My Genius Hour Project

In my "Teaching Digital Learners in a Digital Age" class, I was introduced to the idea of Genius Hour. Genius Hour is a educational approach that allows students to research and explore a topic of their choice for a set period of time (i.e. one hour per week). Thus, students take on a more active and engaging role in their learning as they choose a project that they are passionate about and spend time exploring, creating, and problem-solving as they build their knowledge. I was intrigued by the idea of introducing Genius Hour in the classroom and was even more excited to find out that we ourselves would be choosing a Genius Hour project! I think it is a great opportunity for us to build new knowledge and skills while learning how we could implement Genius Hour in our future classrooms!

For my Genius Hour, I have chosen the project of learning how to knit a scarf. My grandmother has always been a fantastic knitter. From socks to blankets to stuffed animals to scarves, my grandmother can knit anything! When my siblings and I were young, we often received hand-knit sweaters as gifts for Christmas or our birthdays. Last Christmas, my grandmother knit coffee mug cozies for all of her children and grandchildren - twenty in total! While I have always admired her knitting and have always wished that I knew how to knit, I have never mustered up the courage to actually give it a try.

Coffee cup cozies hand-knit by my Oma.
Olij, B. © 2016 [Photo from personal collection]

Sweaters hand-knit by my Oma. They were definitely unique!
Olij, B. © 2016 [Photo from personal collection] 

This past year in particular, I have developed a greater interest in knitting. Last September, I became an aunt for the first time to beautiful little girl. Often when I am scrolling through Pinterest or Facebook, I see a lot of cute knitting ideas for babies and children. I would love to be able to make various hand-knit gifts for my niece!

This opportunity to do a Genius Hour project, therefore, has given me the perfect opportunity to stop making excuses and finally explore my interest in knitting. I am really excited to challenge myself and try something new. Stay tuned to this blog to see my progress throughout the next few weeks!