Genius Hour "Year One" Reflection

I'm a numbers person. 
I like to see graphs and charts. 
I kept wondering... 
     Can you quantify what happened during Genius Hour this year? 
     How??

Our first full year under our belts, I decided to just focus on fourth quarter for this reflection. Changes are coming for next year, but fourth quarter was "true" Genius Hour - I let students read, research, create... it was up to them.

I'll just get right into the number crunching I did. Keep in mind that I only had 62 students participating. Let's start with presentations.

Presentation Quality
  Here's the catch - we did not focus on presentation quality. I only spoke briefly with students 1-1 on their actual presentations. Therefore, because I didn't want to over-analyze, I quickly went down the list of students and gave the first "grade" that came to mind:
  0 = not good     S = solid           * = great

Anyone interested in what school subjects students learned about? I was...
I didn't know where a couple of these fit in... Video games? Animals? So they have their own category. This graph will look different, as I put the number of students studying each one instead of a percentage. (The small ones at the top are Music, Math, and LA/Lit.)

Just how productive were students during class time? If I'm using 20% of our class time for students to learn what THEY want to learn, this had better be productive... Here are the questions I asked myself:
Did students work on their project during this hour every week?
  0 = no               S = somewhat   * yes
If they did not work on their project in class, did they read or were they productive in some other way?
  N = no              Y = yes
I put these two together to see student engagement in class...

I automatically thought...
What about a "typical" day in LA class? What is student engagement like then?  If the numbers are low, it could be a mixture of things... My passion for the content, techniques I use to keep students interested, student preferences for content, student emotions, family life, etc. etc. etc... I could go on and on about student engagement in a middle-school classroom, but I still had to measure it to make any sort of comparison.  I took a typical reading and writing day, where I lecture, then facilitate, then students do independent work. What does student engagement in this setting look like?
I decided to measure student engagement in typical lessons in this fashion:
  0 = does not know where we are in the lesson
  S = can participate if called upon
  * = participates without prompting

Let's put the two side by side...

Genius Hour In-Class Engagement                   Engagement in Typical Lessons

Which would you rather have? In which setting would you rather be? The latest talk I've listened to that has really focused on why students need to be engaged in lessons is this one by Brandon Busteed. This is a 35 minute speech that was tweeted out by Denise Krebs awhile ago, and I have finally taken the time to listen to it today. This is what I've come to realize. It's all about student engagement, and letting students know you care about them. In this video, he says that from the last Gallop poll, only 61% of middle-school students are engaged during lessons.  I truly feel that all parents, teachers, and administrators need to hear this talk. Please take the time to listen to him - I cannot sum it up here, as there is so much he says that is vital to our students' education.

Speaking of student engagement...
Another number I wanted was student engagement outside of the school hours.
Is there evidence of work at home?
  0 = no               S = somewhat   * yes

I KNOW this type of engagement does not happen with "typical" LA/Lit lessons in our classes... One more thing - I need to share a quote from a student who was NOT engaged during class time. He said this during the presentations on the last week: "These Genius Hour projects really increase my knowledge about my classmates." No kidding.

Please tell me in the comments... What else could I try to measure for this reflection? What do these graphs tell you? What's the next step?

Wordle made from students' one-word reflections...

All graphs were created at this easy-to-use website: Kids' Zone Create-A-Graph

2012-2013 Year In Review

I have 57 notes in my "2012-2013" Evernote notebook. FIFTY-SEVEN! I need to process all we did this school year that has been different from any other school year I've had. Granted, this was only my fourth year in an LA classroom, but it was my 18th year of teaching. I've learned so much in this past year from educators around the world, books about learning and children, and trial & error. Bear with me as I use my "train of thought" writing and just make a list of the top 30 or so!

* On Opening Day, I presented Twitter to cohorts... Some of them did decide to jump in to the constant waterfall of new ideas!
* I was selected to mentor our two new teachers to the 7th grade LA department.
* I came in to get room 239 (a new room for me) ready, and found my wish of wheels on the tables fulfilled. I started planning different designs for the room based on possible activites, and printed these out for students to see and use.

