Genius Hour: Passion Driven Learning
In Years 2–6, students participate in Genius Hour, an enrichment approach that encourages curiosity, creativity and student voice. Genius Hour is a form of inquiry-based learning where students explore topics they are genuinely interested in and develop projects based on their own questions and ideas.
Inspired by Google’s 20%-time approach, which encouraged employees to pursue passion projects and helped foster innovation, Genius Hour gives students dedicated time each week to research, plan and create meaningful learning projects.
Through this process, students build skills in research, organisation, problem solving and communication, while sharing their learning with classmates and the wider community.
Enrichment Beyond the Classroom
Our Lady of Dolours offers additional enrichment opportunities designed to extend students’ talents and interests. These include:
- Annual book writing competition aligned with our Book Week celebrations, as well as opportunities for upper primary students
- Interschool mathematics competitions with other Brisbane Catholic Education schools.
- Mathematics Enrichment program supported by the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers (AAMT), which provides extension experiences for selected and interested students in Years 4-6, designed to foster deep mathematical thinking and problem solving.
Together, these enrichment opportunities reflect our belief that all students benefit from learning experiences that challenge, inspire and celebrate their individual strengths