Hour as an idea gives autonomous
personalized learning time out of every week for
students to question, think, learn, and explore the
things that they loved and were curious about.
This was something special that engaged learners
like nothing I had seen before.
~Hugh McDonald
40. What Works for You
● One hour per week
● One day each month
● Two days per term
● Whatever works for you!
41. Discuss 1 of the 2 questions with a
neighbour for a few minutes.
1. If you’ve engaged your students in
Genius Hour how do you structure
the time?
2. If you haven’t yet started and are
interested in starting then how do you
foresee Genius Hour Taking Shape in
your classroom?
52. Discussion Question
Share some of your passions/interests/wonders
with your neighbours. Maybe some of these
things that you wish you had more time to
dedicate to?
55. Creativity Rubric
I have students focus on 1 or 2 elements of the Genius
Hour Creativity Rubric when working through their Genius
Hour Project and reflect on it on their blog.
Why should students be productive, creative, and empowered?
Slide by Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs)
"My contention is that creativity is now as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status." — Sir Ken Robinson
Slide by Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs)
Slide by Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs)
Slide by Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs)
Slide by Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs)
Slide by Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs)
Slide by Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs)
Slide by Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs)
slide 15: so how do we get started with Gh? I think it is really important to take the time to intro GH well. Remembering that this much freedom in their learning is very new for most of them! So how do we get inspired? I use a lot of inspiring videos...others have taken nature walks for inspiration
slide 16: I will def try the nature walks in the future..I really don’t think we get outside enough...2 other really great videos to get us pumped about GH are obvious to you, amazing to others and Kid President. if you haven’t heard of this guy, you need to google him and watch his videos--he is super awesome!
slide 17: the next step is brainstorming. I ask them to think about the things they love and love to do outside of school. or what they wonder about...all ideas count...thse may or may not become their GH quesions, but for now, we put it all up. Here are a few examples...
slide 18: step 3: we need to create an inquiry question. my first year doing GH we didnt do this step, we just jumped right in and did projects in our interest areas, but I really found that phrasing our topic in the form of a question, helped students stay focused and deepened their understanding of their inquiry project.
slide 19: so our final step in to self -assess. We use the creativity rubric that my friend Denise created (it is on geniushour.wikispaces.com), we also give peer feedback on our class blogs during our inquiry projects and after we are done. And I try to have 1 on 1 conferences as often as possible with the students. I choose not to grade GH projects, but I do give them feedback and ask them lots of questions. so those are the 4 main steps--