* The back bulletin board was left a blank slate for students to decide how to decorate.
* We had five yoga balls, three milk crates with pillows, and two rocking chairs for students to use. Students were allowed their choice of seating.
* I read Wonder (by R.J. Palacio) aloud, and it turned out to be one of the most popular books of the year.
* We had 1-on-1 conferences regarding our independent reading, and students graded themselves based on achievement of goals we set together.
* Student photographers taught me a bit about the photography apps we had on the iPads.
* We celebrated International Dot Day (how will YOU make your mark?) in September with The Dot by Peter Reynolds, and students created representations of how they will make their mark.
                       
* Library books were on the tables throughout most of the year, and were read periodically by students (just because they were right in front of them??).
* We tried paper blogging before we blogged online - a big success when students shared what they love to do.
* One student's blog post about Wonder was noticed when they were all tweeted out.

* We joined in Caine's Cardboard Challenge in October.
                       
* We joined in the Global Read Aloud, reading The One and Only Ivan (which, coincidentally, happened to win the Newbery award this year). Joining the GRA meant we Skyped with other classes to talk about it, and discussed certain questions on a Weebly with classes from British Columbia and Ontario, Canada.
             
* When we had the technology available, students were always welcome to turn in classwork via technology or regular pencil/paper format. Choice was HUGE this year in our LA class.
* I put in for - and received - a grant for Idea Paint for our tables for next year - we'll be writing on our tables with dry erase markers soon!
* After creating a Google Document of Authors on Twitter, I was able to connect my students' book reviews to the authors, and some authors commented on reviews!
* When I turned 40, two lovely friends of mine snuck into our classroom and put FORTY BOOKS on the tables! Each had a bow and the students and I were so very excited to add them to our collection.
* I created the Genius Hour LiveBinder so I could have all my resources in one place, and they were then accessible to anyone else who wanted to read more about it. I hope to use this for P.R. next year for parents.
* I won an author Skype visit from Lynda Mullaly Hunt! Ten of my students read One for the Murphys, and then we "had lunch" with the author in April!

* In the car to and from work, I practiced for the district variety show to raise money for grants for teachers (one of which I received this year).

* WEXperts met fairly often to hone our craft of helping coach other LA teachers in the art of giving feedback to students on their writing.
* Interested students were able to participate in a Google Hangout in class with two other classes - one in Florida and one in Iowa. What did they talk about? BOOKS!
* I attended EdCamp Madison in Wisconsin and the ICE conference in St. Charles, IL in February.
* I attended EdCamp Chicago in April, and led a session about Genius Hour - and shared our LiveBinder bookmarks we received from Tina and Barbara!
* Denise Krebs, Gallit Zvi, Hugh McDonald and I were asked to speak with Vicki Davis about Genius Hour in a short podcast. The next week, Paul Solarz, Denise Krebs, and then I had a Google Hangout with Chris Kesler. Just after that, Denise, Gallit, Hugh and I were asked to host a webinar for Classroom 2.0 Live.
* I attended EdCamp Milwaukee in May, and led a session about issues with Genius Hour.
* Students gave us a week of presentations, sharing what they've learned the last quarter during their Genius Hour time (and/or time spent at home). This was my favorite week of the school year.
* Oh my.  All of this, and reading and writing as well, of course!! We read and wrote about many short stories, parts of novels, poems, and books:  Wonder by R.J. Palacio, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, Phineas Gage by John Fleischman, two chapters of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, The Giver by Lois Lowry, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, and The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written by himself.
Here is just one of the close-reading activities I actually recorded (still an amateur)...
            

And, of course, we had a full year of Genius Hour... That reflection warrants a separate post, as I'm still reflecting on it, and figuring out changes for next year.

Thank you for reading this and being a part of all the learning that has gone on in our ELA classes this year. Please share your post of your reflections in the comments section so we can celebrate together!

Inquiry Gone Rampant!

For the last month, it seems all I've researched and talked about has been Genius Hour.

