# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Copy of Brainado 2018 student planning and reflection document

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A new recipe for Personalized Learning Plans

Rather than trying to get students to care about existing PLPs, some schools are revamping their PLP process to start with what students care about. They are asking students to pursue their passions by crafting projects based on their personal interests and deepest curiosities.

The new recipe that is emerging: start with a cool personalized project and then build the PLP around it.

Many educators faithfully followed the formula laid out by the Vermont Agency of Ed (AOE) as they began implementing Personalized Learning Plans. As a new PD Coordinator working with a number of schools, I created my own PLP and experienced the power of exploring my identity, setting goals, and reflecting on growth.

Yet what worked for me wasn't such a big hit with all students. In many schools, PLPs fell flat. Despite the best efforts of educators, students asked "How can this be personal if I don't care?"

Early glimpses of project-based PLPs

Some classrooms found great success with the formula of goal-setting based on learner profiles. Check out this recent blog post by Don Taylor and other examples at the PLP Pathways site to see the power of goal-setting in rich student-centered contexts. Teachers interweave goal-setting with the project-based learning that students are doing every day.

In some cases, the PLP process provided a vehicle for students to advocate for engaging learning opportunities. Fayston Elementary School, for example, launched PLPs with a process that was fairly typical other than giving students wide latitude in the types of goals they set. A few students set goals that morphed into independent projects. Soon almost every grade 5-6 student was pursuing passions and exploring personal interests.

When asked, students often point to project-based learning as encapsulating personalization. Students from Shelburne Community School who participated in the PLP (re)Design process came up with this elevator pitch:

"Our PLPs should have hands-on projects with more school time to work on them. We should have choice of a platform and an authentic audience (PLP fair, etc.) to share our learning."

(See this site created by teacher Sam Nelson for background and resources on Shelburne Community School's student-driven PLP reorientation.)

The VT Agency of Ed's PLP guidance emphasizes that format is a "local school decision," and the project-based PLP can meet Act 77 requirements just as well as one focused on structured goal setting.

As some middle schools begin to recenter PLPs around projects, here are four essential ingredients to this emerging recipe.

1. Hook 'em with a cool project

The rationale here is to take the excitement of a cool project and leverage it to drive the PLP process. The learning outcomes of the PLP, such as goal-setting, showing evidence of growth, and connecting personal identity to school, are all enabled by the project.

Personalized projects (aka passion projects or genius hours) emphasize student choice and often produce high engagement. This makes them well suited to be PLP vehicles.

Eric Brunvand, ELA teacher at Shelburne Community School, described the soft entry into formalized planning that they took with Personal Interest Projects (PIPs).

"We did not require students to create more than one or two action steps, instead we asked them to jump into their projects as soon as possible and then to set next steps as they went. I looked at it as you would a household project...you normally end up heading out to the hardware store more than once as you figure out exactly what the task entails."

Engagement comes first.

Crossett Brook Middle School launched their Brainado project with a school-wide assembly and a video with highlights from the prior year.

2. Integrate planning and goal-setting

A project-based PLP inherently builds goal-setting into the process. In its simplest form, completing the project IS the goal of the PLP. The goal is concretely formulated as "I want to build ___," "I want to learn about ___," "I want to create ___," etc.

Take a look at this initial planning sheet example from Shelburne Community School. Notice the word "goal" is not even mentioned.

At Crossett Brook Middle School students will create "product" and "process" goals for their Brainado project. Students will produce something to share (product). And they will also set a goal related to the Transferable Skills they will employ along the way (process).

This type of planning and concrete goal-setting can serve as a powerful scaffold for the more formalized goal-setting of high-school PLPs.

3. Tell the story

Project-based learning breaks up curriculum into palatable portions. Similarly, capturing the story of a project humanizes the documentation and reflection requirements of PLPs.

Check out the stories told by Fayston Elementary School students about their PLP projects. With a few simple prompts such as "Who helped you along the way?" and "How did you use Transferable Skills during your project?", students created meaningful digital stories.

Crossett Brook Middle School has broken up documentation by project phase: before, during, and at the end. To support the roll-out of their new project-based PLPs, librarian Jen Hill and the student leadership team have developed a PLP web site with examples and guidance.

4. Incorporate the language of learning when the time is right

Once students are personally invested in a project, they have a story they want to tell. They are also more likely to want to show off what they have learned.

A well-crafted final reflection can synthesize learning and connect it to academic objectives such as proficiencies.

This reflection sheet from Shelburne Community School is a thing of beauty as far as I'm concerned. Students start by self-assessing their self-direction skills. Then they go through a series of questions and a checklist to trigger deeper thinking about their performance. And finally, they self-assess again based on this new thinking.

Swift House at Williston Central School primarily organizes the curriculum around project-based learning. This end-of-project reflection template shows how students set PLP goals at the beginning of the project and then provide evidence at the end of the project.

The extent to which formal learning language is used and when it is introduced depends on the context. But one thing is for sure: the more students care, the more likely they are to retain what they learn.

Personalized projects have always been a great tool for ensuring that students care about what they learn; and a growing number of Vermont schools are betting projects will be key to helping students care about their PLPs.

How could project-based PLPs work for your students?

The following two tabs change content below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The rise of the project-based PLP - Innovation: Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Rather than trying to get students to care about existing PLPs, some schools are revamping their PLP process to start with what students care about. They are asking students to pursue their passions by crafting projects based on their personal interests and deepest curiosities.

# data[].attributes.body
Why do it?
How to launch it
How to leverage it
How to do it

*How did Brainado change the meaning of school for you?

Story of CBMS – PLPs = disengaged, so launched Genius Hour

*Show GH video

Student Council helped build it up

*Poster

*Promo video

And then launched it simultaneously across the school

*Week-by-week plan

*Prezi

What happened? Lots of good stuff. Fast forward to year 2. Students presented to 5th graders. Then you go to an assembly. Several presentations.

