It’s been almost a full three years since I told my students they would have 20% of their class time to work on whatever project they were inspired to create. Since then I’ve learned so much from my students and our amazing community of 20% time and Genius Hour teachers. I have tried to share this journey, the ups and downs, through blog posts, video interviews, a 20% time MOOC, and most recently my book, Inquiry and Innovation in the Classroom. Now, as I begin moving forward into other projects and seasons of new work, I want to make sure that any teacher looking to start 20% time or Genius Hour with their students have a complete FREE resource they can dig into and get the nuts and bolts of how to make it happen.
The Course: The Complete Guide to 20% Time (and Genius Hour) in the Classroom
When you sign up for this free email course you’ll receive the following:
- 4 learning modules
- Video interviews and examples
- Research and resources to support this work
- Parent letters, rubrics, and timelines to help the process
Sign-Up For the Free Course Here
You’ll receive the entire course over the period of 7 days. Each Learning Module will be sent directly to your email inbox.
Module 1: Why 20% Time?
- 3 Videos on the need for 20% time and Genius Hour
- 4 articles on the research behind inquiry-based learning
- A guide to explaining 20% time and Genius Hour to teachers and parents
Module 2: How to Get Started
- 2 Videos on the step-by-step process for starting the project
- 5 articles on how to begin and move your class forward
- 3 resources and handouts for your class
Module 3: Navigating the Project’s Ups and Downs
- 3 Videos on Motivation and Facilitating Successful Projects
- 3 Articles on passion, purpose, and what to do when Genius Hour Fails…
- 3 Resources on conducting research, the CRAAP test, and giving feedback
Module 4: Final Presentations, Grading, and Reflections
- 3 Videos on final presentation possibilities and assessing these projects
- 2 Articles on reflections at the end of the project
- 3 Resources for continuing the learning and grading
A few summers ago we had an awesome group of educators come together for the 20% Time MOOC. It was a summer filled with learning all about “why” we need this type of learning in our schools, “how” to get started with your class, and “what” to do during the project and after the project. The MOOC taught me a lot and brought our community together in some amazing ways. Afterwards a number of teachers asked if we could have something that was specific about 20% Time and Genius Hour. That’s when I began writing my book on the subject. I believe this course will be an awesome resource for any teacher interested in getting started or learning more. I also hope it is a resource we can point to time and time again as a step-by-step way to implement 20% Time and Genius Hour in the classroom. Check out the course for free when you sign-up for my newsletter to get even more innovative resources for the classroom.
Sign-Up For the Free Course Here
Enjoy!
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Thank you for the information I have got from you so far. Being the only teacher at my school actually trying to implement this type of project ( I teach at a Technical school in Florence Italy) in an EFL class has not been easy but I have found the students willing and enthusiastic . I also have the support of my co workers in the English Department. I guess I am the guinea pig in this case as my end results will determine the future of this experiment. Personally I am willing to risk all as I believe this type of work will help students in the outside world where certain survival skills are needed. Thanks again and as soon as I receive the outcome of this experiment I will let you know
Regards
Antonietta Marsala
Thanks for sharing, I’m looking forward to hearing more!
Thanks for sharing and the opportunity to learn more about 20%. I want to make a difference in my students’ learning and I think this could help them.
Awesome, let me know how it goes!
[…] in the Classroom: Using 20% Time, Genius Hour, and PBL to Drive Student Success, and created a free course for teachers on his blog. Kevin Brookhouser, a high school English teacher at York School in Monterey, CA, has […]
I’m gonna be the best person that ever signed up!
Our school is doing genius hour this year.
Bernie, I’d love to catch up and see how your Genius Hour is shaping up.
JDF
I am ‘pumped’ about introducing Genius Hour! Have signed up for your modules and will spend the next few weeks organising myself to implement next term in my class! Over excited teacher right here!!
I have worked with students while doing this and want to implement this for mine. Very excited to see this transpire.
I haven’t listened to the modules yet, but had a quick question. Can Genius Hour easily be accomplished without technology? I do not have any computers in my room and have no Wifi connection in my room.
Thanks!
Hi AJ
Thank you for the encouragement and inspiration. I’m a media specialist K-4 th grade. I am trying to convince my staff and principal to have a Media genius hour for the fourth graders. I see them once a week and believe through genius hour type teaching and learning the students will learn and be exposed to all the typical research and tech skills they would learn in a typical media class. I want to try it so other teachers in school will embark on their journey too with students. I am a bit nervous however because this year we must put all curriculum units in Atlas Rubicon and give all lesson plans to principal. We are being audited as a Title I school so I am a little nervous that I will not be able to make this requirement. I don’t like feeling squeezed by data requirements. But thank you …. Your materials may help me.
Hi AJ,
Thanks for all the resources and ideas. I’m preparing myself for introducing genius hour into my new rural junior/senior science class in order to motivate them. I’m used to student directed investigations in IB schools but this is a whole ‘nother ball game – with heavy time demands by sports and work outside of school. Specifically I am wondering if I should allow students doing the 20% program in my class to focus on anything they want to, or ask that they limit it to some aspect of science or technology. Anyone with some insight into the question of restriction of topics is welcome to respond! Thank you in advance!
Hi A.J.,
I’m super excited to try Genius Hour in my classroom this year and I’m trying to find out all the information I can on the subject. I have signed up for the free course twice but haven’t received any emails containing modules. Is there something I’m missing?
Thank you for all the great information on your website. I’m excited to get started.
Maybe try it out at academy.ajjuliani.com and see if that works for you!
[…] *Update: If you’d like to learn more about running your own 20% Project – check out my free video course on 20% Time and Genius Hour. […]
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Hello, I’m fascinated by the idea. I’ve signed up and I have a question that is probably in the course, but I hoping you could answer it now…how much time do you have with each class? 60-90 minute?
