Genius Bar @ HMC

Students come up with ideas, and conference with the LMS for approval. Once their project is approved, away they go to do their research and create their project. The LMS will offer guidance, and facilitate the child’s learning. Often students need advice with creating quality work and editing their movies. Students also then practice their presentation, and then offer a date for the official date of sharing at the Genius Bar. An official announcement is done on the microphone in the dining hall to gather an audience, and tickets then are given away later that day. All of this is done by the students with some guidance from the LMS and/or Library Assistant. It’s a lot of fun for everyone involved. We all get excited because it’s like a party that’s coming up. Children feel like it’s playing, and they show 21st century skills by not giving up, and finishing their project from beginning to the end, so the Genius Bar celebrates the children’s determination and honors their learning journey.  Children also practice life skills: speaking, working together, presenting, planning, researching, etc. The audience get a chance to learn and be inspired. It’s a win-win situation. It’s a great cycle of learning.
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Genius Bar with Kamu McGrugier-Hill

My students had a rare opportunity to meet a Professional Football player, Kamu McGrugier-Hill. It started when my second grade students asked to share their interest in football and the Super Bowl. They wanted to do this for a Genius Bar project. I asked, “How is the Super Bowl related to Hawaiʻi?” As I also had to think about the Hawaiʻi connection, the students and I did our research by watching the news, and discovered that a KSK graduate was on the Philadelphia Eagles team. We were ecstatic. Next we had to make contact and try to set up a time to meet. With some help from  another KSK graduate at KHON, we were able to contact Kamu. My Library Assistant, Erin Samson, made arrangements, and the students worked at creating questions. This was exciting. We were blessed. Kamu was in town the same time my students were wondering about the Super Bowl. On the day of the Genius Bar, students presented their questions as if they were at a news conference. Students’ questions were geared to getting to know Kamu as a football player and a Hawaiian. It was a great learning experience for everyone. Click here to see more pictures of this awesome time of inquiry.

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L-R: Kana (MC 4th grade), Awapuhi (MC 4th grade), Kamu, Keahi (2nd grade), Kalani (2nd grade)