The Schoenblog

I’ve spent a lot of time lately in my search for genius. I love opportunities to have my students question, wonder, investigate, and create, and have had great experiences with #GeniusHour and passion-based learning in the classroom.

But I struggle, too, about how well it meets the needs of all learners and how to make sure that the project doesn’t overlap too directly with my students’ existing programs. I wrote all about these challenges and our growing Ossining Capstone program a few weeks ago in Perplexed by Passion: Planning for a Better #GeniusHour and 4 Ways Students Were Surprised by Passion-Based Learning.

Basically, I needed to work with my students to figure out the best way to adapt and evolve the #GeniusHour concept to meet our needs. In the end, this year’s decision focused on a marriage of the open-ended inquiry of passion-based learning and my hope of helping my students develop a love of stories.

Genius is Adaptable

One of my favorite things about the #GeniusHour concept is the ability to adapt it to any subject area, age level, or curriculum. In the past, I’ve made strong efforts not to tie this work into anything that has too much to do with English. If a student was passionate about writing, literature, or stories, that’s great, but otherwise they had free reign. There is no one model or one blanket statement that works for you or your students.

Similarly, students can find ways to tie their passions to the sciences, arts, and other humanities, too. They can (and should) be inquiring, wondering, and, creating in all of our classes. They should be learning to ask hard questions, explore new ideas, and driving our curriculum.

So that’s exactly what we will do.

#GenreGenius

The guidelines are wildly simple: investigate a genre of storytelling, master it, and synthesize your learning to create something cool.

• Learn about the genre--it’s stories, tropes, origins, authors, etc.
• Propose a study: genre, goal, product, etc.
• Read/consume a range of texts (one long text; some scholarly works; some short texts; a visual text)
• Synthesize your consumption through creation: make/do something for an authentic audience

All we have so far is the big idea, but we will develop the rest together. I love the idea of asking students to propose plans for their research instead of me dictating length, quantity, or difficulty of texts. Immediately after introducing #GenreGenius, lightbulbs went off in my classroom. “So I can create a horror movie?” asked Xavier. Patrick finally has the chance to write his creative story. Maggie walked out and told me, “This project actually sounds pretty cool.”

And they can and will. After inquiry, research, questioning, a lot of reading, writing, and synthesis. I think I’ll ask student to blog about their progress, but these blogs may look like more of a reading diary of some sort of genre-based reflection. I want to make sure that there’s a push for some scholarly readying or criticism in each plan. Besides that, the stories and our passions will drive us.

Introducing #GenreGenius

To start, I asked students to read "Can Science Explain Why We Like Stories?" from The New Yorker. They read, annotated, and posted on our Google Community examining their own storytelling passions. I asked students:

What kind of stories do you like and why? Discuss your favorite genre of storytelling and try to explain why--develop a claim about the value of this genre.

Their answers were interesting and diverse. I hope that this assignment helped them to begin to think critically about their storytelling and literary tastes. Here’s a sample of some of their responses:

• I like a variety of story genres, but I am always most excited when reading fantasy stories. From myths to urban fantasy to tales of magic, I always get pulled in by those that have a blend of the otherworldly with the normal. Fantasy is so intriguing to me because it often shows another world that exists alongside or within our own that is magical. It gives the reader freedom to come up with wild theories about what might happen next, and the possibility that in this world, the theory could be true. Fantasy is important as a genre because it allows the reader to imagine without limit, and the theme of the special coexisting with the ordinary often reflects the hope or fear that there s something "other" out there that we can't see. Another value is that the reader gets to observe ordinary people become extraordinary. For readers this validates the idea that you can change and become a new person over time.
• I enjoy reading romance, science fiction and fantasy stories all in one. I like the fantasy because it's exciting and always makes me wonder what could be in a different society. I like science fiction because it makes me think and it's really interesting what the authors come up with. And I like romance because I like the drama and I like that it's always so predictable. All together these genres really interest me and I love reading them.
• My favorite genre of story is fantasy. I love stories that can create a world that you would want to live in. It can give you an escape from your world and everything going on around you. For example, stories like Narnia are perfect because they encompass action and love into one story. Authors also make the characters relatable and likable which makes you want to find out their outcome. These stories also make you feel good. 
• My favorite genre is mystery, because it's really hard to stop reading because it provides so much suspense that you always want to find out what’s next. I specifically love this topic because people everywhere are courageous and that's good and for you to have that in books to open people’s mind is fascinating. Besides having fun reading this, it's really to read and even better to reread and learn things you missed.