The twitter hash tags #geniushour and #20time have been on fire, with teachers wanting to know more, and sharing what their students are learning. I've been involved in three separate planned online adventures -
      * a laid-back Q & A Google hangout with Chris Kesler, where I talk and talk and talk... He's building his website and is asking for interviews from other teachers who incorporate this valuable inquire time into their day.
      * super-quick group interview with Vicki Davis, Denise Krebs, Gallit Zvi & Hugh McDonald on Vicki's Every Classroom Matters show with Bam Radio Network. Vicki has 20% Time in her classroom (it's the same as Genius Hour, but with high school students), and she was the first one to get the four of us together in an interview - it was so great to be able to talk with my "tribe!"
      * a presentation on Classroom 2.0 Live with Denise, Gallit, and Hugh once again

Each adventure was linked to MANY resources (if people don't know about Genius Hour, they haven't put it into a search engine yet!) to help all kinds of educators. Kindergarten teachers on up through college professors are trying out some sort of inquiry-based learning in their classrooms.

This year has been such a whirlwind for my Genius Hour time. The students may not know this, but I've been tweaking it each week, to see what more I can squeeze out of this precious learning time.  It has morphed this past quarter to a "true" genius hour - where students choose what they want to learn about, not just what they want to read about (as was the case in our first three quarters of school). I still have a dream of asking students to read, be inspired, and act on it... I'm plugging away at this so some day we can make it happen in my classes.

The more I read about other classes trying it, and the reasons behind this movement, the more I feel it is a necessary component of any student's day. After our presentations last week, I've done some reflecting, and here is my list of benefits:
     It's fun to say "yes, you can" to students.
     Presentations were engaging for students to participate in, and to watch.
     Kids taught EACH OTHER.
     Students were able to learn what THEY wanted to learn.
     As Jack said, "I'm learning a lot about my classmates' interests."
This is what middle school should be about - the child.

Update to original post, 6/7/13: Check out "Conflict of Interest: Carving Time out for Genius Hour on our Way to Common Core" BAM Radio podcast with Tom Whitby, Angela Maiers & Nancy Blair here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/edchat-radio/id586119906

Genius

What does the word "genius" mean?

This question was asked during one of our monthly #geniushour chats on Twitter. There seems to be some confusion about what the word means.

We might start with the question... From where does the word originate? Denise Krebs tweeted this picture out...

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=genius&allowed_in_frame=0

The Online Etymology Dictionary says words such as "guardian deity or spirit which watches over each person from birth," "generative power," "produce." In fact, "person of natural intelligence or talent" and "natural ability" are not recorded until the 1640s.

By reading this origin of the word, does this not make us all geniuses? The sign I made for my window from the classroom to the hallway reiterates what Angela Maiers has been known to say... "You are a GENIUS, and the world expects your contribution." Are all of my students geniuses?

What does Merriam-Webster have to say?

If you're anything typical of a 7th grader, you'll look at the first line and say a genius is a spirit!  However, I tend to lean towards definition number 2 or 5 when I think of a genius. These definitions beg me to ask this: Is a genius even a person??

Then there are some that say Practical Genius is a Choice... If you read this from Michael McKinney, it shows that genius is a thing that we all have inside of us... A talent maybe... or a passion... already in us, and we just have to recognize it and work with it to be successful at something we love. This sounds much like Sir Ken Robinson's ideas from his book, The Element. Recognize your own genius or passion, find your tribe, and just keep pursuing what makes you happy to the core. It's that one thing that you can do for hours and not realize that any time has passed...

So... what do the geniuses have to say about it??

Genius is initiative on fire. ~Holbrook Jackson
Genius is eternal patience. ~Michelangelo
Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. ~Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein, depending on what site you deem credible...
The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm. ~Aldous Huxley
Genius is nothing more, nor less, than childhood recaptured at will. ~Charles Baudelaire
Neither a lofty degree of intelligence, nor imagination, nor both together, go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius. ~Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb trees, it will life its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~Albert Einstein
Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

And then there's this last one, by Plato...
“Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.” 

