Diane Bonfils Middle School English Mayfield Junior School of the Holy Child Jesus Pasadena, CA Perhaps more than any other profession, teaching offers the promise of renewal. As summer wanes, we begin a new school year, and we start afresh. No matter if we have taught for a single semester or several decades, we relish the opportunity to share our joy of learning with new students. I have enjoyed a long career as a teacher, and yet I still feel new at Mayfield Junior School, new in the best sense of the word. I can’t imagine a better profession or a better place to be. This past year I found myself captivated by subjects that may seem pretty far-flung for an English teacher. I learned the secrets of some magic tricks as well as which leavening agents produce the most delicious results in baked goods. I broadened my awareness of women’s evolving rights in Saudi Arabia. I discovered that a food’s color really does affect my perception of its taste. I was offered an introduction into throwing playing cards, fashioning leotards, and preserving bugs. All this knowledge and so much more came to me as my eighth-grade students were invited to undertake a “Genius Hour” project. Eighth graders invigorate me with their energy, their humor, and their unbounded love of learning. I endeavored to offer opportunities for students to unleash that energy and insatiable curiosity in a project that would be student-driven and passion-based. The trick was that I had to get out of their way. “Genius Hour” projects, sometimes called “20% Time” allow students the creativity to investigate a topic that they are passionate about. A significant portion of class time is set aside for the exploration of this topic, which culminates in a presentation to the class in which students share the highlights of this process along with something that they have made. Genius Hours are popular in classrooms these days, and for good reason. Students hone vital skills in the pursuit of a self-chosen topic and get to “play” as they work. My students fashioned first-rate feature articles based on interviews with experts and wrote carefully documented research papers. They mastered content standards while never having to ask, “Will this be on the test?” Our Genius Hour allowed me to learn more about my students and deepen my relationship with them. Their academic achievement was genuinely impressive and will serve as excellent preparation for the rigors of high school, but what is most memorable to me is the joy on their faces as they shared their discoveries about a topic they genuinely cared about. They pushed the boundaries of their imaginations and of mine. I am a significantly larger person and professional because they were willing to take risks. Gratified by their accomplishments, I am once again re-energized for another year of teaching at MJS.