Category: Geniushour

6 Favorite Places to Read #SOLC Day 20

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I am participating in the Slice of Life Challenge at twowritingteachers.org.

5 Favorite Places to Read

  1. My bed
  2. The coffee shop (I esp love writing here)
  3. The library
  4. My Rose Chair (That I sadly do not have anymore)
  5. My desk at work.
  6. In the car when I am waiting

What do you read?

by Categories: Coaching, Geniushour, Mywriting, Slice of Life, Writing ChallengeTags: , 20 Comments

What I Am Grateful For…At Work #SOLC Day 4

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Today I am sharing what I am grateful for specifically at work. Lately, I’ve been reflecting about my purpose and what my needs are for my job. This post is part of the Slice of Life Challenge at twowritingteachers.org.

I appreciate I work in a school with talented teachers.

I appreciate upper administration is conscious of student safety.

I appreciate my school has Chromebooks for every student.

I appreciate I have a principal that understands teacher time and trying to manage one thing at a time.

I appreciate I have an office big enough to do trainings in and have a coffee pot.

I appreciate I have teachers who want to learn and come to voluntary PD consistently.

I appreciate the teachers who allow me to teach small groups of students for me to do writers workshop and genius hour.

I appreciate my schedule is flexible and I do not have to do sub plans.

I appreciate my school values reading as an important skill and honors it with time.

I appreciate the training I am receiving this year – esp. the Jim Knight coaching.

What do you appreciate at work?

by Categories: Coaching, Geniushour, Mywriting, Slice of Life, Writing ChallengeTags: , 25 Comments

Genius Hour Update #SOL

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Yesterday I met for a second time with my 7th graders who are participating in Genius Hour. The 45 minutes was the highlight of my school day.

This is what it looked like:

  • The students finished their analog planning on the sheets
  • Whip Around Share Out
  • Assignments were given for each group of what they need to do before next Monday – mostly research.

I am super excited about the projects and how they are shaping up!

Here is a sampling of the projects:

  • Two students are planning The Random Happiness Project
  • Two students are planning a motivational presentation to be broadcast for the entire school
  • One student is making a People of Michigan City presentation to show what our community really looks like
  • One student wants to raise awareness of elephant poaching and to give people 3-5 action steps of what they can do to help

Notes:

  1. It is interesting that one of the most talkative girls is having trouble narrowing her big picture idea to an actionable list. She wants to jump in with both feet and no plans! It is very telling for her process. A place I need to intervene.
  2. The buzz of work, while the time was clicking away, was energizing. You know that buzz when great ideas are flying around the room – THAT was what my room sounded like yesterday at 11a.m.
  3. Two projects sounded the same when they did their “elevator pitch” in the whip around but we unpacked it and came to realize the end results were different: one focus was truly happiness and the other was motivation. The audiences were different as well. It was a great discussion about focus and intent.
  4. I need to take some pictures of the students. We were so busy I forgot! They are so excited about this time and I hope to capture that feeling in their expressions.
  5. I am loving this process because it is teaching students to be lifelong learners which is a basic philosophy I have had since I started teaching.

What is exciting you about education today!?

by Categories: Geniushour, School Life, Slice of LifeTags: , 5 Comments

Are you a Genius? #SOL18

 

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#Thisitheyear

This is the year I will start programs for students.

I started Genius hour yesterday with a group of 7th graders.  My school moved to block scheduling this year which allows the opportunity for remediation and enrichment with students during an Impact time. I am taking advantage of this time opportunity!

I conducted a writer’s workshop a few weeks ago which was successful and took place during a consecutive 5 days. Genius hour will take place over 6 weeks. The group of 10 students meet once a week to work on their projects.

I introduced the concept to the students last week and they were able to sign up. No one had heard about the idea before I spoke about it but they were very excited it was inspired by Google. I told them a few facts and then listed several ideas of projects that could think about.

Genius hour is time for students to pursue a personal interest, make something, and share it with the world. It could be a program, a blog, a game, a video, or anything they imagine. It can solve a problem or showcase a study.

Yesterday’s agenda:

  • Video 
  • Brainstorming
  • Joined Google Classroom
  • Read aloud: The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spears
  • Discussion about perseverance and making things that don’t look like what is in our heads
  • Students took 16 personalities test

 

Cover art

This is another video I found helpful about general concepts about Genius Hour.

Results of day one:

  • One of my students wants to make a motivational video to share because she feels it is needed. She is thinking about staging it like a TED talk.
  • Several students are thinking about starting programs or clubs for their fellow classmates
  • Several students are thinking about starting fundraisers for local community organizations
  • One student is thinking about a photography project.

They are all THINKING and wanting to CREATE! It was a glorious day and I cannot wait to see what the end of 6 weeks looks like!

What have you created today, no matter how small?

 

by Categories: bookrecs, Geniushour, Justlife, School Life, Slice of LifeTags: , , 4 Comments