Time well spent: What is a Genius Hour?

 

Could you imagine a classroom where for an hour each week every student could individually pursue their passion and work on a project that matters to them? Genius Hour is that 60 minutes and is a modern educational trend that allows time to explore creativity and dive deep into a topic that a student is curious to learn more about. To draw on a child’s (or adult’s) personal strengths and pursuits for higher level knowledge, Genius Hour was created to be a loosely structured portion of a traditional school week schedule.

This time usually ranges from one hour per week to 20 percent of their class time in total but can be flexible to accommodate the age and level of the learner. Students are in control of this special learning time and can select what they will study, how they will study it, and what they will create as a result of their endeavors along with how they will share or present it to others.

As an enjoyable self-directed learning model, Genius Hour topics can and should range greatly. How do I become a professional hockey player? How do I build a model car? What was our planet like a million years ago? How can I better my community? What foods can I grow in my garden? How did video games evolve through the years? The possibilities are endless and must answer the main question of, “What am I most interested in or excited to learn more about?”

Genius Hour is not a play-time free for all and should be established with clear and concise expectations and structured guidelines. Students will learn where they can look for their information and can often collaborate with a teacher or a student mentor who has “expert” information useful for their projects.

Students are given the space to conduct interviews and research using reputable websites. They can also choose to use the library for valuable print resources. The time should be authentic and student-centered and should be exciting to the learner. End products and presentations can also vary greatly and might resemble anything from a PowerPoint presentation, or a built model to even a song, poem or commercial. The result of the project can also be service oriented and specific to the community where they live.

While useful in schools to promote individual growth, Genius Hour is also a popular idea used in many innovative, successful companies where employees are given the time and space to increase their own productivity and the advancement of their company. Genius Hour might be the perfect fit for your classroom, company or even potentially as an exciting summer household project. Which leaves only one question left to ponder. How would you choose to spend your Genius Hour?