I am so excited to have finally created The Meaningful Mess Design Framework that I've been working on for so long.  I am passionate about helping educators shift from simply writing lesson plans to designing experiences.  In my book, A Meaningful Mess, I introduced the 3Es as important considerations when designing an experience.

Since writing that book, the 3Es have evolved into a comprehensive framework that I believe any educator can use to intentionally design in a way that will be manageable for them and meaningful for their learners.  

Engage - Igniting a willingness to invest has to the first priority in any classroom. The reality is that without a willingness to invest,  learners will not take advantage of the opportunity to learn.

Experience - Considering how you will provide the opportunity to learn is important.  Will your learners learn through application, learn by listening, or another way that makes the most sense for the content that is being presented?  It's important to focus on how they will learn this standard, idea, or concept, rather than how you will teach this standard, idea or concept.

Empower - In order for the learning to stick, learners have to understand how they will use what they've learned beyond the walls of the classroom.  When we make this a priority, we are giving them an opportunity to make important connections and empowering them to utilize what they've learned.  Doing so will give them a reason to remember the content.

Evidence - How will you know if your learners have reached a deep understanding of the content?  What is the evidence that can be shown?  Designing with this in mind will help us, as educators, be intentional about the differentiation that we plan and support that we provide moving forward.

Extension/Encouragement - Learners that deeply understand the content will receive extension while those that need extra support will receive the extra support.  When we plan for this on the front end, we will be more prepared on the back end to differentiate for learners in a way that makes sense.  This will make the learning more manageable for educators and meaningful for our learners.

That's it!  It makes so much sense and prioritizes intentionality.  My hope is that this framework helps you find meaning in your mess.  If you'd like to access a printable copy of the framework, you can access The Meaningful Mess Teacher Planner at bit.ly/AMMPlanner.  

When done well, Genius Hour is one of the most meaningful experiences that we can provide for our learners.  It’s personal, makes learning relevant, and makes purpose a priority. Just like any strategy or tool that is implemented into the classroom, passion-based learning should be manageable and meaningful. 

I’m a big fan of the idea that any type of PBL experience should be the main course. PBLworks.org suggests that a "main course" project is one “in which the project is the unit.”  In other words, it should be the way that students learn rather than an activity that happens after the learning takes place. Genius Hour gives learners the opportunity to learn through application.

I’m always looking for tools to share with teachers that will make Genius Hour or passion-based learning sustainable. I was recently introduced to Tract, a space created to deepen student passions through project-based classes and challenges.  

Tract offers on-demand, project-based video lessons that challenge kids to think critically and creatively as they engage in self-directed learning on the topics that interest them the most. But wait, it gets better…many of the Tract Creators are youth influencers and changemakers, making the experience even more meaningful for your learners as they learn and create.  

Challenging them is a great way to engage, or ignite a willingness to invest from, today’s learners.  As learners complete challenge-based experiences within Tract, they earn coins that can be used to award their peers or make an impact on a real-world problem that is important to them.  This part of the experience makes the work that they are doing purposeful.  And, the reality is that when learning becomes purposeful, it becomes a priority.  

This type of learning makes so much sense and should be prioritized as a way to not only engage, but empower today’s learners to value what they are learning and understand the change that they are capable of making.  Tools like Tract make passion-based learning easier to implement and ultimately, more meaningful for our learners.  And, I saved the best news for last.  Tract is absolutely, 100% free for educators!  

Do me a favor…take some time to explore Tract at tract.app.  Trust me, you will be so glad that you did!   I’ll make it even easier for you.  Below is my code that you can use to access all that this resource has to offer.  Check it out and comment below if you have any questions or just want to let me know what you think.  I can’t wait to see how you use this amazing resource to make Genius Hour manageable for you and meaningful for your learners!