Chapter 4:
** This chapter gives some great ideas on how to “structure” this “unstructured” time. If being unstructured is looked at as an obstacle, a teacher must be proactive in his/her approach to the activities. In regards to the scheduling of Genius Hour, Juliani suggests, “If you give them their 20% at random times without being able to prepare, it may hurt the effectiveness in the short- and long-term” (p. 36). By also giving the students a voice on when to schedule this time, it will only lead to more ownership on their part.
** Chapter 4 also does a great job of debunking any hang-ups that educators might have with 20% time. Core standards can easily connect to the variety of learnings that a student will experience with this style of classroom, and it is not as if the whole school day is centered the idea that students will be directing all that they learn. It is a time for exploration that will enhance everything else that occurs throughout their day.
Chapter 5:
** I liked the strategies that were given about how to get elementary students to grasp the idea of Genius Hour. Just as Adria had gotten our group to start thinking about what we are passionate about, have the students create lists of what they would rather be doing than being in school. Get them to think about what drives them. “Many Genius Hour teachers start with the why” (Juliani, p. 51). I also love the idea of having students present their projects to parents at some point during the school year. This will not only give the students an opportunity to speak in front of a group, but it is great PR for our school.
** Although this chapter focused mainly on elementary students and their involvement in the process, I was really struck with one of the concepts delivered in the first few paragraphs of how Daniel Pink blogged about how Genius Hour can “electrify” your job. Would teachers want to take an hour a week, month, quarter? to work on their passion projects. Maybe during team time? As individuals, as groups?
Chapter 6:
** “Passion may lead us to new experiences, but ultimately it should point us to purpose” (Juliani, p. 60). The author paints a perfect picture at the beginning of the chapter about the difference between passion and purpose. He claims that ultimately the Genius Hour should lead to purpose, but that shouldn’t impede a student from working on something he/she loves doing. If it leads to purpose, great, but students might not know that until the finished product. Failure just leads to a better way to do it.
** To me “sharing” the project could be the most beneficial part of any of the six building blocks. Some students will be uncomfortable with this, but they will need to face their insecurities and deliver. They will see that the “Obstacle is the Way.”
** Awesome idea using the March Madness bracket as a way to find their topic (p. 68).
Here are more processes teachers use to structure this unstructured time: http://geniushour.blogspot.com/2014/09/process-for-genius-hour.html
ReplyDeleteAnd here is a doc you can use to use AJ's March Madness idea: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PX_SaiB6p5kqPNxJ7e5KU6BZrK6Nvg10oec9MqM2nps/edit?usp=sharing :D
At out last bookstudy we tried to fill in a 4-bracket and found it very difficult to find things we were passionate about! We found we like gardening, reading, etc. Is this the extent of our passions? Are we encouraging students to be mediocre by not allowing them to find their passions or to teach them how to find their passions?
ReplyDeleteI also like how the Standards support PBL. There are multiple standards that students develop presentations with media. PBL is a perfect opportunity to meet these standards.