*Show highlight video

Year 3 - tighter structure, Lead Mentors, everybody presents, PLPs

Other resources  - BIE PBL; Singapore

Now consider: how might you apply what you learned today in your classroom?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Beyond the Passion Project

Clara wanted to do something amazing for her final Brainado project. She wanted to push herself and leave a "remembrance," as she called it, commemorating the sustainability program at her middle school. She envisioned painting a mural on the newly constructed, pristine greenhouse. She only had one small problem: "I have no artistic ability."

But she went for it. She found a partner, a community mentor, and unexpected help. She made mistakes and fixed them. And she worked far beyond the project period, up until the last week of school. The mural is amazing to look at but has impact far beyond the visual. Clara thought she was painting her legacy but she was also expressing the legacy of the educators who cared for her.

The artistic process

Like many great creative endeavors, the greenhouse mural did not develop in a linear fashion. When asked why she chose a mural as her final Brainado project, Clara said:

It was kind of like a joke at first. I was like, 'Hey why don't I just paint a huge mural?' And Ms. Popowitz was like, 'Well you could do it if you want.' And then we put more thought into it and made it happen.

During Clara's four years at CBMS, she had seen Ms. Popowitz every single day during advisory. The power of this relationship sparked Clara's vision. And the trust of Ms. Popowitz gave her the confidence to try it.

But she wasn't going to be able to pull this off alone.

First, she found a partner. Devon switched his Brainado project to help Clara. As he put it, "she was so passionate about it that I wanted to help, and then I became passionate about it too." Devon had painted murals before and his experience and companionship were crucial.

Next, Clara and Devon connected with an external mentor who had signed up to help with Brainado. Denise Rundle, a local artist and business woman, helped them get started in thinking about how to take a design to scale, which materials to use, and how to plan the project from start to finish.

Then, as they worked, they drew upon the school community. A seventh grade student taught them the ombre technique for fading the colors of the sunset. A para-educator with painting experience consulted throughout the process. And of course Ms. Popowitz was always there offering encouragement, telling them to keep going and reaffirming her trust in them.

Going the extra mile

Brainado happens over the course of 10 school hours. By the end of the official work sessions the mural was just getting started. Clara and Devon were still determined to finish it. Asked when they would work on it, they responded, "whenever we can."

And they did. They worked on it during lunch, after school, and in tiny segments of free time. They estimated that they put 70 hours of work into it during the final five weeks of school.

Keep in mind that many 8th graders were on cruise control, enjoying their last few days of middle school before it "gets real" in high school.

Why did Clara and Devon become obsessed? Clara had a vision inspired by her school, the sustainability program, and her relationship with Ms. Popowitz in particular. It's impossible to know why exactly this came together the way it did.

Yet this is the power of open-ended student-led projects like Brainado. Give students the opportunity to amaze you, and they often will. Open that door a crack and they just might blow it wide open. Clara and Devon walked through the door to high school but left behind something powerful and meaningful.

The legacy of students

On their last day of middle school, they admired their creation.

The textured sunset depicted in the mural made the greenhouse shine for cars passing by on iconic Route 100. Up close,ornaments representing the values of sustainability popped. The initials of Crossett Brook Middle School stood proudly. And the artists' handprints saluted their success.

Asked what she had learned, Clara responded with a laugh: "Anything is possible! Seriously - I'm not an artist I'm a lot into sports. When I thought about this I thought, 'okay so we just put paint on.' ... but that's not what it's like. It was hard!"

Devon agreed, noting that he learned that "to get the best result you have to put in a lot of time." He added that "practice really does make perfect. We made a lot of mistakes but we got better."

They attribute their success to teamwork and persistence. When asked for what advice they would give to students about future Brainado projects, Clara said:

Don't do something boring ... don't do something like just shooting basketballs, or doing something you always do at home, because like it's definitely worth it. Like this, I just think of Devon and I laughing, like this is never gonna get done. Or making mistakes and thinking 'man, this looks horrible.'

And now they have this concrete representation of their collaboration. It represents important values and key relationships. They ended middle school on a huge positive and nobody can ever take that away from them.

The legacy of a school

But there are other legacies at work in that mural.

As George Couros puts it, "Your legacy as an educator is always determined by what your students do."

In this case, we have a school that thoughtfully put conditions in place for Clara and Devon to care enough to want to take risks, work hard, and leave a legacy.

The advisory system that connects students across grade levels and puts them in the stewardship of one teacher throughout their middle school career.

The sustainability program that teaches students science, values, and critical thinking skills in the context of student leadership.

The Brainado project that provides school time, support, and resources for students to create and share something of their choosing.

In some way all of those factors helped create that beautiful mural. All of those relationships, all of that learning, all the struggles and successes, had created one of those moments that educators dream about.

A truly teachable moment.

And Ms. Popowitz hit it out of the park.

Ms. P.: It was tough at times, when you were putting everything into it.

Clara: It's scary!

Ms. P.: Yeah but just think about when you take that risk, say it doesn't work out the way you wanted, it's fixable. And that's such a huge lesson in life. Things don't always go exactly the way you want them, but everything is fixable. And sometimes the end result is way better than you originally would have thought. Like if you had done that "path" correctly.

Attune your ear. Watch the video closely. They aren't talking about the mural. They are talking about life. It is a one minute conversation with a lifetime of lessons.

Behold the legacy of educators: often less heralded but far more impactful than any mural, no matter how beautiful.

What legacy will you and your students create?

The following two tabs change content below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
One mural, multiple legacies - Innovation: Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Clara wanted to do something amazing for her final Brainado project. She wanted to push herself and leave a "remembrance," as she called it, commemorating the sustainability program at her middle school. She envisioned painting a mural on the newly constructed, pristine greenhouse. She only had one small problem: "I have no artistic ability."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Brainado 2018: passion projects spread across Vermont

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How did an 8th grader turn his passion project into a summer job?