I need this quote above the door to the classroom!  Plato and these others have just given me more fuel for the fire... My passion to let students learn what THEY want to learn just grows and grows.

My question for you...
It's time to find out our students' geniuses... I've tried a few ways this year, and have less than a handful of students who I can't quite grasp yet... How do you investigate your students' passions? What are some things you've been doing this year to find out what your students' "peculiar bent of ... genius" is?

Addition - 5/19/13...
After reading this post on "The Disruptors" blog by Kevin Brookhouser (@brookhouser - a person in my PLN that I respect), I feel I need to make a few additions to my original post, so I'm not being misunderstood...

I don't call my students geniuses... I say they have genius IN them. I tell them they may need to work to find it, and when they DO find it, they still need to develop it. I then remind them of Malcom Gladwell's ideas about the 10,000 hour rule to mastery. I also remind them that they will ultimately fail, and that they will need to keep trying - thus this time in class we give them. Genius Hour is giving them the TIME (hour) to find their Genius. We don't call it 20% time, because it may not be that rigid - it could be any time during the week or month...

Possible implications of calling them geniuses and telling them they're smart? Well, I think it's better than calling our time for learning "Average Hour." Checking on Kevin's tweets to see if there was more talk of this post, I saw a conversation between him and Christine Baker (who I immediately followed).

--> Why I won't call it Passion Hour this next year - I have a passion for teaching reading and writing, and I hope to inspire my students' passion in the written word as well. I would hope all of our class time would be passion time...
--> Why I won't call it Purpose Hour this next year - Does the rest of our week not have any purpose??
--> Why I won't call it Think Tank this next year - I believe everyone thinks in all situations, not just in one room, for one hour at a time.
--> Why I will stick to Genius Hour this next year - I want my students to find out who they are - to find out what "peculiar bent of genius" they have. It's a matter of letting students find their passion, bring out their genius (and yes, geniuses fail), and let them learn what THEY want to learn.

Will it make a difference what we call it? Maybe.
Will it make a difference how we treat students? Most definitely.
I will continue to tell my students they have genius IN them, and it's up to them to nurture it and help it grow. I will continue to tell my students they matter, and that I will try my best to help them through struggles and failures.

After reflecting on this, I saw a new post (out today!) by A.J. Juliani - Purpose Over Passion... I am not a genius. I do have genius IN me, and most definitely passions. Few of these have become purposeful for me, and lead me to changes. My goal is always as it has been... to help my students be life-long learners, and ultimately change the world.

Thank you to Kevin for making me stop and think this morning... now I've got to go back to working (and possibly failing) with what matters!


Addition - 6/11/13...
Here's another great post on the word "genius," from Bart Miller (@BarMill), who currently teaches in Tokyo, Japan. He asserts that "genius is not granted, but built." Let's help future adults build their genius!

This is why...

Today I had one of those days... one of those "THIS is why I teach!" days.

Today was our first full Genius Hour day of fourth quarter. Students are expected to step it up a notch, and have a product at the end of this quarter, along with giving a five-minute presentation to their classmates, other classes, staff members, and parents that can make it. Projects include baking, creating simple machines, teaching lessons, learning an instrument, and many more. The fun in this is that many of these projects I would never have thought of doing myself! These kids give me my gray hairs, but they also keep me young, that's for sure!

I was able to speak one on one with most of my students today. What a great use of our time. Two students, however, stood out.

Nicholas... His original question was, "What makes us human?"
I'd discovered a video online over the weekend that I thought he might be able to use (about a family in a remote country who walks on all fours), and I talked to him after he'd seen the first few minutes of it. He stopped me, and said, "I don't know if I can use this, as my project has changed a bit already." Curious, of course, I asked him how. (Words are approximate, here, as I was not recording him.) "You know what I'm learning? I'm learning that we are surviving here, but it's more than that. I'm learning that we are really living it up. I mean, think about it - we don't have to build shelter anymore; we already have houses. We don't have to hunt and gather our food; we have grocery stores or restaurants, and we can eat whatever we want! We don't have to mine for metals; someone has already done that for us, and others are doing it now." He went on, but I was so flabbergasted that I can't remember all he said. I know how he ended it, however. "My hope is that when people are done listening to my presentation, they will feel lucky about all they have and all they can do."



