I’m finally all moved into my office space. If you look closely, you can see the little wood man I made when I was 6, my all time favorite Steve Jobs quote, Wizard of Oz references, bright colors, Walt Disney reference, and Sharpies. My family. All things that inspire me. Things that remind me that when you believe in something, you can make it happen. Whether it’s designing the new iPhone, building a castle on swamp land, or creating a story where monkeys fly. It’s all the same in my mind. It’s about doing something that moves you to move others. Because THAT is what we all need to find. That something.
When you think about what inspires you, what comes to mind? What’s your something? What makes you want to learn more, push farther, climb higher? What keeps you awake late at night and gives you ideas in the grocery store line?
Because when we can answer that question for ourselves, we can think about our students and what inspires them. Within their biggest passions lies motivation. Behind their love of creativity is motivation to design, produce, and dream up new things. Within their love of sports is a desire to break down stats, crunch numbers, sort data. That student that’s playing Minecraft? They are creating, designing, and dreaming up new things, too. It really doesn’t matter what “it” is. It just matters that we acknowledge, appreciate, and validate “it.” Authentically. Genuine interest and a desire to connect. Learning can take on many forms in a variety of venues. Opportunities for thinking, connections, problem solving, and dreaming are all around us… if we are open to them.
The next time you get to discuss or share your biggest passion with someone else, and you walk away feeling so very….um…. alive. Remember that. The spring in your step. The “I’ll take on the world right now” feeling. Because THAT is what we have the opportunity to do in our classrooms. Make learning come alive by connecting with their passions. Cultivating appreciation for unique interests. Building something amazing together by connecting with each other.
And then we will never, ever, ever forget what it feels like to be inspired… and it will make all the difference in the world.