I found Connor in the tech ed room during the first session of Brainado, a school-wide Genius Hour at Crossett Brook Middle School in Duxbury, Vermont.

He was taking apart a lawn mower. When asked why, he shrugged and mumbled something about how another student might need an engine part for their project. His Brainado project was undefined. He didn't seem to have much of a plan other than tinkering.

Fast-forward four months and Connor is getting paid to work part-time at the Waterbury Service Center garage. He knows his way around the shop, has learned about persistence and problem-solving, and gleaned plenty of life lessons from Albert Caron, the owner and lead mechanic. But how did Connor get from Point A to Point B?

How did he connect with a mentor?

Crossett Brook Middle School makes sure that students have the chance to connect with mentors to provide guidance.

Students access information about the interests and expertise of every staff member in the school. They also consult a list of external mentors from the community.

Here is a request written by student leaders that was posted regularly in Front Porch Forum and emailed to parents by the principal.

Hey folks! We are Crossett Brook Middle School, and we are looking for some volunteers to help with Brainado.

Brainado is a program where kids will explore and discover a topic of their interest. For example, sports, performing, writing, building, research, community service, etc. If you want to see some examples of what students did last year, check out this highlight video.

So if you want to help a student in grades 5th through 8th, there are many options. You could come to the school to supervise and consult, you could be available for questions through email, or you could meet with students at your place of work or through video calls.

If you have time or expertise to contribute, please sign up using this Google Form and we will be in touch soon.

The Brainado Student Leadership Team

Connor found Albert's name in the mentor list and started interning at the garage during Brainado sessions, along with a few other students. As Albert put it, "Connor showed the most interest and stuck with it the longest, so when I needed extra help I hired him."

With an "all hands on deck" school-wide approach to personalized learning projects, students can access internal and external mentors that match their needs. Once the connection is made, nobody knows where it might lead.

What were the benefits of working with a mentor?

In addition to automotive skills and a paying gig, Connor got a lot out of his personalized project.

In an hour at the shop, I personally witnessed Albert teaching Connor about the history of cars, walking through each major school subject and it's connection to automobile repair, and dispensing advice about owning a business.

Albert often noted that school was the number one priority. Connor shared insights about problem-solving, persistence, and team work that directly transfer into the school setting.

Community mentors like Albert can offer so much in terms of reinforcing, expanding, and grounding the most important learning that goes on in schools. Personalized projects are an important strategy for unlocking these powerful educational assets within our communities.

What's next?

Albert has worked with a number of interns over the years but he thinks that middle school is the right time to start exposing students to possibilities:

"I think the younger they are, the better we can help them out. You can catch them at a young age where they can learn and retain and be interested. Because once you get someone that's 16 or 17 years old, they're already ingrained in certain things. They've got other things on their mind like a car and trying to get ahead and make money which is more important than actually learning a trade. But Connor here ... he actually wants to learn a trade."

Connor isn't interested in becoming an automotive mechanic. He is more into small engine repair and talks about starting a business of his own one day.

But he is happy that he has started exploring and gaining skills already.

Connor plans to keep working at the shop and to seek out more hands-on self-directed project opportunities in school. He offered this wisdom for students about their Brainado projects:

"Don't choose something easy. Choose something you are not going to want to give up on ... this I didn't want to give up on because I was actually interested in it. ... Also, get a mentor, because with a mentor you're more likely to stick with it."

Sounds like some good advice.

I won't be surprised if Connor does start a successful business some day. And when he does, I'll bet that he will provide some fine mentorship for the next generation of middle schoolers.

How do you connect your students with community mentors?

The following two tabs change content below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The value of a community mentor - Innovation: Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I found Connor in the tech ed room during the first session of Brainado, a school-wide Genius Hour at Crossett Brook Middle School in Duxbury, Vermont. He was taking apart a lawn mower. When asked why, he shrugged and mumbled something about how another student might need an engine part for their project.

# data[].attributes.headline
Personalized Inquiry Time at Singapore American School

# data[].attributes.subject
Personalized Inquiry Time at Singapore American School

# data[].attributes.body
From AMLE 2017

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Every teacher should consider making time for Genius Hour (sometimes called 20% time or Passion Projects). We know that when students are given the opportunity to explore their own topics, they gain skills in self-direction.

But I've come to believe that the ideal Genius Hour involves as much of the school as possible. Here's what it could look like.

1. A wider audience for student excitement

When launching a schoolwide Genius Hour last year, teachers at Crossett Brook Middle School in Duxbury, Vermont, asked students to help them name it. Student leaders came up with the Brainado moniker and launched themselves into marketing the concept to the rest of the school.

They created posters and flyers to hang around the building as well as a green-screened mock newscast, warning students of Brainado's arrival.

After two years, Brainado is a strong "brand" among the school community that evokes student-centered environments, open-ended projects, and personalized learning.

Sky View Middle School in Leominster, Massachusetts launched their own school-wide Genius Hour after hearing about Brainado at a conference. They used many of the materials created for Brainado but came up with their own brand to personalize it for Sky View students.

Branding gives a complex entity or process an accessible identity. Genius Hour can feel like an amorphous undertaking, but this branding approach supports the establishment of a coherent vision.

2. Increased momentum

There's something special about a school-wide undertaking.

Start a conversation about the project in a school-wide assembly or better yet, a special project-specific event. This way students can share their stories, lead chants or craft commemorative videos to get everyone amped up. As the momentum grows, a buzz builds that would be impossible to replicate in a single classroom.

Crossett Brook scheduled Brainado's launch day for a full month before work sessions would begin. The entire school gathered for student presentations that emphasized key features of Brainado such as risk-taking, finding your passion, and working with mentors.

The assembly ended with a highlight reel, showcasing the previous year's projects. As the music swelled to a crescendo, students began chanting along. When was the last time your project launch earned school-wide cheering?

3. Expanded resource bank

When a school brings all of its staff and resources to bear on supporting student-directed projects, the possibilities are endless.