I had 45 minutes class periods when I did the 20% time project. So I used one of those class period per week!
[…] created a free video course for teachers interested in running 20% time and Genius Hour projects, because teachers around this world want to […]
Dear AJ,
My name is Peggy Schetters and i am doing some research for my final year at a school in Holland Fontys IEMES. do you have anything for me to work with or will i learn enough through these videos? with my research i want to prove that the 20 percent theory works.
greetings,
Peggy Schetters
My students participated in Genius Hour last semester. Most were engaged and their learning journey was quite inspiring. One or two were simply outstanding and taught me much along the way. Some struggled to develop their thinking further and manage their time productively so I feel that I have much to learn before trying it agin this year…
The questions are critical to give the students the best start and this was the most difficult part for many. A little weary of Black Holes and what really happens… as the learning was either fairly insignificant or way over the heads of Y6 students who chose it ( and mine)!
Very excited about having some more input from educators around the world. Thank you.
[…] The Complete Guide to Genius Hour and 20% Time Course […]
[…] The Complete Guide to 20% Time (and Genius Hour) in the Classroom […]
[…] The Complete Guide to 20% Time (and Genius Hour) in the Classroom […]
[…] The Complete Guide to 20% Time (and Genius Hour) in the Classroom […]
[…] Lucky for you there is many teachers who have already jumped into Genius Hour and 20% Time Projects. Even luckier is that they have shared their experiences online, in books, in interviews, webinars, and in courses. I offer teachers a free four-part mini-course on Genius Hour and 20% Time (you can check it out there). […]
I am believe in this concept. How is it working with first grade students?
I just spoke with two teachers from Garnet Valley elementary school that had wonderful success with 2nd graders. There are a number of teachers doing Genius Hour at the elem level.
[…] A.J. Juliani’s Guide to 20% Time […]
[…] great source is A.J.Juliani at this web page – and yes the Professional Library does have his book titled Inquiry and Innovation in the […]
This programme looks well suited to engaging some of my students who lack enthusiasm and stamina for learning our present curriculum content. I’m hoping it might create a passion for learning and inspire creativity.
I’ve done this before and now I’m trying it again with a bunch of accelerate 14 year olds.
Anyone out there keen to do some form of parallel collaboration with our classes? Sharing what our classes are doing with each others (Skype/Hangouts/whatever between classes) or something like that. I think it would be really cool for kids to see what others are up to, particularly ongoing progress rather than a video at the end of the project.
Just thought I’d ask 🙂
Are you still doing Genius Hour? and did you find someone with whom to collaborate? I’m interested. I’m proposing this as a course in my high school for next year.
[…] The Complete Guide to 20% Time (and Genius Hour) in the Classroom […]
How does this work for K-2. I’m an art teacher and would like to offer this to them. Start early.
Denise Pelosi
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How would this work in a kindergarten classroom. I love the idea and concept, I just can’t wrap my head around a 5 year coming up with an idea, then researching it and finally creating it. I love to watch them create and see what they come up with. I’m just not sure how you get a 5 year to come up with something they want to create, before they create it. I would love to see a kindergarten class room that has implemented Genuis Hour in their classroom.
Thank you for your valuable stuff
[…] you haven’t heard of Genius Hour or 20% time in the classroom, the premise is simple: Give your students 20% of their class time (or an hour each week) to learn […]
Thanks so much for sharing and helping me to continue to learn and grow. I have been a teacher for 18 years. The information you share is relevant, useful, and inspiring. The first time I tried genius hour, I gave my students a building challenge (a total of 4 for the year.) They had to come up with the materials and the design. It turned out great! The projects were so diverse! I gave them challenges because I did not trust that eveyone would participate and choose a project to work on. I am looking forward to trying genius hour again and allowing students to choose their own projects.
[…] you haven’t heard of Genius Hour or 20% time in the classroom, the premise is simple: Give your students 20% of their class time (or an hour each week) to learn […]
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[…] J. Juliani’s free 20% Time / Genius Hour course: Contains four modules: Why 20% Time?; How to Get Started; Navigating the Project’s Ups and Downs; Final Presentations, Grading, and Reflections. […]
Hi, I am a lecturer and teach 2-year degree student. This is very interesting activity, I just found it in 2018 when I try to search for a great activity to make the student interested to go to class. I just wonder, is it suitable to do 20-times or Genius hour with the university students. Perhaps, a comments and suggestion from you would be very helpful for me.
Thanks
[…] working with a teacher as he incorporated 20% Time into his classroom. He was super inspired by A.J. Juliani’s free online class about 20% Time and decided to spend a trimester on the project, allotting each Friday […]
I am trying 20% Time with my 8th grade Honors ELA class. They are excited and have already begun brainstorming ideas. Having never done this type of project, I am highly anticipating the e-mail workshop. Thank you for offering this as a way to help my student flourish.
[…] of the most empowering parts of Genius Hour and 20% Time Projects is showing the students how this type of work is being done at companies like Google, 3M, Facebook, […]
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I love this idea! For many years I had taught in the primary grades. My school closed and now I have another job teaching grades 6, 7, and 8th Social studies. I also come from a STEM background where I feel Genius Hour fits right in. I have begun my paper work and listened to your modules. My question is this: I will implement this in grade 8. Would you also implement this in grades 6 and 7 with a repeat the next school year?
thanks
Maryann
I learned about Genius Hour during a PL that I attended yesterday for creating an Academically Challenging Environment in the classroom. This seems like a great way to get my students engaged and enhance their critical thinking skills, as well as, allow them to create something that they are very passionate about. I love the creative aspect of this project and hope to have a great outcome.