My Genius Hour: Final Reflection

Insightful.  Exciting. Challenging. Creative. Rewarding. These are just some of the words that come to mind when I reflect on my Genius Hour experience. This past Thursday, I finished knitting the last few rows of my scarf. HOORAY! As I was knitting, I spent some time reflecting on what I have learned throughout the past few weeks as I worked on my Genius Hour project.

The Basics of Knitting

Perhaps the most obvious thing that I have learned throughout this experience is how to knit. Six weeks ago, I had never held a pair of knitting needles in my hand. In my research, I have learned about the different types of stitches, yarn, and needles. I have also learned how to cast on and cast off stitches and how to knit a garter stitch. Over the course of two weeks, I was able to knit a scarf for my niece. Is it perfect? Certainly not. Have I gained new knowledge and skills in knitting? Definitely! Having learned the basic knitting skills and techniques, I look forward to trying new, more challenging patterns that involve different types of yarn and different types of stitches. This Genius Hour project is just the beginning of my knitting journey!

Olij, B. © 2016
[Photo from personal collection]

A Growth Mindset

As I mentioned in a previous blogpost, my Genius Hour experience has taught me the importance of maintaining a growth mindset. To be honest, I did not enjoy knitting when I began my scarf two weeks ago. The first few days were challenging and frustrating. I worked slowly and made plenty of mistakes. As a perfectionist, these first few days were difficult as I had unrealistic expectations that I would learn how to knit effortlessly with minimal mistakes. This experience reminded me of the importance of recognizing the power of yet. There is a difference between not knowing how to do something and not knowing how to do something YET. I had to remind myself that learning is a journey and making mistakes and learning from those mistakes are a natural, valuable, and important part of that journey as they lead to personal growth and development. Even during the frustrating moments when I dropped stitches or pulled my yarn too tight, I maintained a positive attitude and reminded myself that I was steadily improving as I developed new skills and knowledge. Today, I can honestly say that I love knitting as I find it to be very relaxing and enjoyable.  

© Big Change. Image retrieved from http://big-change.org/growth-mindset/.

New Tools for the Classroom

Throughout this Genius Hour experience, I have also learned about a variety of tools and resources that I can incorporate in my future classroom. For example, PowToon and iMovie are fun tools that encourage students to use their creativity as they share their thoughts, ideas, and knowledge with their peers. The jigsaw technique is a valuable teaching method that teaches students the importance of cooperation, collaboration, and responsibility.  Blogs can also be very useful educational tools that encourage students to reflect on their learning experiences and to organize and share their thoughts using written text, images, and videos.

Overall, my Genius Hour experience has been very insightful. I have enjoyed having the opportunity to explore a passion and to share my newfound knowledge and experiences with my peers. I would love to incorporate Genius Hour in my future classroom!