During Brainado, a paraprofessional taught two students how to whittle and provided a dehydrator for another student to create backpacking meals. The Director of Food services helped a student build a scale model of an earth ship house. A mechanic opened his shop to several students.

Students can connect in ways that aren't possible in a single classroom, either.

For example, another Brainado at Crossett Brook involved students from different teams working together to plan a free soccer clinic. And they consulted with students from a third team who'd hosted a basketball clinic the year before.

4. Logistics

The helpful efficiencies of scale

Carving out sacred time and getting all hands on deck to support projects is great for students. Although the logistics can be a bit complicated for the adults, there are helpful efficiencies of scale as well.

Looking for a particular type of expertise? Check the master list of staff and mentor interests.

Missing some type of material? Put out the call to staff and students during morning announcements.

Need specialized equipment or space? Contact the P.E., art, or tech ed teacher.

During Brainado sessions, students worked with their advisors to sign up for workshops, consults, and spaces. This ensured no teachers or areas were overwhelmed, and helped everyone keep track of student whereabouts.

5. Greater opportunities for outreach

A school-wide approach builds community: inside the building and out.

Communications with parents and the external community can be streamlined and amped up when the entire school is working on one big initiative.

The Sky View Middle School principal sent a letter to parents about VIEWPoint before the start of the school year. The school maintains a web page to provide updates and keep the public looped in.

A school-wide approach also builds community within the school. It sends a clear message that personalized learning is part of the fabric of the school. It enables students to follow their ideas to fruition with full support wherever they are in the building or in their day.

If your school and family community believes in student-directed learning, a school-wide Genius Hour is a great way to reinforce your values and co-create a touchstone experience.

What will your school's Genius Hour look like?

The following two tabs change content below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What are the benefits of taking Genius Hour school-wide? - Innovation: Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Every teacher should consider making time for Genius Hour (sometimes called 20% time or Passion Projects). We know that when students are given the opportunity to explore their own topics, they gain skills in self-direction. But I've come to believe that the ideal Genius Hour involves as much of the school as possible.

# data[].attributes.headline
How has Brainado changed the way you think about school?

# data[].attributes.subject
How has Brainado changed the way you think about school?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How has Brainado changed the way you think about school?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At Crossett Brook Middle School, in Duxbury VT, students engage in "Brainado", Crossett Brook's school-wide genius hour. As Brainado enters its second year, we asked the students one simple question: "How has Brainado changed the way you think about school?"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Updated: I've updated this post and page since publishing my most recent book about student choice and project-based learning. I'd love for you to add resources you've found in the comments section of this post so I can add them to the list!
Since experimenting with "Genius Hour and 20% Time" in my class a few years ago, I've been fascinated by the research and history of this practice in education and the business world. This has led me down a long road to eventually writing Inquiry & Innovation in the Classroom (published by Routledge) on inquiry-driven education and choice-based learning experiences.

During that time I've had hundreds of conversations with fellow teachers practicing choice-based and inquiry-driven learning in some way shape or form (Genius Hour, 20% Time, Passion Projects, Choose2Matter etc). Lately, through the book-writing process I've had some more in-depth interviews about inquiry-based education, and I've spent a great deal of time researching the beginnings and reasons behind Genius Hour's effectiveness.

Today I want to shed some light on the research behind choice, and more broadly, inquiry-driven education. When folks such as Ewan McIntosh (who I really respect as an educator) stir up the pot with posts like this one, I believe the best way to defend inquiry as a practice is to look at the results. It's easy for me to praise Genius Hour because I've done it in the classroom, and seen many other teachers do it successfully with their students. However, I also understand that if you have not had that experience it may be difficult to justify. This post is for those that need more resources about inquiry-driven education, and for those trying to get research to back them up when bringing it to a principal, school board, parent committee, or even colleagues.

I'm breaking the post down into four sections. The first section is how choice and inquiry-driven learning increases student engagement and achievement. The second section is success-stories from fellow teachers using the choice and inquiry-driven learning model. The third section is how choice and inquiry-driven learning is connected to the common core standards. The fourth section is related books, whitepaper, and research linked to inquiry-driven education.

1. How choice, PBL, and inquiry-driven learning increases student engagement and achievement

2. Success-stories from fellow teachers using the choice and inquiry-driven learning model

3. How choice, PBL, and inquiry-driven learning is connected to the common core standards

4. Related books, whitepaper, and research linked to choice and inquiry-driven education

The Connection Between Choice, Inquiry, and Student Engagement/Achievement

The Gallup report Creativity in Learning is based on a survey conducted in 2019 as a "nationally representative study" of teachers, students, and parents of students. The focus was the extent to which "creativity in learning" is being fostered in American classrooms, what respondents think of it, and how technology supports it. Project Based Learning is cited throughout the report.

Here are some highlights via PBLWorks:
"Teachers who often assign creative, project-based activities are more likely than other teachers to say their students display a range of learning and development goals, including building self-confidence, utilizing their unique strengths, and developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills." "68% percent of teachers say project-based assignments are a good measure of student learning, far more than the 12% at who say the same about standardized tests."
When asked what they believe are the most important learning outcomes, the top three choices were:

1. "learning to think critically" (chosen by 64% of parents and teachers)

2. "problem-solving skills" (chosen by 51% of teachers; not asked of parents)

3. "developing students' curiosity to learn beyond the classroom" (chosen by 36% of parents and 41% of teachers)

Parents want their child to have learning experiences like what happens in PBL.

Take a look at this chart from the report, showing how the learning experiences were ranked, with the percentage of parents who say it's "very important."

Students want the kind of learning experiences that PBL delivers.

