Thing 13
Got Passion?
Angela Maiers presented an 11 minute video at the 2009 K12Online Teaching Conference on “Passion Driven Learning”. Her topic wasn’t so much that technology is important, as it was that children are important. Sometimes as educators we get so caught up in what “we” want to teach the students, that we miss what “they” want to learn. Each child is unique and each child has a “passion” about something. If we ‘miss’ their passion, we miss an opportunity to share their ‘ah-ha’ moment! Their ‘wow’ factor.
Angela chronicled her adventure with a 5 year-old neighbor, Haley. Haley had posted signs in her neighborhood to “Save the animals” and put out flyers & money jars. Within 3 days she raised $200 to send to a panda bear organization to help a panda in distress. Angela asked the parents if she could “watch” Haley at ‘work’. What she saw was amazing: a 5 year-old reading, researching, drawing, writing, publishing about a topic that she had a passion for: saving animals! She had an “inborn sense of wonder” and while technology could aid her passion by giving her the resources and interactive opportunities to explore it further, it was not the technology driving the quest, but her ‘passion’!
Haley’s parents wrote a note to Angela, as an educator, thanking her for seeing Haley’s potential and possibilities, and not just another child to teach the ABC’s and 123′s to. Her parents want Haley’s educators to see Haley as a unique individual ‘today’, and not what the 21st century child ‘should be’ down the road. To cultivate her curiosity, passion, wonder, perseverance today; not ‘teach’ or ‘lecture’ to her, but include her on the learning journey. Her parents wrote, “Haley has everything she needs to learn, …let her lead you.”
Create a free edublog to get your own comment avatar (and more!)
Your statement “Sometimes as educators we get so caught up in what “we” want to teach the students, that we miss what “they” want to learn.” really hit home with me. I often get so caught up in the curriculum and where I have to be in the school timeline that I lose focus. As an educator, we have to embrace the teachable moments and be aware of our students’ “passion”. Thanks for the reminder!
July 9th, 2010 at 8:46 pmI like this topic. Children are important and I think we, as teachers, know this. Our challenge is to help the kids learn topics that we must present but give them ways to explore in a manner that interests them. Technology isn’t everything and we also need to recognize the students who want to explore in other ways than using technology. We always have to remember to offer various opportunities for our students to express themselves.
July 10th, 2010 at 9:38 pmLooks like we watched the same conference. I think you’d enjoy watching my neighbor’s youtube (on my blog) that was similar to what Haley did on this video.
July 11th, 2010 at 12:40 am