Embedded Files
Step 1: Questioning
Step 1: Questioning
Four “pillars” of inquiry:
1. Exploring a passion,
2. Aiming for a goal
3. Delving into your curiosities
4. Taking on a new challenge
Passions
How could Genius Hour fit in with teaching content/curriculum?
What could I do to add more STEM learning time to an already full schedule?
How might I rearrange the schedule to free time for non-curriculum learning?
How could I start a coding or STEM club after school?
Would there be enough return on the time investment for it to be worth the commitment?
What would I need from the school? Parents? Students? Myself?
How might I bring more voice and choice to learning time while still meeting standards?
What are some ways to make the required ELA material more meaningful
What are some ways to bring more art/creativity into the curriculum?
Goals
How can I more clearly model the learning behavior and attitude I want to see in students?
How might I incorporate a center model for the bisected ELA block?
What strategies might help student motivation around learning when I am lacking motivation or enthusiasm?
What can I do beyond the standard teaching practices to improve reading test scores?
How do I fit more regular small group sessions into the tight ELA schedule?
What are some ways to increase family involvement with the school?
What might I do to improve the efficiency of grading/correcting while still paying attention to individual student achievement?
Curiosities
What might ELA time look like if it was brought outside the classroom?
What is the “correct” balance of independent and collaborative learning time?
What are some (local-ish) places that would be good for content-related field trips?
What are some strategies for fostering a classroom culture of kindness and empathy?
Are behavior charts asking students to not be “themselves” more than just making good choices? Is it stifling individuality to record and regiment behavior choices?
What is best practice for weaning students off of behavior plans?
Are there recommendations on appropriate amounts of screen time at school?
If so what are they?
If not, how do I figure out a way to balance the screen time they have at home with what I allow/require at school?
Should that even be my responsibility?
Challenges
How can I increase learner engagement during direct instruction time?
How can we help learners overcome apathy toward learning?
What can I do to encourage learners build integrity as a value?
How can I encourage more open discussion with learners around reading topics?
What career opportunities might I pursue after I complete my degree?
How might I persuade my district to create a tech or STEM role for the elementary building?
Step 2: Theming
Step 2: Theming
First, I used Wordart to create a word cloud using my questions. I love the way it allows me to have a visual of high-frequency words so I can SEE what connects.
Major themes:
Time,
STEM, Learners/Students,
ELA
Secondary themes:
modeling,
content,
strategies,
help,
choice,
practice
Jamboard
Jamboard
Then, I tried using Jamboard to organize and re-sort my questions. I had thought this would be my preference because I tend to prefer more linear organization styles and the color-coded "sticky notes" are something that appeals to me as I frequently use physical ones. Surprisingly, I found this format to be too rigid. There were not enough color options for what I was looking to do and creating connections made the frame look chaotic. While I liked the ability to keep the colors from the original list to show their movement, this made it more difficult to show connections within the new themes.
Coggle
Coggle
Next, I tried Coggle, I liked the flexibility in organizing this more than the Jamboard. It felt easier to make connections and see the way my ideas fit together. It is much less linear and, visually, a lot to take in but I think it served the purpose more fully than my first attempt. I liked that I could color code the connections and there were more color options so I could have "in between" colors for connecting ideas.
Step 3: Exploring
Step 3: Exploring
Driving Question:
How might I integrate Genius Hour/Passion Projects for inquiry-based learning that maximizes meaningful engagement and learning time without compromising content?
I created a slide deck to track resources I actually use as well as my notes on those sources.
This would be a good way to incorporate collaborative efforts because everyone could be sharing notes on the same resources but also adding resources as they are found.
Template modified from:
New Zealand National Library
Step 5: Learning
Step 5: Learning
The more I look into using Genius Hour in the classroom, the more I realize that it does not need to take away from content because it can be centered around content areas. If there is a specific topic that I want students to learn about, project-based learning might be the better way to go. However, MANY standards can be covered with Genius Hour projects, particularly in reading and writing content areas. Now that I have compiled resources and organized them into useable sections, it should be very manageable to start Genius Hour projects as part of our ELA centers.