According to Gallup,
"Most students say they would like to spend more time on activities that give them input on their educational path, such as choosing what they learn in class and learning more about topics that most interest them. "Two other activities a majority of students would like to spend more time on to help them see how what they are learning relates to real-life problems outside the classroom are 1) working on projects that can be used in the real world, and 2) publishing or sharing projects with people outside their class or school." Studies comparing learning outcomes for students taught via project-based learning versus traditional instruction show that when implemented well, PBL increases long-term retention of content, helps students perform as well as or better than traditional learners in high-stakes tests, improves problem-solving and collaboration skills, and improves students' attitudes towards learning (Strobel & van Barneveld, 2009; Walker & Leary, 2009). PBL can also provide an effective model for whole-school reform (National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform, 2004; Newmann & Wehlage, 1995).
A 2016 MDRC/Lucas Education Research literature review found that the design principles most commonly used in PBL align well with the goals of preparing students for deeper learning, higher-level thinking skills, and intra/interpersonal skills (Condliffe et al., 2016).

No longer could the argument be about how well (or poorly) students would do on standardized assessments. The research was clear. When PBL was implemented well, students thrived in traditional tests and in a wide variety of soft-skills that are crucial to development and success beyond school.

The Buck Institute for Education also put out a research summary on PBL and 21st Century competencies that states, " Project Based Learning has been shown to yield a number of benefits for students, ranging from deeper learning of academic content to stronger motivation to learn. Looking specifically at how PBL supports 21st century learning goals, we can find several promising areas, including:

I urge you to dive into this research more here on the BIE website if you have any doubts.

If you asked any teacher, administrator, parent, school board member, student, or community member to list their top goals for an academic program, you would see achievement, 21st century competencies, equity, and motivation all at the top.

Project-based learning is shown to work in all kinds of schools, in all different grade levels, with students of varying backgrounds and abilities.
Inquiry Project Learning Research via Edutopia "Research shows that such inquiry-based teaching is not so much about seeking the right answer but about developing inquiring minds, and it can yield significant benefits. For example, in the 1995 School Restructuring Study, conducted at the Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools by Fred Newmann and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin, 2,128 students in twenty-three schools were found to have significantly higher achievement on challenging tasks when they were taught with inquiry-based teaching, showing that involvement leads to understanding. These practices were found to have a more significant impact on student performance than any other variable, including student background and prior achievement." An Introduction to Inquiry Based Learning via Neil Stephenson "As contrasted with more traditional forms of teaching and learning, inquiry emphasizes the process of learning in order to develop deep understanding in students in addition to the intended acquisition of content knowledge and skills. Inquiry draws upon a constructivist learning theories where understanding is built through the active development of conceptual mental frameworks by the learner. This approach is supported and enhanced by a broad research base which has identified three key implications for effective instructional practices": 1. Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about the world. This means teaching practices must draw out and work with students pre-existing understandings and make student 'thinking' visible and central to the learning. 2. Competence in an area of study requires factual knowledge organized around conceptual frameworks to facilitate knowledge retrieval and application. Classroom activities should be designed to develop understanding through in-depth study of curriculum topics. 3. Meta-cognition (thinking about thinking) helps students take control of their learning. Opportunities for students to define learning goals and monitor their own understanding need to be embedded into classroom tasks." The Everyday Classroom Tools Project (Project Zero) via Tina Grotzer and Harvard GSE "The goal of the Everyday Classroom Tools Project is to provide opportunities for students to learn that inquiry and their own experiences can help them achieve a deeper understanding of their world. It aims to foster a spirit of inquiry in all students. These goals promise to help students grow into life-long learners who are curious and set out to seek and achieve deep understanding of the world that they live in." "This document has two sections. The first is a series of six brief essays to address the kinds of questions teachers often have about inquiry based learning and learning from one's experience. The intent is to place the central concepts of The Everyday Classroom Tools Project in context-to provide a sense of the variety of ways that the concepts have been thought about as well as how they are interpreted in this project. These essays are written for a teacher audience. The second section is a set of big ideas, questions, and attitudes that are central to the project. This section is written with the expectation that teachers will communicate these messages to their students." Why Use Inquiry-Based Learning via Amelie G. Schinck "An inquiry-based approach was recommended by the National Science Foundation in their 1996 report of a year-long review of the state of undergraduate Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (SME&T) education in the United States entitled Shaping the Future (NSF, 1996). In this report, the researchers stated that it is imperative that: All students have access to supportive, excellent undergraduate education in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, and all students learn these subjects by direct experience with the methods and processes of inquiry (NSF, 1996, p.6)." Hole-in-the-Wall Education Findings from Sugatra Mitra "Over the 4 year research phase (2000-2004), HiWEL has extensively studied the impact of Learning Stations on children. Hole-in-the-Wall Learning Stations were installed in diverse settings, the impact of interventions was monitored and data was continually gathered, analyzed and interpreted. Rigorous assessments were conducted to measure academic achievement, behaviour, personality profile, computer literacy and correlations with socio-economic indicators." Preparing Students for Work in the 21st Century by Rob Mancabelli and Will Richardson "How can education professionals modify the way they teach and engage students today in order to prepare those students for tomorrow's changing work environments? In part one of this three-part series, education experts Will Richardson and Rob Mancabelli explore the realities of the 21st century workplace. It can be said-without a doubt-that the future world of work for today's students will be vastly different than what we have traditionally prepared these students for. But what implications does this have for today's classrooms?" List of other applicable research on Inquiry-Driven Learning:

Evaluating the Use of Inquiry-Based Activities: Do Student and Teacher Behaviors Really Change? -Cianciolo, Jennifer; Flory, Luke; Atwell, Jonathan - Journal of College Science Teaching, 2006

Inquiry-Based Instruction: Does School Environmental Context Matter? - Pea, Celestine H. - Science Educator, 2012

How Technology Resources Can Be Used to Represent Personal Inquiry and Support Students' Understanding of It across Contexts - Scanlon, E.; Anastopoulou, S.; Kerawalla, L.; Mulholland, P. - Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 2011

