Genius Hour has commenced!

I am so excited about this Genius Hour stuff. So. Excited.

Though I've had a few glitches to work out in communicating my expectations to kids and exactly how much paperwork they really need to do the project, it's starting off well.

The kids pitched all their ideas a few weeks ago, and we're setting up blogs today. I think a lot of the kids are truly excited for what they're doing. Some of them have lofty goals... some of them don't. Some of them have very interesting topics but struggled to come up with a project to go with it. They all seemed to have something they wanted to study or learn or focus on quickly, but finding a project to go with it was a challenge for some.

I think, though, that so far, my goal for the project is being met - the kids are engaged in learning and doing something of their choosing. The kids I have, by and large, are all high-achievers. They have to be, to qualify for College Prep English. And because of that, they are also some of the busiest, most involved students we have. I think they appreciate having a chance to pursue a hobby or an interest of theirs built in to the school week.

Some of our projects are:

• making blankets for the needy
• testing computer virus software
• making model cars
• making soap
• creating painting tutorials
• raising money to build a house in Haiti
• creating a lending library
• writing an a cappella song to perform at a Christmas concert
• learning photography techniques

Overall, I'm pumped to see where these kids go with this opportunity. You can check my Genius Hour page for links to all their blogs, which are supposed to explain their projects and their progress. They're still in the initial stages, though, so some of them don't have much up yet. They will!

Product Update: Writer's Mini-lessons

One of my favorite assignments I give to my seniors is the writer's mini-lesson. By the time they are seniors, there is very little actual new information for them to learn regarding grammar. Most of what they are doing in their writing is improving, maturing, and simply adding sophistication. So, for our grammar and writing review, I have the students teach most of the lessons.

The best part about student-led instruction is how much better they retain what they taught. And I've been really surprised by the different ways they have come up with to practice the information or skill! Some of them have gotten really creative!

The down side of all of this, which I learned the hard way the first few years, was the organization of it all. I have one group present each Wednesday, and they all have due dates based on when they present, so it can get really difficult to keep everyone on schedule and organized. I made myself a chart for each of my hours to try and stay on top of it, but I mostly relied on the kids to be aware of deadlines and get things to me. They are seniors, after all. I tried my best to remind them, and they did get points deducted if they missed a deadline. I just let them know up front that they were in charge, and it seemed to work well enough.

I have certainly learned a lot through trial and error with this assignment, but I think I've streamlined and organized the process now (mostly). So, to reflect that, I've updated this product to include some more documents and helpful tips and tricks. Click here to check it out!