Evolution of Genius

I’ll miss the more open #GeniusHour but I’m excited about a new spin on the concept. I’m really proud of the work my students did with it last year, but my English Teacher side can’t help but think about what got me into this profession: the stories.

I’m looking forward to helping my students discover their passions, stories, and genius.

How have you adapted #GeniusHour or passion-based learning in your practice? What advice do you have for your evolving #GenreGenius? Share your ideas in the comments or on Twitter @MrSchoenbart.

I could write the article about how teaching the novel over a dozen times has influenced me as an educator. Or I could write about how staging the trial of Tom Robinson like a play always incited my students with gasps and grumbles of surprise, emotion, and frustration like nothing else we ever read. Then I could write about my nostalgia for the text, as it was moved down to the middle school a few years ago, how I miss it dearly, and how it makes me long for the pre-Core days of teaching the dense novel. But this is not that piece. If you’re looking for that, I encourage you to check out the New York Times’ article by William Grimes, Harper Lee, Author of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ Dies at 89. Also, I wrote about Lee and the evolution of Atticus and Scout in Go Set a Watchman in my article, Rewriting History: A Grown Up Maycomb in Go Set a Watchman.

Instead, I want to to share one particular story--a lesson I always taught--that helped students begin to evaluate and question great literature. Through To Kill a Mockingbird , we studied story and structure, themes and the cannon, and the concept of “capital L” Literature.

A Lens For Great Literature

Mockingbird is more than great literature; it is a timeless piece through which other stories can be understood and analyzed. In a sense, it serves as more mythology than fiction for me and my students: it’s coming of age story in the face of injustice represents a story that is told again and again in our mythology, fiction, history, and religion. Harper Lee imprints a timeless struggle into a specific historical context and understanding, but it’s a story of our collective unconscious, not of one particular event.

In the end, Atticus can’t beat racism because society is only on the brink of change. Like so many injustices, conflicts, and turning points before and after, this story is only the beginning.

Why is Mockingbird Great? The Lesson

After we concluded our study of Mockingbird, I would always end the unit by evaluating its themes and the concept of Literature and the cannon. What makes this text worthy of being read and studied by young people across the world for so long?

Do Now:

Respond to the following statements in writing and then discussion:

To Kill a Mockingbird is good Literature. It belongs in the literary canon and should be taught in all schools. A book like Harry Potter is just popular fiction and is not as good. These books have nothing in common.

Most of my students have read texts like Harry Potter and Twilight, so they served as important points of connection and comparison. From here, we evaluated what makes Literature “great,” the differences between the classics or cannon and popular fiction, and more. We listed the themes of both Mockingbird and Harry Potter as a focus for comparison.

Although my students always argued for an appreciation of Harry Potter, they usually agreed with the Do Now statement, writing about the timeless nature, dynamic characters, and universal themes of Mockingbird. Then we began to apply and analyze their theories, and that’s where the fun began. Why wasn’t Harry Potter great?

Image courtesy of azquotes.com.

Atticus vs. Dumbledore

Next, I shared the Stephen King quote above to steer the discussion towards the value of a text like Harry Potter. I asked students to compare and contrast the stories plots, themes, and characters. Is Atticus a better mentor than Dumbledore? Why or why not? We kept going back to King’s argument about the central idea of Rowling’s series: “confronting fears, finding inner strength and doing what is right in the face of adversity.” Wait a minute...doesn’t that sound familiar? Soon students start to reassess their ideas and arguments--isn’t King really describing Mockingbird here, too?

This might seem like an overly simplistic connection at first because it’s simply describing most stories. Characters face adversity and grow and change with the help of mentors and allies. They face challenges along the way that cause them to suffer loss and learn, usually leading to some sort of triumph or growth. It’s the hero’s journey at it’s core, Joseph Campbell’s monomyth which deconstructs storytelling and mythology to analyze its structure, archetypes, and role in society. Through this lens, we come to realize that these stories--one a canonical classic and the other modern popular literature have much more in common that most realize. Some of my notes from the lessons are below, and the list always grew after every class.