Success Stories of Teachers Using Choice and Inquiry-Driven Learning Models

The following is a list of teachers from all levels, principals, professors, and other educators who are currently practicing inquiry-driven education. They write and share their experiences online, and each is a great resource for those getting started.
What's Going on in Mr. Solarz' Class?
Paul Solarz does amazing inquiry work with elementary students. If you ever thought, "Oh my students are too young for that", then check out Paul's site and his writing on inquiry and project-based learning in the classroom. And his new book, Learn Like a Pirate, is another great resource.
The Innovation Teacher
Don Wettrick's blog is "pure genius" and his work with students surrounding choice and innovation will inspire you to actually implement the strategies he talks/write about.
My Own Genius Hour
Joy Kirr is a leader online with the #geniushour community and you can always find her giving inspiration to others starting inquiry projects on Twitter (through that hashtag). Joy will tell you that she doesn't do a full "genius hour" but she does allow her students choice and inquiry which makes all the difference.
Cool Cat Teacher Blog
Vicki Davis is one of the people who really got me moving in the right direction with my students when I started the Flat Classroom Project. Since then I've worked with Vicki on some different projects and have loved what she's been doing with her students. Inquiry is a huge part of Vicki's class and she's one of the best at describing this learning process.
Oliver Schinkten
Oliver's Compassion-Based Learning site takes inquiry-driven learning one step further: it's about helping. I love this idea and you can't help but get excited when you read his post's on compassion-based learning.
User Generated Education
Dr. Jackie Gerstein's work with User-Generated Education is highlighted in this blog. She is consistently drawing on resources and research to support user-generated education, including inquiry-driven learning experiences.
Practical Theory
Chris Lehmann is the founding Principal of the Science Leadership Academy (SLA) in Philadelphia, PA. The Science Leadership Academy is an inquiry-driven, project-based, 1:1 laptop school that is considered to be one of the pioneers of the School 2.0 movement nationally and internationally. Chris also is the recipient of ISTE's 2013 Outstanding Leader of the Year award. If you want to see a Principal's perspective on inquiry-based learning, this is the spot!
I teach. I think.
Kevin Brookhouser is someone I greatly respect as a teacher and speaker on inquiry-driven education. He is one of the original folks I know who began doing 20% projects and his blog is filled with great posts and reflections on his (and his students) experiences.
Angela Maier's Choose2Matter
Angela is an inspiration. Her Choose2Matter Quest and campaign have spread the idea of passion and compassion based learning far across our country (and the world). Stay tuned for a big way that Choose2Matter will be working with the inquiry-driven community this year.
Cogitations of Mr. Cockrum
Troy Cockrum is a teacher and author. He is a great teacher to learn from and has also used flipped-learning in conjunction with 20% time. Last year he participated along with his students in their inquiry-driven project...the results speak for themselves!
Kate Petty's: 20 Time in Education
Kate has outdone herself with this site. She has put together resources on getting started with inquiry-driven 20% projects, and has linked to many other teachers doing inquiry-driven learning in their classrooms. Check it out for a much fuller list.
The Nerdy Teacher
I was so pumped to see Nicholas Provenzano (ISTE's 2013 Teacher-of-the-Year) starting 20% projects in his class. Nick has been a leader in project-based learning and using Evernote in the classroom. If you want to see someone just starting the inquiry-driven experience, follow Nick's blog this year.
Dare to Care
Denise Krebs runs Genius Hour (an inquiry-driven project) in her class, and shares what her (and her students) are doing through this blog. It is a must read for those planning on running an inquiry project with middle school students.
Integrating Technology: My Journey
Gallit Zvi is another Genius Hour teacher who consistently inspires. She recently started the Genius Hour collaborative website with Hugh McDonald, where many teachers can cross-share and post their inquiry-driven stories. Please check it out!
Today Is A Great Day For Learning
Hugh McDonald is a teacher I would want my kids to have! His passion for learning and inquiry is shown on his blog, twitter, and instagram feed. Check out what Hugh is doing with his middle school students, and make sure to read the post, "Dear Mr. McDonald, I will never forget Genius Hour".
The Genius Hour Wikispace
This is another collaborative spot where many teachers are sharing their inquiry-driven learning experiences and resources.
The Global Genius Hour Project Wikispace
Robyn Thiessen has set up an amazing site where teachers can come and share what their students are doing with inquiry-based learning in the classroom. You'll find stories of learning from all over the globe, in the entire K-12 age spectrum.

Jesse McLean, Josh Stumpenhorst, Matt Bebbington, and George Couros

Each of these wonderful educators have run "Innovation Days/Weeks" in their schools. It allows the entire school (or grade levels) to use inquiry as a means for inspiring projects for that day/week. I've linked to each of their sites above and you should definitely see what they've been doing!
The Many I Left off this list
There are many others who have been left off this list, but it is not static! I will update it periodically as I read different blog posts about inquiry-driven learning experiences. For a much longer (and better) list of educators running inquiry projects in their class, check out this Twitter List put together by Joy Kirr ( along with her LiveBinder).

Connection to the Standards

There have been a number of posts ( like this one) that tie the standards to inquiry. However, I wanted to point out the large quantity of standards that already tie to inquiry-based learning in some way/shape/form.
Standards That Connect to Reading/Researching with Inquiry

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.3 Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

Standards That Connect to Analyzing and Applying with Inquiry

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.