Priceless.



Ethan... Ethan wants to perform random acts of kindness.
Yes. He wants to send out a survey asking if you've ever experienced someone performing a random act of kindness for you, what it was, how it made you feel, and if it made you want to "pay it forward." He will collect this data and share it in his presentation. He also wants to perform random acts of kindness, and then ask those people how they felt, or why they declined (if they did so). In his proposal, he wrote, "This project would be worthwhile because it would help people and give me experience helping people which could help me later in life." I don't know all the logistics, or how he'll be doing this, but the whole idea... Oh, it makes me smile! My hope is that some day he'll do these so much he won't even recognize them as random acts of kindness - I believe it could easily be instilled in him as "this is just the way to behave."

Seventh grade. In seventh grade, these students have come up with so many amazing ideas. I love the fact that they change them, too, if they don't think they're "good enough." I have high hopes for this quarter and the projects they'll be completing of their own choosing. Trust your students, and let them know you trust them. See what they decide is worthy of learning.

Nashville & A Passion for Music

Our 7th graders read the second chapter of Outliers by Malcom Gladwell this year. A main point he made was that sports stars, gold-record musicians, entrepreneurs, etc. spend at least 10,000 hours on their passion before they become "experts." My husband and I witnessed this phenomenon this spring break...

Nashville Tennessee - Birthplace of country music stars, right? Not exactly. There are many "transplants" that live in Nashville, that want to get noticed. Our first night there, we walked the "district," visiting a couple of venues, and listening to the live music. Oh, to hear live music! At B.B. King's Blues Club, we heard one man start off, with just his guitar and some pre-recorded rhythms. He was a solid performer. We had to keep exploring, though. We then stopped at the Wildhorse Saloon - and there was line dancing! (Oh, it's been too long!) I went out and danced what I could, and soon there was a live band there, as well! This man and his crew were more rock than the singer at B.B. King's, but so talented, and fun to dance to, for sure!

Walking past each venue, we heard more and more live music. There's nothing like a street full of music pouring out of each doorway. We ended our night back at B.B. King's, where we heard a superb rendition of Stevie Wonder. The first singer we saw there was now playing for a band, and they continued to astound us, hammering out the blues.

Less than 24 hours later, we had a date at the Grand Ole Opry. Some big names were on for the night - Ricky Skaggs, Craig Morgan, and Michael W. Smith to name a few. We also saw Little Jimmy Dickens, who is the oldest member of the Opry. The show (live on WSM 650 AM) was amazing. It was so overwhelmingly filled with talent, that I teared up a few times. Some artists were referred to as having "God's gift," and some with "amazing talent," but I know it was a combination of these... and TIME. Ricky Skaggs said he was invited to play with Earl Scruggs when he was only seven. This opportunity, his desire to play the mandolin, and the time he put in all had to do with his ability to join in with any band on the stage this night.

Just to get to the Opry stage, just to have the right to be able to stand on that wooden circle after the legends that had been there before them, they had to be talented. They had to put in the time and the effort. When they did appear on the stage, they performed with all they had. The lead singer and fiddler in the Old Crow Medicine Show was crazed with energy. His bow danced across his fiddle, vibrant words flew from his mouth, and his feet stomped to the fast pace, while his fellow musicians played their hearts out, too. People were bouncing in their seats, and clapping to the beat. His energy transfixed us. We were awestruck at how spectacular he sounded, and the passion he showed.

I wondered about writing this post. I wanted to write about the talent we witnessed. But what for? What does this have to do with Genius Hour? What impacted me so much about this trip to Nashville? It's all about the passion. Since I was little, my dad always told me, "Do what you like in life." One of my mottos now - "Do what you like; like what you do." I want this for my students. I don't want them to settle for less. I want them to start pursuing their passions as soon as they are aware of what they are. The more time they put into it, the more they'll get out of it; the more they'll get out of LIFE itself.

