Hey Coach,

I know Genius Hour is a great strategy to increase student voice, but I have no idea how to plan for Genius Hour in my classroom! Any pointers for me?

Sincerely,
On a Genius Hour Journey

Dear Genius Hour Journey,
I love that you want to implement Genius Hour in your classroom! I’ll begin with a little background information for those who may not be familiar with this strategy. During Genius Hour, students spend a designated amount of class time exploring their own interests. This strategy can be an innovative way to meet standards while also offering many other benefits to students. Students experience autonomy as learners because they are given opportunities to make choices about what they study and how they demonstrate their understanding. By giving students a voice, learning becomes more authentic and meaningful. Most importantly, the freedom and flexibility of Genius Hour helps students become motivated lifelong learners. You can learn more about the many advantages in our Genius Hour infographic.

A great way to get started with Genius Hour is to think through a few key considerations. Create a plan for the following areas so you’ll be ready to hit the ground running!

What are your expectations?

Begin by setting a time frame for when Genius Hour will take place in your classroom. This might be a specific time of day, day of the week, or a particular window of time during the year. Then, establish some expectations for what students will produce and how they will be assessed on their creations. Take this opportunity to align the products that students make with your standards and learning objectives.

How will you help students generate ideas & topics for research?

Students are often unaccustomed to the freedom offered to them within Genius Hour. As a result, one of the biggest challenges of Genius Hour is coming up with project ideas. By putting some structures in place such as question starters, interest inventories, or interest brackets, you can help students brainstorm and identify areas of interest to study.

What systems will you use to hold students accountable?

During Genius Hour, students learn and progress at their own pace. This presents some challenges for the teacher as you track each student’s individual progress. Plan ahead by creating a system that holds students accountable for their work. This might look like brief weekly check-ins with each student, filling out a daily reflection sheet, or students blogging about their progress throughout their project.

How will you provide support as students research & create?

The personalized nature of Genius Hour can also make it challenging to support each student as they research and create their own unique projects. You might provide this support through individual or small group conferences. If so, be sure to set aside time for these meetings within your schedule. You might also consider partnering students with other educators in the building, “research buddies” from other grade levels, or community mentors who can provide support. Work to set up these partnerships before you begin Genius Hour with your students.

How will students share what they have learned?

A critical piece of Genius Hour is ensuring that students have an opportunity to share their learning with an authentic audience. Make a clear plan for how, when, and where students will share their finished products. This might take place during classroom presentations or during a Genius Hour Fair at your school. You can get creative and use technology to share by publishing student products on a website (such as Weebly for Education), or by using iMovie, Adobe Spark, or WeVideo to record engaging video presentations that can easily be shared with a global audience.

There is a lot to learn about Genius Hour! I highly recommend you check out resources from some of my favorite Genius Hour experts, A.J. Juliani, Chris Kesler, and Joy Kirr. But always remember - so much growth will take place during your own boots-on-the-ground learning. So jump in and get started! As you experience the planning process, the challenges, and most importantly, the successes of implementing Genius Hour in your classroom, you will refine your practices to find what works best for you and your students. Good luck on your Genius Hour journey!

All the best,
Coach