"What Can We Learn About Teaching and Learning From Randy Pausch?" -Dr. Strange
As I was preparing myself and getting comfy on my sofa to watch an hour long video titled, Randy Pausch's Last Lecture, Dr. Strange's question repeated over and over in my head. I thought I would be watching a lecture of teaching styles, probably technology in the classroom, or even a lecture of student/teacher interaction. I was wrong! Randy Pausch was such a powerful motivational speaker who inspired people to follow their heart and chase their childhood dreams. I was the child who would set my stuffed animals up in rows and "teach" to them in my bedroom. My dream has always been to be an educator and to help children. When I opened the link to start the video, Randy Pausch immediately begins with jokes and a slideshow of his fight with cancer. Not only does he speak to people about thier faith in their dreams, he is a living testament of what he is speaking! This was an amazing video!
Okay, I am getting off track from the assignment. "Brick walls are there for a reason, let us prove how badly we want things." -Randy Pausch. How true is this, though? In the classroom brick walls are everywhere. We are going to have those darling little ones who just don't get the lesson or just won't focus. As the teacher do we just give up on those students? Stop teaching them? No!! We work with them and give them the attention and resources they need to succeed. We hit that brick wall to see how badly we want to help them. I WILL be the teacher who pushes my students to chase their dreams so fast and never give up!
"You can not change the cards you were dealt, you can only change the way you play your hand" -Randy Pausch. I can't expect the perfect classroom, school, and 100% of my students eager to learn and baby Einsteins. I need to be the teacher that makes the most of every situation for my students. Only 3 iPads in the classroom? Do collaborative lessons! Make the classroom fun!! Even though Randy Pausch refers to this as being a motto to live your everyday life, it will be a motto for my classroom as well. What I am taking from Randy Pausch's Last Lecture is to never give up on my students, enable their dreams and make learning enjoyable.
When I saw how long the video was, I too was thinking that it was going to be a video on learning/teaching using project based learning; maybe something pretty boring! However, from the moment the video started I was interested in what he had to say. His lecture was not boring at all, and it taught me quite a few things! It sounds like you'll be a teacher with a positive attitude and the strive to push your students to do their best. Just what we need more of!
ReplyDeleteA very powerful statement. I hope you read it every year and put to work the things you have shared and the many other things about learning and education that Dr. Pausch shared with us in his "Last Lecture".
ReplyDeleteAn interesting approach to answering my question!
Melissa,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you learned a lot from this post and from Dr. Pausch. Your attitude and determination will be a great asset when you become a teacher! This is a great thing because your students will look to you for motivation and confidence. You are right that we can't control the resources we are given or the students (and parents) we are assigned, but what matters is dedication and creativity when deciding how to utilize resources and create effective assignments. Keep up the can-do attitude!
Carly