I'm excited to witness these passions come to life.

Genius Hour Manifesto

This month, Denise Krebs, Gallit Zvi, Hugh McDonald and I co-wrote the post Genius Hour Manifesto, which A.J. Juliani posted here: Education Is My Life

Please stop by and read our collective thoughts about Genius Hour!

Afterwards, take a look at the LiveBinder that has resources on it for Genius Hour and 20% Time. Of course, it has the Genius Hour wiki on it to help educators begin. (Soon to include Innovation Days, too!)

Genius Hour

It's the Thought that Counts...

It's March... Getting close to Spring Break... I'm thinking of the two teachers I mentor this year. It's their first year teaching in the district, and they finally look like they are eating right and sleeping (enough??).  However, this time of year, our middle school students and teachers seem to have shorter fuses than normal. Is it the snow? The lack of sunshine? The time kept cooped up inside? It doesn't matter. It happens in February, and keeps going into March, up until Spring Break. I was thinking of these two girls who don't know about this "slump," and might think they'll feel this way for the rest of their careers. Not so, and I wanted them to know that this, too, shall pass.

So I borrowed an idea I saw at a craft show. It's just a decoration for a candy bar. In fact, I bought some  for friends this fall - from Mary Deruz, at That's a Wrap Creations. Mary used thick, good paper, and had her own design on it, along with felt or fleece decorations - Adorable, and great for celebrations or party favors!  I measured her paper, and found it was a square - 5.5 inches squared. Here is a simple one I created on the printer tonight for our two new ELA teachers...

If it's the thought that counts, think of those teachers who may not know that this winter "slump" will, indeed, leave, once we all get a break and time to spend with our family and loved ones.

It's About the People.

Some people at work think I'm a bit tech crazy. Why? I keep telling them what I learned from people on Twitter. They hear "Twitter" and smirk, or cringe. They think Twitter is a "thing". They don't see it the way I see it. Twitter has not taught me. PEOPLE on Twitter have shared with me, and learned with me, while hopefully learning from me, as well. It's about the people. It's about the sharing. It's about growing as a teacher. It's not about the tech.

Some doubters would say Twitter has changed my thinking.  Well, if it hadn't been for Twitter, I would not have known what an EdCamp was, that's for sure. I was introduced to the term in July of 2012, and attended my first in OshKosh, Wisconsin in early August. Free professional development??  No schedule?  I was blown away by all the teachers and administrators who took a Saturday of their time to learn with each other! My guide that day was Shawn McCusker, and his excitement was contagious! In order to meet him in person, he tweeted out a picture of the 45 rpm adapter on his shirt (I'll lose a few readers who are too young to know what this is or what it's for...) so I would know for sure who he was. He was tweeting away, and chuckling at other tweets as we introduced ourselves and talked about the day ahead. What do I say to Twitter doubters & those that think I'm a bit tech crazy? Once again, it's not about Twitter. It's about the PEOPLE I have met face to face through Twitter. Shawn's infectious vibe, and the vibe of all the other people learning along with me that day made a difference. I learned from THEM, not from the technology I used that got me there.

I attended my second EdCamp yesterday - in Madison, Wisconsin. Drove two hours there the night before, went to the local watering hole on the square, and enjoyed the night with my husband on our mini-vacation. When he dropped me off at the beautiful, new Sun Prairie High School (thank you Jess, Pernille, Emily, Tom, Kaye, etc. for this venue and this day at #edcampmadwi!), I knew better what to expect. In fact, I recognized a Twitter friend, Rachel Pierson on my way in and introduced myself to her right away. I then saw Emily Dittmar and Pernille Ripp and introduced myself to them, as well. (Oh so great that they looked like their pictures!) I strode right over to Jess Henze (who I met at my first EdCamp!) and said congratulations, as the day she had worked hard to plan was finally here.  Later, I met Tom Whitford, his wife Leah & then Heather Suckow (another great educator from Iowa!) and it was like I was meeting movie stars. Smiles, handshakes and even hugs happened, as I felt like I'd known these people for months. Had I? Only on something called Twitter. But now I could see that they were honest in their tweets, and their personalities and passions had shown through as I learned from them throughout the day. I loved learning from these educators in sessions I attended throughout the day.