Still not convinced? Check out the quotes and images below from Harper Lee’s Mockingbird and Rowling’s Harry Potter.

Great Literature

Great stories, like history and mythology, repeat themselves. By no means do I think JK Rowling or any other author stole their ideas but that great stories permeate in our collective unconscious--the story of heroes are cultural and societal tropes that influence our characters and people.

And To Kill a Mockingbird is a great story. The novel and its characters were a touchstone for Ossining High School English students, who would refer back to Atticus’ closing argument or Scout’s coming of age for years after my class. Like all great stories, it became a lens through which to view the world, analyze, and grow. So many years later, it’s messages about people, society, and growing up are as relevant as ever, reminding us all that we still have work to do.

And for all of that and more, thank you Harper Lee.

My Tweet below holds true for this post, too. You will find no spoilers here!

I won't spoil a thing except that I smiled the whole way through. #StarWarsTheForceAwakens pic.twitter.com/h8RfrbaSTc

— Adam Schoenbart (@MrSchoenbart) December 18, 2015

But what the heck does any of this have to do with education? Sure, I sit here writing this looking up at the 1977 vintage A New Hope poster framed on my wall, but this post isn’t just for fans like me. Star Wars is about more than that.

Star Wars is more than the story of good and evil, a sci-fi Western, or heroes in space. It's one about family, friendship, legacy, hope, and education. Luke Skywalker may be destined to bring balance to the force and redeem his father's mistakes but he couldn't have done it without his teachers and friends. He learns to be a Jedi from Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and the force. But he also learns how to be a hero from his friends; whether it’s learning a little recklessness and spontaneity from Han Solo, about family and leadership from Princess Leia, or even about how to stand up to adversity and family against Darth Vader, Luke learns how to be a hero because the teachers he has along the way.

Star Wars is a story about balance, making a better future, and transformation. The conflicts may exist a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, but its lessons both in plot and filmmaking have power in today’s world of education. In fact, as I pondered the new film and it’s place in the series, along with the past and future of the saga, I couldn’t help but make connections to teaching.

"Do or do not. There is no try." Courtesy of Pintrest.

Whether you’re a Jedi master or young Padawan, or don't even know what these terms mean, the lessons of the Star Wars saga can help us all be better teachers and make real transformational change in our world and our students lives. As we look towards the break, holidays, and new year, ponder these lessons and how you can transform and grow your own practice and your impact on students. As Yoda says, “Do or do not. There is no try.”

8 Things Education Should Learn From Star Wars

1. Respect History

The Star Wars films, including the newest, have always done a wonderful job of creating an expansive world filled with rich history and tradition. In teaching, we’re often looking forward to the newest change and fad. It’s important to look back, recognize where we’ve come from, and those who helped us along the way. Whether that’s our own friends, mentors, and colleagues or the scholars and educationals theorists upon whose ideas we depend, it all started somewhere. If even Han Solo recognizes the truth of the force, we can all recognize and honor the past even as we grow into the new year.

2. Look to the Future

While we reflect and honor the past, we need to always be looking forward, too. Today’s world of teaching is experiencing huge reforms and transformations. We may not be looking to overthrow the Galactic Empire, but the edreform resistance is thriving in many ways. Like many stories, Star Wars is one of children making up for the mistakes of their parents and trying to create a better world. Like Luke, we need to strive to do better, resist the dark side, and to make meaningful change in not only our students lives and learning, but in our schools and communities as well.

Jedi to the Future courtesy of Pintrest.

3. Appeal to All Audiences

When I say that The Force Awakens made me laugh, cry, think, smile, and cheer, there’s no hyperbole. The film was raw emotion and pulled me along with it. That’s nothing new for Star Wars--rewatch A New Hope and you’ll likely laugh, too--it’s funnier than I remembered. The films are clearly sci-fi fantasy, so they might seem to only appeal to a specific audience, but I really think Star Wars has it all: action, adventure, heart, love stories, and more. Men, women, young, and old--it hits all four quadrants. We, as teachers, can’t forget to appeal to all of our audiences, too. Not every student will like the content area I teach or enjoy class every day, and that’s life. But it’s essential to find ways to relate to, engage, and to meet the needs of all learners--even those without the force.