Standards That Connect to Writing and Presenting with Inquiry

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Standards That Connect to Creating and Evaluating with Inquiry

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.¹

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.3 Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Standards for Mathematical Practice

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
Mathematically proficient students understand and use stated assumptions, definitions, and previously established results in constructing arguments. They make conjectures and build a logical progression of statements to explore the truth of their conjectures. They are able to analyze situations by breaking them into cases, and can recognize and use counterexamples. They justify their conclusions, communicate them to others, and respond to the arguments of others. They reason inductively about data, making plausible arguments that take into account the context from which the data arose. Mathematically proficient students are also able to compare the effectiveness of two plausible arguments, distinguish correct logic or reasoning from that which is flawed, and-if there is a flaw in an argument-explain what it is. Elementary students can construct arguments using concrete referents such as objects, drawings, diagrams, and actions. Such arguments can make sense and be correct, even though they are not generalized or made formal until later grades. Later, students learn to determine domains to which an argument applies. Students at all grades can listen or read the arguments of others, decide whether they make sense, and ask useful questions to clarify or improve the arguments.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP4 Model with mathematics.
Mathematically proficient students can apply the mathematics they know to solve problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace. In early grades, this might be as simple as writing an addition equation to describe a situation. In middle grades, a student might apply proportional reasoning to plan a school event or analyze a problem in the community. By high school, a student might use geometry to solve a design problem or use a function to describe how one quantity of interest depends on another. Mathematically proficient students who can apply what they know are comfortable making assumptions and approximations to simplify a complicated situation, realizing that these may need revision later. They are able to identify important quantities in a practical situation and map their relationships using such tools as diagrams, two-way tables, graphs, flowcharts and formulas. They can analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions. They routinely interpret their mathematical results in the context of the situation and reflect on whether the results make sense, possibly improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

Other Resources:
Related Research, Books, and Articles

Choice Theory: A New Psychology of Personal Freedom by William Glasser

Choice Theory in the Classroom by William Glasser

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Finding Your Element and The Element by Sir Ken Robinson

The 20% Doctrine by Ryan Tate

World Class Learners by Yong Zhao

Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner

Learning "to Do" and Learning "about" Inquiry at the Same Time: Different Outcomes in Valuing the Importance of Various Intellectual Tasks in Planning, Enacting, and Evaluating an Inquiry Curriculum - Syer, Cassidy A.; Chichekian, Tanya; Shore, Bruce M.; Aulls, Mark W. - Instructional Science: An International Journal of the Learning Sciences, 2013

The Development of Dynamic Inquiry Performances within an Open Inquiry Setting: A Comparison to Guided Inquiry Setting - Sadeh, Irit; Zion, Michal - Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2009

Shifting to an Inquiry-Based Experience - Corder, Gregory; Slykhuis, Julie - Science and Children, 2011

Connecting Mathematics in Primary Science Inquiry Projects - So, Winnie Wing-mui - International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2013

The Practice of Inquiry: A Pedagogical "Sweet Spot" for Digital Literacy? - Bruce, Bertram C.; Casey, Leo - Computers in the Schools, 2012

The Parallels between Philosophical Inquiry and Scientific Inquiry: Implications for Science Education - Burgh, Gilbert; Nichols, Kim - Educational Philosophy and Theory, 2012

Challenges to Inquiry Teaching and Suggestions for How to Meet Them - Quigley, Cassie; Marshall, Jeff C.; Deaton, Cynthia C. M.; Cook, Michelle P.; Padilla, Michael - Science Educator, 2011

Collaborating to Improve Inquiry-Based Teaching in Elementary Science and Mathematics Methods Courses - Magee, Paula A.; Flessner, Ryan - Science Education International, 2012

Deweyan Inquiry: From Education Theory to Practice - Johnston, James Scott - SUNY Press, 2009

The Benefits of Using Authentic Inquiry within Biotechnology Education - Hanegan, Nikki; Bigler, Amber - Science Education Review, 2010

Journal of Inquiry & Action in Education, 4(2), 2011 Action Research in Teacher Education: Classroom Inquiry, Reflection, and Data-Driven Decision Making - By Carrie Eunyoung Hong and Salika A. Lawrence of William Paterson University

Concept to Classroom Journal Articles Resources

Some Great Books By Teachers and Educators

The 20time Project by Kevin Brookhouser

Pure Genius by Don Wettrick

Learn Like a Pirate by Paul Solarz

The Genius Hour Guidebook by Denise Krebs and Gallit Zvi

Genius Hour: Passion Projects That Ignite Innovation and Student Inquiry by Andi McNair

Shift This! by Joy Kirr

So, I hope this helps in justifying the use of choice and inquiry-based education, including 20% time and Genius Hour. Let me know what resources and research I may have missed and I am going to update this site on a monthly basis. I'm sure we can all pull together, even more research to do what is best for our students.

Getting Started with Genius Hour

I often get asked about the steps for running a Genius Hour Project or a 20% Time project in your class. I tend to give the same answer every time: It depends.

Genius Hour and 20% Time projects give students an opportunity to have time during school to explore their passions, learn with purpose, and make something for a real audience.

But, it can look vastly different in a 1st-grade classroom compared to an 11th grade Science classroom (and everywhere in between).

I've seen Genius Hour been successfully implemented at every grade level. In fact, in my school district, we have Genius Hour projects running K-12. They are run differently in each grade and each class, yet there are some consistent phases that say the same.

This led me to create The Genius Hour Blueprint. It is available below and you can download the PowerPoint file for FREE by signing up for weekly updates at the bottom of this post.

The Genius Hour Blueprint covers six different phases of Genius Hour and what steps/activities you can do at each stage. It also has suggested resources, activities, and ways to share your work broken down by K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Take a look below, and download the PPT to modify and change for your purposes in class!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Research Behind PBL, Genius Hour, and Choice in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Updated: I've updated this post and page since publishing my most recent book about student choice and project-based learning. I'd love for you to add resources you've found in the comments section of this post so I can add them to the list!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Great Genius Hour and 20% Time resources including grade level success stories, why you would want to do Genius hour, how 20% time works, how to get started, how to work through issues, and how to communicate with parents about the projects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Genius Hour is a movement that allows students to explore their own passions and encourages creativity in learning. By providing students a choice in what they learn during a set period of time...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
tarrant institute for innovative education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The #everydaycourage of building a better go-cart

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The #everydaycourage of trying again: seeing failure as iteration. A trio of students at Crossett Brook Middle School, in Duxbury VT, have spent the past two years building go-carts. Their first cart snapped in half on its maiden voyage.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is Genius Hour? - Introduction to Genius Hour in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Highlights from the first season of Brainado at Crossett Brook Middle School, in Duxbury VT. Brainado is a yearlong Genius Hour-style program where students design and create a project they then share with someone important in their lives. Music by Background Media Music. Used with permission. Stock media provided by kcpond5fan & AuthorMusic/ Pond5.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Brainado Create. Explore. Discover. Find your passion. Be CREATIVE!! Inspire Others. Think about how you will share your genius. Pick something you care about What matters to you, matters Have fun. It's within you. Believe in yourself. Inspire yourself. Be Engaged PASSION: Something that you love!!

