The Innovator's Mindset Podcast: Genius Hour and Getting to "Whelmed"

"Whelmed" 

How do we get to the place of being "whelmed" in our learning? What does empowerment look like in an online environment? How can "Genius Hour" push the learning of both kids and adults in education?

These are some of the key topics that were discussed in the podcast.

What I found very interesting in this Podcast is that AJ discusses “genius hour”. It reminds me of Apple’s Genius Bar” in a sense, where Apple Geeks teach you all about your product and more if you want to learn. AJ’s genius hour is a lot like Apples’ genius.   When you get to choose what you want to learn it does bring out a passion for learning. Whatever you want to label the genus hour, it becomes the basic premise where students get to learn something that they are passionate about and that they are interested in.  Once that passion is lit, they would have a purpose beyond the school for learning, and then, with that learning, they document the learning journey, and eventually create something based on that learning path.  

I usually give my students a choice on some of the texts we read in our English language/learning disability (LLD) class. For example, I gave them a choice of some classic novels (easy read) that are a part of the school curriculum. They were able to choose from: Phantom of the Opera, War of the Worlds, Frankenstein, Dracula, and Flowers for Algernon. Well, with a great amount of enthusiasm, they all chose Phantom of the Opera and made me promise that when the book is done, we will read Flowers for Algernon for the last book of the year.

As my classes are three-fourths finished with Phantom of the Opera, my students are an absolute love with the book that they chose. The students are rooting for Erik; however, they feel horrible for Raoul and what he is going through because he loves Christine too. Then they flip, to Erik and how horrible his life is and was. None of my students have seen the movie and they cannot wait. I would love to take them to New York City to see it on Broadway, unfortunately it costs way too much money for them to dish out. So, we shall settle for second best, even the second best to them is still amazing because they chose what they wanted to read.

You can connect all kinds of standards and all kinds of curriculum and still give the students a choice in what they learn. Then they demonstrate that understanding by giving you amazing feedback on the events in the text. They still have interest. They still have curiosity. They still have things that are on their mind that they want to explore and learn about. I love watching the learning process as in, what I see, what they say, and the passion coming out of their voices with a true authentic audience. 

Genius Hour and Getting to "Whelmed"

AJ Juliani on Twitter: twitter.com/ajjuliani 

George Couros on Twitter: twitter.com/gcouros