Genius Hour

While reading about different curriculum offerings in school, I discovered a new term, "Genius Hour." The term Genius Hour originates from Google. It is a practice at Google where employees spend twenty percent of their time engaged in projects of their choosing. Projects with the potential to benefit the company. Many innovations at Google have developed from this practice.

Traditional education has embraced the Genius Hour. Some schools take one hour each day and invite children to work on a project of their choosing. Looking further into Genius Hour, I discovered how to incorporate this practice into the classroom. I also learned that many principals of Genius Hour complement the methods of learner-centered education and can benefit the school-age care community.

How can incorporating Genius Hour practices into school-age care programs benefit children?

My work is with school-age children, and in my school, we embrace the philosophies of learner-centered education. Our teaching approach nurtures successful investigations and collaborations with the children. We use several foundational practices to enhance the experience for children in our program. As you read more about the foundational practices below, consider how they may support your teaching practice.

Purposeful – Inviting children to explore their interests creates purpose for the work. Everyone feels connected to their interests, including children, who want time to explore their interests without pressure from an adult who tells them what is essential to learn.

Inquiry-Based – We all have questions. For children, having time to investigate their questions is the learning path. Exploring our questions gives meaning to life. An inquiry begins with a question about something the child desires to know more about. Having time to investigate questions is beneficial to children's learning and engagement.

Child Directed – All Children are capable and enjoy thinking about, investigating, creating, and leading their own work. As educators, we come alongside children as co-learner/researchers and engage in dialogue and discovery as they direct their learning.

Follow Questions – A learning investigation evolves as a series of questions that take the child on a journey of discovery and new questions. When children follow questions, they are not seeking one correct answer. They are seeking to learn more about their interests as an active experience.

Research – The act of investigating questions is a search for meaning. The traditional view of learning is someone with superior knowledge sharing ideas with persons of lesser knowledge. Genius Hour principals invite all children to be researchers and knowledge seekers. Learning this way invites children to make discoveries instead of seeking the correct answer. While researching, children seek information to travel one step further on the learning journey.

Projects – The project approach is an excellent way for children to explore questions. The project approach invites children to create work and share new theories and discoveries. The project approach helps children make learning visible. The active search for answers through creativity ties the sensory and physical self into a quest for knowledge.

Collaborative Work – Project work offers children the opportunity to learn with others. Children collaborate with each other and educators in the search for meaning. The role of the co-learner evolves as the challenges and depth of an investigation grow. Working in collaboration makes learning come alive.

Sharing with Others – Inquiry is a process of self-discovery that educators can document and share with others—sharing children's thinking and work benefits other children and the community. The stories of children's investigations help others value the search for knowledge.

Genius Hour in schools enhances the learning experience for young children. I would like to see the attributes of Genius Hour employed more in school-age care settings. School-age care can move away from scripted programming. This act would invite young children to use their knowledge at school and apply it to project work after school to build knowledge and understand the learning journey.