# data[].attributes.body
10 one-hour sessions with Sharenado at the end

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students at Crossett Brook Middle School created this trailer to introduce "Brainado", the school's new student-directed self-paced learning initiative.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What if an entire school set out to maximize student engagement?

What if there were a school-wide commitment to loosening control and trusting students to do great things?

What if students were told that they could work for an hour a week on whatever they want with one simple rule: you must share something?

What do students want to learn, make and do?

Crossett Brook Middle School in Waterbury, Vermont, put this experiment into action this past spring. Here's a sampling of what students pulled off in less than ten hours of school time:

Engineering and building a working hoverboard

Creating a scale model of Real Madrid's soccer stadium

Hatching chickens

Investigating the throwing power of various lacrosse sticks

"Singing" a Beyonce song using sign language

Filming the process of training a miniature horse

Organizing a fun run to raise funds for an annual community event

Designing and sewing a custom made dress for a friend

Dehydrating meals for a week long backpacking trip

How they did it

Various resources are provided throughout the account but almost all of them are available on this handy week-by-week plan.

Staff commitment

At a weekly teacher team meeting half way through the year, teachers started by considering whether a genius hour-type project would be worthwhile. We watched a "What is Genius Hour?" video and people were excited about the concept.

The leadership team (administrators and teachers) put together a basic description of objectives and picked some potential dates. Teacher teams provided feedback in another team meeting through Dotstorming and discussion.

A planning team was formed that took staff input and met regularly to develop a detailed week-by-week plan.

Teachers had ownership over the process because it was designed collaboratively and given time to unfold. It took about two months to go from the initial "do we want to do this?" meeting and roll out to students.

2. Strategic marketing

Students were involved early in the process to help build buzz around the school. The Student Council was asked to provide input. The moniker "Brainado" was born and posters were posted throughout the school to build suspense.

Every time I walked the halls I heard at least one "what the heck is Brainado" exclamation, usually to no one in particular. The suspense was building.

Students also produced a video and it was shown at an all-school assembly the day before spring break. By the time school reconvened, every student was curious and many were down right excited.

Don't over-schoolify

The Brainado planning team took a "less is more" approach. Since we were going after student engagement first and foremost, we gave ourselves the freedom to leave things as unstructured as possible so that students' creativity would not get bogged down.

The first session had the most structure, though the focus was to provide inspiration and spark ideas. All teachers used the same introductory Prezi (adapted from a Genius Hour intro) and then each team conducted a brainstorming session in a slightly different way.

The second session had teachers using common slides, first to describe the "Goldilocks rule" of picking projects that were the right size, and then to provide a protocol for students to share their ideas with each other. Students submitted their ideas through a Google Form that provided some useful input and encouraging feedback (100% of students reported that they were excited about the project).

As students' projects took off, one pleasant surprise was to see so many students connecting with mentors outside of school, such as:

Auto mechanic

Veterinarian

Physics professor

Local artists

Forensics laboratory

Teachers met before each session to collaborate and problem solve about how to support students. We were scrambling to keep up with their learning, which is a great problem to have.

Establish a rhythm

After the second session, Brainado days fell into a productive routine.

1. Launch with an inspirational example, either through a video or by a student sharing their progress

2. Quick share among students about what they planned to do that day

3. Work time!

4. Reconvene and quick share about the day's accomplishments

Many students would leave the classroom to work with other adults in the building or in specialized spaces such as the art room, gym, or outside. They made appointments for consultations or space and the adults kept track using a shared appointment sheet.

Other students would leave the building to work with community mentors. Rides were usually arranged with parents and teachers were notified.

Celebrate and share!

The one requirement of Brainado was that each student had to share something about their project. This could be a presentation to their advisory, a discussion at home, or the bequeathing of a physical creation.

About 40% of students chose to share in the school-wide Sharenado exhibition. Sharenado included stand and deliver presentations, performances and demonstrations, activities and games, table top displays, and a film festival. It was a flurry of fun that lasted just over an hour with students sharing during either the first or the second half.

The planning group distributed student sharers between rooms (often grouping topics or genres together), and created a digital program. All students (and staff) were audience members for at least one of the two parts. Students were expected to choose a room for each half and stick with it, so that there wasn't a lot of wandering during the sharing sessions.

The range of projects was mind-blowing and students were incredibly supportive of each other. It was like a combination of arts fest, science fair, music festival, and school carnival.

Reflect

Students blogged about their experiences and completed a self-assessment survey that was adapted from the Genius Hour Rubric for Creativity. The response was overwhelmingly positive and when asked for feedback for next year, many students said that they wanted more time to work on their projects.

Teachers also filled out a final feedback survey to provide input for future planning. They also did some thinking about the ways that Brainado contribute to a Personalized Learning Environment.

Most importantly, Brainado has become a touchstone for the entire school community as we strive to increase student engagement and deepen learning. We now have a shared experience that provides a shorthand to ask questions such as "how do we capture the energy of Brainado in our day-to-day classrooms" or "how can Personalized Learning Plans be more like Brainado?"

In this way, as a guide for future transformation, Brainado is more powerful than the most well crafted vision statements or finely detailed action plans.

The following two tabs change content below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What if an entire school set out to maximize student engagement? What if there were a school-wide commitment to loosening control and trusting students to do great things? What if students were told that they could work for an hour a week on whatever they want with one simple rule: you must share something?