Intrinsic Motivation

Genius Hour is thriving! Since our students come during their lunch/recess time, it is completely based on intrinsic motivation. We have had a small handful of students lose steam and reflect on their GH, but this is partially due to the fact that we allowed kids to work together. We have had one group of students collaborate to create a Minecraft server and it has been quite successful.

The biggest complaint we have had is that there is not enough time. Student feedback indicates that Genius Hour is valuable, warranted, and wanted. They want at least a solid hour a week to devote to their genius. Hopefully we can accommodate them next year.

Currently we have numerous kids that are finalizing their first project and sharing in a variety of ways:
-slide show on why people cry
-tutorial on how to make friendship bracelets
-video of a student covering a song
-creating a Minecraft server
-coding and making a computer game
-learning to play a guitar
-refinishing a chair
-writing a book
-a fashion slideshow
-photos on flexibility
-choreographing a dance
and many more creative topics. The students have been discussing Genius Hour and other grades have become interested, therefore, in January we will begin to invite our 6th graders to participate. Right now, students are obligated to coming one lunch/recess time per week. We run GH on Mondays and Tuesdays. Many of our students come both days and some have even begged to come on Wednesdays and Thursdays, how does one say no to that! We will open GH to 6th graders on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the beginning. The feedback we are getting is pure excitement,  and I am guessing we will have a high turn-out. We still have about thirty 7th and 8th graders participating on their own time. With those numbers and the enthusiasm still flowing, how can anyone dispute that Genius Hour is, well, pure Genius?

Keep reading,
The Noisy Librarian

How to get kids reading.......

Here's one way we keep kids interested in reading. Great Stone Face selections that we encourage our students to check-out. 

You just sang that, didn't you? 

The Noisy Librarian