Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% Time to the Next Level

The focus of this book study is Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% Time to the Next Level. 

In classrooms across the nation, innovative teachers are employing passion-based, open-source learning to improve their student's education. In Pure Genius, Don Wettrick encourages teachers and administrators to collaborate--with experts, students, and one another--to create interesting, and even life-changing opportunities for learning. You'll discover: 

• Innovation brings a fresh approach to solving real problems 
• Creative ways to work within the constraints your current budget and system 
• Courses that offer relevant content can inspire students to learn beyond the classroom 
• Collaborating with experts and mentors improves the learning experience for students and teachers.

By incorporating the concepts Don explains in Pure Genius, you can empower the next generation to be free thinkers who can create new concepts and products that can change the way we live.
courtesy of amazon

Requirements for Credit

The power in a book study comes from the dialogue regarding the reading. For that reason, there are requirements related to your answering each posted question and to responding to others' posts. You may post from June 2, 2017-August 4, 2017. Any posts before or after these dates will not be counted. It's all or nothing. No partial credit will be given.  

Prior to the final due date for the blog, participants must:

·                     Respond to each question posted. There are 4 "sessions" with about three questions each. 

·                     At least 2 times per "session," post comments that specifically address other participants' responses. To allow us to track your comments, include the other participant's blog name and the date he/she posted at the start of your comment. You may agree or disagree with participants, but be sure to include your reasoning. "I agree" is not a meaningful response that contributes to the conversation. "I agree because ..." is more likely to contribute to the dialogue. 

All questions are currently posted. If you do the book study early, you will need to visit again in order to respond to other people's posts and to dialogue about yours.

Session 1: Question 1 Why Innovative?

Chapter 1 : What is innovation to you?  Cite your page numbers. 

Session 1: Question 2 Creating a Culture of Innovation and Leadership

Chapter 2: Think about how Don gave his students freedom to decide what to study. Have you given your students opportunities to have some freedom in your classroom?  Cite your page numbers. 

Session 1: Question 3 There is No Plan

Chapter 3: Think about the three real-world examples of genius hour that Don shared. How have those changed or confirmed your thoughts about genius hour? Cite your page numbers. 

Session 2: Question 1 Six Building Blocks of Innovative Learning

Chapter 4: After reading this chapter, do you have ideas of how you could implement an innovation project?  Cite your page numbers.

Session 2: Question 2 Social Media and Teachers

Chapter 5: This chapter is about teachers' use of social media. How could you use social media professionally? Cite your page numbers. 

This is a good example of how to use social media. I retweeted an article about how middle schoolers are successfully learning in social media and tagged Don Wettrick, the author of Pure Genius. He ❤️ it. We just made a professional connection via social media that otherwise would have never happened. 

Session 2: Question 3 Social Media and Students

Chapter 6: Social media use by students can be a slippery slope. How can you help students learn how to use social media safely? Cite your page numbers.

Session 3: Question 1 Getting Started with Social Media

Chapter 7: After reading the last several chapters, how has your view of social media changed or not?

Session 3: Question 2 Opportunities Are Everywhere

Chapter 8: How do you seek out opportunities to get your students some out-of-the-ordinary experiences or encourage them to find those opportunities? Cite your page numbers. 

Session 3: Question 3 Student Voices

Chapter 9: Share any thoughts that were sparked by one of the students' experiences you read about. Cite your page numbers.

Session 4: Question 1 Moving Forward

Chapter 10: The three practices he discussed in this chapter were: giving yourself permission, transparency, and trust. How do you see any or all of these practices helping you as you move towards creating an innovative culture in your classroom? Cite your page numbers. 

Session 4: Question 2 Coming Together: Speaking the Same Language

After reading this book, what is one small step that you can take to add more innovation class? Please give page numbers to support your thinking.   

Session 4: Question 3

Would you recommend this book to your colleagues? Why or why not?

Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs of the Gifted and Talented (Revised and Updated Edition)

The focus of this book study isTeaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom:Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs ofthe Gifted and Talented (Revised and Updated Edition) by Sylvia B. Rimm and Susan Winebrenner. 

Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs of the Gifted and Talented (Revised and Updated Edition) is a "how to" guide for modifying curriculum for gifted elementary and middle school students in the regular classroom. It contains time-saving forms and ideas for every classroom teachers. It also describes real scenarios with gifted kids that will help inform the regular teacher of some of the gifted child characteristics. 

Session 1: Chapters 1-3

Session 2: Chapters 4-6

Session 3: Chapters 7-9

Session 4: Chapter   10

Requirements for Credit

The power in a book study comes from the dialogue regarding the reading. For that reason, there are requirements related to your answering each posted question and to responding to others' posts. You may post from June 3, 2016-August 7, 2016. Any posts before or after these dates will not be counted. It's all or nothing. No partial credit will be given.  

Prior to the final due date for the blog, participants must:

• Respond to each question posted. There are 4 "sessions" with about three questions each. 
• At least 2 times per "session," post comments that specifically address other participants' responses. To allow us to track your comments, include the other participant's blog name and the date he/she posted at the start of your comment. You may agree or disagree with participants, but be sure to include your reasoning. "I agree" is not a meaningful response that contributes to the conversation. "I agree because ..." is more likely to contribute to the dialogue. 

All questions are currently posted. If you do the book study early, you will need to visit again in order to respond to other people's posts and to dialogue about yours.

Session 1-Question 1

What was a new thought/idea for you from Chapter One reading section? Remember to give the page number(s) as to where this idea was generated.

Session 1- Question 2

From Chapter Two, what idea would you like to explore more and why? Give reference to the page number.

Session 1- Question 3

Of the four scenarios in Chapter Three, which one have you experienced either as a learner or educator? How could have compacting and differentiation helped that scenario? Explain why and include page numbers from Chapter Three.

Session 2- Question 1

What "Golden Nuggets" of wisdom did you gain from Chapter Four of reading? Cite page numbers and why these nuggets "spoke" to you during your reading.