Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1017146
For Teresa Ozoa, left, Genius Hour fosters interest and critical thinking; below, her students Kia Nozari and Arshia Rezaei at work during Genius Hour. Have a "Genius Hour" Like Davenport , Teresa Ozoa wanted student-centered learning. She heard about Genius Hour and figured, since it was highly successful with Google employees, it might reinvigorate students in her contemporary studies literature classes at University High School in Irvine. Google allows engineers to spend 20 percent of their work time on any pet project they choose. The idea is simple: Allow people to work on something that interests them, and productivity goes up. Many innovative Google projects are attributed to this, including Gmail and Google News. Genius Hour fits nicely into long class periods and block sched- uling. Her students are exploring interests that include learning Chinese, researching sky diving, and writing a science fiction novel. Others create rap music and video games. Regardless of the topic, overall student enthusiasm is up, which carries into academic productivity and interest in school, says the Irvine Teachers Association member. "Genius Hour is not just for high-achieving kids. One of my big- gest successes was a special education student who created a book review blog on young adult fiction." Sometimes, students fail, and that's OK , too. "What I assess is the process," Ozoa explains. " They have to write reflections for me every two weeks as part of their homework assignments." Ozoa comments that apathy sometimes afflicts high-achieving students, who care more about the grade and acing the test than acquiring knowledge and putting it to use. "Not only has Genius Hour alleviated apathy, but it has helped students bond with me and each other, and fostered critical think- ing. Before, my class was just another course. Now students are excited about it." " Not only has Genius Hour alleviated apathy, but it has helped students bond with me and each other, and fostered critical thinking." — Teresa Ozoa, Irvine Teachers Association 25 A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 018