Genius Hour / Passion Projects have the potential to bring a level of personalization and customization to my classroom that is so different from both the structures I had as a student as well as what I have tried as a teacher. That drastic change in direction made me more than a little nervous but it is also what makes the idea so intriguing and exciting. From everything I read and researched, I need to just pick a starting point and...start. The first attempt won't be perfect and it will probably be frustrating at points but there will still be plenty of learning and I can use small groups to guide students and make sure that the learning I want them to be engaging in is happening. I am always looking for ways to incorporate creativity and critical thinking skills and this is an authentic, engaging, and (hopefully) motivating way to do that.
Step 6: Reflecting
Step 6: Reflecting
How was this exploration different from other times you have completed research or exploration?
Most of the times that I have done research have been looking for very specific information or answering specific questions about a topic. Inquiry-style exploration feels much more open-ended and with this project in particular, I did not feel like I was "wasting time" by going off on a different path or following bits of information that I found interesting. While this was not my first inquiry project, it was the first time I did not go in thinking about the product I wanted to walk away with. I did not have anything specific in mind for what I wanted to complete by the end.
How did questions and themes help?
I went into this inquiry with the idea that I would be looking for ways to restructure learning time so that I could incorporate more of the STEM learning that my students and I all enjoy. The more I delved into my questions and theming, the more I realized that what I really need is to change the way my students and I think about learning in the classroom. Squeezing in as much "learning time" as possible is not going to help my students in the long run and I want us to focus on being better learners. There are still a great many foundational skills that I need to help them build but the time crunch has me overly stressed and focused on fitting more content in a day, rather than making the learning more attainable.
How did you find an "answer" or expand your knowledge?
Expanding my knowledge in the area of Genius Hour or Passion Projects involved following a wide variety of resources down twisting paths and looking at a multitude of examples of how teachers and other experts have implemented these learning opportunities. Every resource I found seemed to lead me to a few more examples or a different research set.
How did the process help or hinder your natural curiosity?
The inquiry process was very much in line with my curiosity because I could go off on tangents, looking at information that was not exactly in line with my research but still adjacent and related. This led me to find several resources that I might not have if I kept to just a few articles or tried to keep myself from straying down different avenues of thinking.
How did the various digital tools support or challenge your inquiry?
I was very intentional about using different digital tools so that I could explore options for my students. I can see how trying out a variety of new technologies could add an extra challenge to an inquiry because it would be a side project that took time away from the direct line of inquiry. For my specific inquiry, however, I found it this to be supportive in building a list of potential tools for learners.
Step 7: Sharing
Step 7: Sharing
Creating this website to organize and track my inquiry means that all of my research is in one easily accessible place that I can share with colleagues. I have also added a folder to the shared Google Drive for my grade-level team where I collected all the student-facing resources for Genius Hour. As I try out more of these with my students, I will be able to share them with my team and/or add them to this site for future reference
Sources:
Sources:
EdTech Classroom. (2021, April 15). How to implement genius hour in your elementary school classroom. https://edtech-class.com/2021/04/08/how-to-implement-genius-hour-in-your-elementary-school-classroom/
Gonzalez, J. (2023, March 1). Your top 10 genius hour questions answered. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/genius-hour-questions/
Laura Candler. (2019, January 25). Bring some passion into your classroom with Genius hour!. Laura Candler’s Teaching Resources. https://lauracandler.com/bring-some-passion-into-your-classroom-with-genius-hour/?epik=dj0yJnU9bmJXdWZXUTFoa1BGRVZuWE1IclVHdVdTTGpkc3RKV0ImcD0wJm49SlBoaDNQNlNpYkJtRFNRa0lTb2VPdyZ0PUFBQUFBR1czSEVZ
Nichols, H. (2023, November 13). Genius hour: Inquiry-based learning for young learners. Edpuzzle Blog. https://blog.edpuzzle.com/teaching-today/genius-hour-inquiry-based-learning-young-learners/
Schneider, J. (2018, December 27). How genius hour helps kids connect what they’re learning in school to their future goals - edsurge news. EdSurge. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-09-19-how-genius-hour-helps-kids-connect-what-they-re-learning-in-school-to-their-future-goals
Schneider, J. (2020, January 12). How to start genius hour in your classroom. Creative Tech Teacher. https://creativetechteacher.com/geniushourcommunity/
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