The Force Awakens cast photo courtesy of Entertainment Weekly. I love that the leads are strong and diverse, reminding us today’s learners don’t just look like Han, Luke, and Leia.

5. Kids are Complicated!

The central conflict of Star Wars involves the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker. In his aftermath, Luke and our heroes must atone for the wrongdoings of the now Darth Vader and become more than the heroic archetypes they started as. Luke can become the Jedi Master, Leia more than the damsel in distress, and Han outgrow his roguish ways to find love and purpose. Our students are more than archetypes, and as much as I love Luke and friends, our students are more than that, too. It’s easy to generalize and group them into trends and grades, but we can’t forget to value our students as individuals, as learners, and as the unique people they are.

A page from Vader's Little Princess by Jeffrey Brown

6. The Force is Found Where You Least Expect It

Luke may be a wanna-be pilot with a destiny, but he never expected to have the power to change his world. As the Jedi masters teach, the force is everywhere and is a constant in life. While I’ve yet to find it in our world, don’t be surprised at where the magic happens in your classroom. I love when the teachable moments pop up, lessons take a turn, and students achieve and new and different ways. The spontaneity and art of teaching is one of my favorite things about it--it’s real, it’s fun, and it can be messy. But, like the force, it’s a part of our world, even when it’s least expected. May the force be with you.

GIF from Genius.com

7. Great Teachers Are Everywhere

Luke learns about life and heroism from all sides: the Jedi, light and dark, and his friends. Anakin, too, learned from many mentors along the way. We all have great teachers in our lives and our schools who deserve recognition. Recently, I’ve been participating in learning walks in my school, and it’s been such a pleasure to spend a few minutes in other teacher’s classrooms and to get the powerful reminder that we are all working hard, teaching well, and putting student first. Just keep them away from the dark side, please.

Another image courtesy of Pintrest.

8. Learn From Your Mistakes

I think the prequels say it all. Enough said?






This week, my loves of Star Wars and teaching collided, and it was beautiful. I was left loving a new movie, seeing the enthusiasm The Force Awakens in my classes, all while making strong, positive connections to my classroom practice to end the year on. As Yoda said, “Pass on what you learn.” So whatever it is you learned from Star Wars, share it in the comments or connect on Twitter. And if you haven’t watched the series, you now have your New Year’s resolution.

Yoda’s parting words from GovLoop.com

Image via Weinstein-Designs.

For more reading, here are some interesting articles about Watchman. Please share if you have more worthwhile reading or commentary!

"Atticus Was Always a Racist: Why Go Set a Watchman Is No Surprise" by Catherine Nichols at Jezebel "The Invisible Hand Behind Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’" by Jonathan Mahler at The New York Times "The Harper Lee ‘Go Set a Watchman’ Fraud" by Joe Nocera at The New York Times "The Rejected Covers Of 'Go Set A Watchman'" by John Brownlee at Fast Company "In Defense of 'Go Set a Watchman'" by Royling at Coffelicious

Now this person meant no malice and none was taken, but here's my take away: the job of the English teacher in the common core and 21st century classroom has changed so much just in my six years on the job.

When I decided to become an English teacher, it was all about the literature. I liked the kids, the learning, the writing, but it was about the stories. Today, that's shifted for me. Common core might push us away from too much long-form literature, but that's not at all my concern or the cause for my shift. There's just so much out there to read and write about.

I want my students today to have and make experiences based on texts, and for those texts to come in all different genres and mediums. Sure, I make my students read some things and I teach literature--which I absolutely love, but that job is changing.

Instead of reading the 4-6 whole class novels we used to to, I teach 2-3. Those novels are supplemented by short works, essays, non-fiction, film, and multimedia. More importantly than any of that is what the students make or do. English is about reading and writing, but it's really about developing skills. Technology has assisted education in building the tools to enhance this development tremendously. Students are active learners, researchers, and scholars, creating meaning and content. In the few weeks my tenth graders have pursued 20Time Projects, it's become one of the most meaningful parts of the year for me--and hopefully will be for them, too. 

I love English. I love books, writing, reading, essays--I can even hold my own with making grammar fun sometimes.  It's kind of ironic that what was once such a firm cannon of texts has changed in execution so much. 

I had no idea what I was going to write about when I started this post but I like the reflection. It's interesting to look back on my short career so far and see how things have evolved. Where to next?