"Why Genius Hour? Project-Based Learning for Students (K-12)"

Kim Strobel

Happiness Coach

As a former teacher turned speaker and happiness coach, Kim Strobel helps schools prioritize their happiness and well-being so they can step into their potential!

For over 20 years, she’s been a teacher, top-tier leadership consultant, and nationally recognized speaker who helps others reclaim their joy, ignite their passion, and teach with purpose.

ALL are welcome, including anyone in a non-administrative position!

Participants will earn .5 credit (7.5 hours) toward license renewal!

This workshop ALSO counts for step advancement in Clark, Washoe and most Nevada School Districts!

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In CCSD, those in non-administrative licensed positions may count this workshop for license renewal AND ALSO CU accrual - THOSE IN NON-ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS EARN BOTH!

(unlimited CUs in this category for those in non-administrative positions)

In CCSD, administrators and professional-technical administrators may count this workshop for license renewal OR hour accrual toward step-advancement - not both for administrators.

(maximum of 30 hours per advancement cycle for administrators in this category)!

Washoe County participants will be required to also register for this course in "MyPGS" in order to receive in-service credit toward salary advancement.Workshop Summary:

The traditional education system required students to hold on to their questions, and teachers to compliantly stick to the scheduled curriculum. For the last century, the classroom experience has revolved around lectures, note-taking, rote memorization of facts that we can now Google, and recall-based tests.

It hasn’t fostered innovation, inspired creativity, or cultivated critical thinking—the skills our students will need to succeed with the twenty-first-century complexities of citizenship. With the shift in classroom settings, project-based curriculum has never been more necessary.

Sixty-five percent of children entering grade school this year will end up working in careers that haven’t even been invented yet.

Genius Hour is a relative of Project-Based Learning that allows students to work on a subject of interest to them. It works best when students feel deeply passionate about their project topics and when students actually feel like there is a purpose to their project and a real-world application.

In this workshop, you’ll learn…

• Why we need to transform our troubled education system
• Understanding how real students learn & how great schools work
• Education Evolution: Recognizing the importance of new skills, talents, and passions
• Putting value back on students’ “non-traditional” skills
• The 6 elements today’s learner needs
• Setting up Genius Hour time in your classroom
• Learning the structure of Genius Hour and implementation strategies
• The research behind choice and inquiry-based education
• Why Genius Hour is important—for students and teachers
• Strategies for teaching students to explore their passions
• Bringing MOTIVATION, ENGAGEMENT, CREATIVITY, and PLAY back to the classroom
• Guiding students through the Genius Hour process
• Brainstorming with passion boards and wonder walls
• Setting up a learning environment that inspires students
• Establishing expectations and ground rules
• Teaching self-assessment through proposals and timelines
• Tracking student progress
• Managing learners at different stages of the process
• Connecting your standards and curriculum to Genius Hour
• Planning and accountability for students and teachers
• Utilizing rubrics that drive revision and feedback

In this workshop, you’ll discover how to transform your classroom into a place where students want to come in and learn—where creativity and motivation flourish.

And Kim and her team will take out the anxiety and the stress associated with PBL and give you all the tools and structure routines you need to make this flow with ease.

Workshop Agenda:

7:00 - 8:00 AM: Session 1: Why Genius Hour and What Makes It Work?

8:00 - 9:00 AM: Session 2: The Changing Landscape of Education

9:00 - 10:00 AM: Session 3: The Six Essential Senses Students Need to Flourish

10:00 - 11:00 AM: Session 4: The Launch of Genius Hour

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Session 5: Step 1 - Teach Students How to Brainstorm Ideas

12:00 - 12:30 PM: Lunch

12:30 - 1:30 PM: Session 6: Steps 2 & 3: Create Inquiry Questions and Begin Research

1:30 - 2:30 PM Session 7: Steps 4,5,6: Create a Product, Presentation, & Reflection

2:30-3:00 PM: Session 8: Organization and Accountability