GENIUS HOUR - Purposeful Programming for Children



A Modified Project Approach For Purposeful Summer Programming

As educators, we can help our students find and explore their passions. Once they discover what they’re truly passionate about, the learning and engagement will never stop. The best way for children to explore their happiness passions is through Genius Hour.

Genius Hour isn’t a new concept. Many educators use this method as a scaled down project approach to get children engaged and active in their own learning. 

Summer, with the long days of unscheduled or relaxed programming, is a perfect time to try out creating a genius hour if it's your first time.

And remember, you don't have to restrict yourself to just an hour a day, you're free to expand the time frame to a morning or afternoon.  


TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL GENIUS HOUR

1. Let Students Explore Their Interests or 'Happiness Pursuits'
·        Give children enough time to explore and indulge the interests.

·      2. Create a Wonder Wall where the children can put up sticky notes with questions or problems they want to solve. Once the questions are up, help the children decide on a focus. 

3. Create A Proposal
·        Have the children choose: at least three inquiry-based questions, which materials they’ll need, as well as any help they may want.
·        Maintain a Genius Journal where everyone can keep track of the whole project.

      4. Make The Research Fun
·        The research is the best part!  It's when the children start moving at their own pace. Some will got to it and engage right away, while others may go slowly or only go forth with a friend.  Great!  Let them all engage in research as they choose. 

  


Try a tinkering area.  
Nothing like getting and keeping their hands and fingers busy.





Use a variety of research methods: experiments, videos, websites, pictures, apps, books, magazines, surveys, field trips and local community experts.

Present and Create

·    Let the children showcase their results through: posters, charts, photos, videos, 3Dmodels, talks, picture books, paintings, dioramas, clay models … display everything they're proud of.  Create a showcase area where things can stay up for a while so everyone can view at their leisure, but mostly so the children can enjoy their own work again and again.

Genius Hour is all about the kids, for the kids and conducted by the kids. 

________________________________________

Want more information on how to become a mindful ECE?  Download the Mindful ECE Resource Collection.



____________________________________
Adapted from:  Jill Badalamenti, who is a technology integration coach at Reed School in Missouri.https://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/01/26/the-4-essentials-of-a-successful-genius-hour/


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

LEARNING STORIES – Observation and documentation the New Zealand Te Whāriki Way

Image
  WHAT IS A LEARNING STORY? Learning Stories are a widely used technique to assess children’s learning in New Zealand's, Te Whāriki early childhood curriculum, child care centers . The technique requires teachers to observe children and write narrative ‘stories’ to interpret the learning that is occurring in particular situations. A 'Learning Story' is a record of what an educator has seen a child, or what a group of children do in the program.   The written story can be as short as one paragraph, one page or longer, but usually focuses on a specific incident or episode (like an anecdotal), or a snapshot of time(e.g. 10 minutes at the art table), or a group activity (a nature walk or visit to a fire station). It becomes a 'learning' story when the educator adds their interpretation of the child's competencies and attitude toward learning (courage, curiosity, perseverance). New Zealand educators match up the strands of their ear...
Read more

PROVOCATIONS

Image
WHAT IS PROVOCATION?   Put simply, provocations provoke ! They provoke thoughts, discussions, questions, interests, creativity and ideas. They can also expand on a thought, project, idea and interest. Provocations can come in many forms: ·          An interesting photo, picture or book , ·           Nature (e.g. specimens) ·          Conceptual (e.g. changing seasons, light) ·          Old materials displayed in a new way, ·          An interest that a child or children have , ·          An object (e.g. magnets , maps) ·          New creative mediums , ·          Questions (from any source – i.e. What is gravity?) ·     ...
Read more

MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN'S BOOK DAY

Image
  Books and Bricks: How a School Rebuilt the Community By Sindiwe Magona Salmina Arenda's school was a scary place. The fence had holes, the walls needed paint, and the yard was full of weeds and rubbish. But things started to look up when the school received new computers. Then disaster struck the school! Now parents, teachers, and students alike must rally together to revive their school and community. I loved this book for children. It's wonderful to read out loud. It's informative and includes a little bit of mystery that keeps the reader engaged. As the story unfolds it's heartwarming to see the transformation of the main characters from hopeless to hopeful about what a thriving school can do for the community. Salmina is a very realistic and endearing lead character that children can relate to.   I give this book a 5 star rating because it's appealing, informative, and easy to read to schoolagers. It may take place across the world, but the emotions it...
Read more