Here is a partial list of questions that have been researched, discussed, and answered. In some cases, like the question regarding wormholes, the term "answered" is relative, relatively speaking. (See what I did there?)
How can I learn about and make codes?
How can you come up with a successful NHL team?
How can I make and publish a book?
Can we make a video game on a flashdrive?
What are wormholes and what role do they play in modern science?
How do you make a claymation movie?
How do you make a movie?
What is the scale of Minecraft in relation to real life?
Which gender has better senses?
Can we make a rocket that goes 400ft high?
Watching and supporting the development of these projects was a tremendous learning experience for everyone involved. I want to break it down into three groups: me (admin support), teachers (classroom and data/tech coach) and students.
As a (pseudo) administrator, I simply encouraged and supported the teachers to try something they heard about at EdCampChicago and had been reading about on Twitter. (Our building principal was also very encouraging of the idea.) I have some experience guiding basically the same idea from when I offered 20% Time to my students as a 4th grade teacher, which proved helpful in supporting the teachers to structure time, create outlines, and assessing student work. I also was able to support certain projects that I had personal interest and knowledge about, like the rocket project.
The classroom teacher really stepped out of her comfort zone to try something new and grow as an educator. It takes courage to take risks in education but, as she has seen in the student projects, the rewards in student learning and excitement can sometimes be literally incalculable. Genius hour is not a traditional curriculum by any stretch of the imagination and some might rightly justify the concept as progressive. Like all of life's challenges, it takes bravery to navigate the unknown but support and encouragement from those around you is incredibly helpful.
And finally, the students. This is the easy part. Apart from one student, there was little we as educators had to do in order to create interest or generate ideas. The students did 99% of the work associated with answering their questions, not because they were told to do it, because they wanted to do it. It's that simple. The kids shared ideas and questions they were interested in, we (as teachers) helped them more clearly articulate their goals and then gave the students time, space and resources to make it happen.
The spoils of these learning experiences really are the student outcomes. I've watched a group of boys build and successfully launch a rocket, I'm in chapter six of a 240 page original novel written by a 5th grader, played part of a video game made with Scratch, and watched a research study make a case for girls as the superior gender. And that is only a sample of what I've seen from these kids. Call it genius hour, call it progressive education, call it taking risks, but as our principal says, it's really just "teaching kids."
Can we make a rocket that goes 400ft high?
Watching and supporting the development of these projects was a tremendous learning experience for everyone involved. I want to break it down into three groups: me (admin support), teachers (classroom and data/tech coach) and students.
As a (pseudo) administrator, I simply encouraged and supported the teachers to try something they heard about at EdCampChicago and had been reading about on Twitter. (Our building principal was also very encouraging of the idea.) I have some experience guiding basically the same idea from when I offered 20% Time to my students as a 4th grade teacher, which proved helpful in supporting the teachers to structure time, create outlines, and assessing student work. I also was able to support certain projects that I had personal interest and knowledge about, like the rocket project.
The classroom teacher really stepped out of her comfort zone to try something new and grow as an educator. It takes courage to take risks in education but, as she has seen in the student projects, the rewards in student learning and excitement can sometimes be literally incalculable. Genius hour is not a traditional curriculum by any stretch of the imagination and some might rightly justify the concept as progressive. Like all of life's challenges, it takes bravery to navigate the unknown but support and encouragement from those around you is incredibly helpful.
And finally, the students. This is the easy part. Apart from one student, there was little we as educators had to do in order to create interest or generate ideas. The students did 99% of the work associated with answering their questions, not because they were told to do it, because they wanted to do it. It's that simple. The kids shared ideas and questions they were interested in, we (as teachers) helped them more clearly articulate their goals and then gave the students time, space and resources to make it happen.
The spoils of these learning experiences really are the student outcomes. I've watched a group of boys build and successfully launch a rocket, I'm in chapter six of a 240 page original novel written by a 5th grader, played part of a video game made with Scratch, and watched a research study make a case for girls as the superior gender. And that is only a sample of what I've seen from these kids. Call it genius hour, call it progressive education, call it taking risks, but as our principal says, it's really just "teaching kids."