Thanks for the free t-shirt from my PLN & the swap table!!

After lunch, I decided to work on what I'd learned in the morning. Well, this time had a welcome interruption. I went onto a Google Doc I'd co-created with teachers from Georgia, Iowa, and Missouri. Who was editing the document at the same time? Allison Petersen. Five minutes later, I was on my first Google Hangout, because she had shown me how. We discussed how to use it, and how we'll get our students connected on Monday. Our students will be discussing books they've read in common! It is a result of the technology that we were meeting. It is a result of that same technology that our students will be able to talk to each other. But it is the PEOPLE that will be connecting. Students will share with each other, as Allison and I have shared just yesterday.

I ended the day by listening to a science teacher, Allison Fuelling, who started Genius Hour this year. Because of my interest and investment in Genius Hour, I was able to add my story of how mine started (check out my first post), and how it's grown and changed. I was able to answer questions, tell about high school teachers who are doing the same thing (albeit under a different name - 20% Time), how a second grade teacher is adapting it, and help explain how it can be different for every teacher, depending on what your ultimate goal is. This time with interested teachers encouraged me once again to create a hub (or add to the wiki) where teachers can find success stories and names of others who've gone before them. PEOPLE sharing at this venue made all the difference. The questions that came from other teachers and administrators made the discussion successful.

For those who think I'm tech crazy, you've got another think coming. I'm anything but a tech queen. In fact, I did not attend some sessions yesterday because they were "too techie" for me.

I just like to learn. 

People that challenge me and support me ... help me learn and grow.

If you still don't have a blog to reflect on your teaching practices, or are still not learning from educators on Twitter, ask yourself how you are learning. Blogging and Twitter are not the only ways to be connected to other educators. But ask yourself this - Are you learning from the same people you've learned from the last 10 or 20 years? If so, don't you think it's time to learn from someone outside your circle? Do you think you can still grow as an educator? If you're finished learning from others, do you think it's possible to instill the passion for life-long learning in your students?

If you want to continue learning along with me, introduce yourself to me at EdCampChicago in Hoffman Estates on April 27th. Registration is still open today. I'll be there!

Half-Year Mark

We've tried Genius Hour with a gusto this year, and this is the longest our classes have gone with this consistency! The first one we had was in February, but I didn't dedicate a time each week to it. So... I've asked students to blog about what they've done this year so far, and tell about their future plans.

However, there are still a few students who don't yet know which route to take with their personalized learning. Therefore, this coming week, I'll be showing students this video from "Kid President" (that I think everyone should see!):

(Thanks to Krissy Venosdale for sharing this on her post!)

We will also be filling in our our bulletin board that has the following leads...
    "I wonder..."
    "I would like to learn about..."
    "I am a genius when it comes to..."

Addition to original blog post (2/19/13):
Students put their ideas on the wall!

"If I could create a new class, it would be called..."
     - Volleyball for Dummies
     - Potions Class
     - PATD (Photography, Art, Theater, Design)
     - Genetics or Geneology
     - Save the Animals
     - Inventions

"I'm a genius when it comes to..."
     - Basketball
     - Video Games
     - Art, music, and volleyball
     - Making Friends
     - Trains
     - Musical Theater
     - Horses
     - Hockey
     - Being Creative
     - Picking the Perfect Outfit
     - Beatboxing
     - Creating Stop Motions & Architecture

"I wonder..."

     - how the world came to be

     - how many pasta types there are in the world

     - if sloths communicate
     - how many apps there are in the world
     - why the Earth is a circle
     - what cave men ate in cave men time
     - why cows have spots
     - how many books there are in the world
     - when the world will end
     - why sloths move so slowly
     - how stop motions were invented
     - about the history of teddy bears
     - if everybody in the world made their dreams come true, how different the world would be