But seriously, I feel like I normally do after a really, really good workout. It's like runner high, but after teaching. So, a teacher's high, I guess.
I got to introduce Genius Hour to my students. I've done projects like this before, to varying degrees, but never as a year-long, ongoing process. I was excited. The kids were sort of intrigued by the concept, as I had mentioned it when we had "syllabus day" last week.
I'm posting the pep talk I gave here for a couple of reasons. One, I just love the videos. And two, when either the students or I need to refocus and remember why we are doing Genius Hour, it will be right here, on the Internet. Cause that's where things go.
This is not word for word, but it's close enough. And I edited a little, so it made sense in print. Sorry, it's a little long...
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I want to show you a video. Its about what makes it tick. It's built for the business world, but it holds true for a lot of education as well. Just pretend when they say "incentive" they are talking about grades, not money.
Wow, right?
So, Daniel Pink talks about 3 things that motivate us: 1) autonomy 2) mastery and 3) purpose.
Do students get a lot of autonomy in schools? (Class says no). Not really. You sign up for your own classes, but for the most part you are told what to learn and how by your teachers, right? Don't blame them, in fact, it's no one's fault really. It's just the way it has always been done. BUT, its not the way it has to be done. And although we are going to learn Latin in here, and math in your math classes, I want you to realize that in the end, YOU are responsible for your own education. And I want to give you a chance to take charge of it.
Do you feel like you master skills in school? (class looked skeptical) Or, let me put it to you this way - how many of you study for a test, and then 5 minutes after taking said test, forget all of it? (everyone raises their hands and laughs, because we all know its true. Hey, I've done it myself, more than once) I dont think that is mastery. Do you? Thought not. Mastery is remembering something forever, or at least appreciating it. My job, as a teacher of Latin, is to teach you Latin (shocker) - essentially, to get you to appreciate the wisdom that the Romans left to us. And, to get you to see that said wisdom is still very much applicable. To do that, you need to be able to read Latin, and understand it, in the context it was written.
But I have another job. It is my job as a teacher of KIDS... I am one of the very lucky few who feels that I have a vocation (which, ironically, comes from the Latin vocare, to call) - I was called to be a teacher. Ten years later, my conviction in that statement has never waned. It has taken me through the very tough times, and has only been strengthened in the good times. I am made better every day by my students. And I am the luckiest person in the world because of you. This is not a job - it is a pleasure to be here, with you all. My task, then, is to inspire you to find the same passion that I have. I want you to find something that brings you as much joy as teaching brings me. That's one reason you all go to school - to explore, and find things that you are passionate about. Figure out what drives you. Give you a sense of purpose. If you look at school as less of an endless list of things to get done, but more as an opportunity to explore and find yourself, then school really does have a purpose.
Speaking of opportunities, I want you to watch this video. It's a video of this guy, Ashton Kutcher. You may have heard of him. He has some pretty important things to say. Things that we need to hear:
First and foremost, he is NOT old. Cause he's around my age. And I'm not old. Cause I say "cause." So there.
"Chris" does say some pretty profound things here. First about opportunities. Everything in life is an opportunity. Hard work pays off. One year ago I was standing here, my first year here at a new school, after having left everything and everyone I had ever known. Yes, I knew I wanted to be a Latin teacher at 15. I also knew where I wanted to go to college, what my major(s) would be, that I would have an apartment with a balcony (don't ask), and that I would drive a blue car. And teach in my hometown. And I did all of that by the time I was 24. And ALL of it was way inside my comfort zone. I realized at 29 that I hadn't really lived at all. I had a phenomenal and wonderful life, but it wasn't really the life that I had always dreamed about. Because it was an easy life. I hadn't struggled enough. For all of my desire to take "the road less traveled," like Kid President urges, I had taken the most congested highway I could find. And so, I accepted a job 2,000 miles away from my comfort zone, where I knew no one. It was the road NOT traveled before. And I struggled. But now that it's a new year, I can look back and say I am stronger because of the opportunity that I had to struggle. I dared to take that new opportunity when it came my way: an opportunity to understand myself better. And, equally, an inspiration to always strive to be better, because I owe it to you all to be my best. You all are that important, both to me and to the world.
Let me give you another example. I'm not an athlete. Sorry - I'm just not coordinated enough. When I was growing up, my brother and my mother both were black belts in karate, my father was almost a professional golfer, and my sister was offered a massive scholarship to play soccer in college. And then there was me. I was the debate kid, and I sang. There was no physical coordination required in either of those activities. So about 5 or so years ago, when I was in massively better shape than I am today, and bored, I signed up for a Krav Maga class. Apparently, because everyone in Israel has to learn it, it's really user friendly. Riiight. I showed up, and made a total fool of myself. I punched like a girl. And a girly-girl at that. Don't get me started on the times I had to punch and THEN kick. Then, it was my partner's turn to punch (he was a 45-year old man, and in better shape that I was). He beat the tar out of me - literally, I struggled to get out of the car when I got to my parents' house afterwards. But you know what was weird? I LOVED every minute of it. I was awful at it, but I had the time of my life.
Lesson? Yes, I am an easy target. Probably should avoid physical altercations.
Real lesson? Every experience is an opportunity to grow. Even when it is hard. Especially when it is hard. Nothing is beneath you, because you can learn from EVERYTHING. And, you learn more when you struggle. It is okay to fall flat on your face, as long as you pick yourself up and keep going. Sometimes, its better to have an epic fail. When you have freedom, like you will in Genius Hour, you might fail (not grade-wise, but idea-wise). It might not work at first. You might have to stuggle. Step outside of your comfort zone. But, you will learn more from that failure and that struggle than all of the homework I can throw at you this year, if you take advantage of the opportunity you have in this activity.
The second part is also very true. Smart is the new "sexy." (giggles ensue) It is the age of the Geek. Which is cool, cause apparently I am cool now. I'll take that. But no one thinks you are smart if you can rattle off a bunch of equations. Or give a bunch of dates in history. Why? Because we all can read the Internet, same as you. You are truly smart only if you see that everything you are learning is a piece of the larger puzzle that is life. Intelligence is not what you can memorize, but what you can create using the things you learn. What you can create to make the world a better place. Teachers get into education because we are passionate about the subjects we teach. But, we stay in education because we want to see a better tomorrow. We don't want to program robots with facts. This is not science fiction... and that's not how you make a better world. I've seen Battlestar Gallactica. I know these things. We want to guide you kids and facilitate true thinking and learning.
And third, Kutcher talks about what he learned from playing Steve Jobs (other than the fact that he might be the ONLY person I have seen to successfully pull off that era in fashion. Nicely done.). Remember when he said "the world is the way it is because people make it that way. And those people are no smarter than you." Look, my generation, we failed in a lot of ways. We forgot that we can shape our own world. Well, many of us forgot. All the hope is on you guys now. The status quo (Latin alert!), the way things are, is only that because no one has bothered to change it yet. This is why school is so important. In school, you are exposed to all those puzzle pieces that make up life in the status quo. Armed with that knowledge, YOU CAN CHANGE THE WAY THINGS ARE. You see a problem? You can help be part of the solution. That's one of the things we'll be discussing as you formulate your Genius Hour projects. Want to make the world a better place? Don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't. Because you can. And even if it doesn't happen today, or tomorrow, or through your Genius Hour project, who is to say it wont happen at all? If you don't try, then nothing will ever change. Always shoot for the moon. It's a famous quote - - if you miss, you will end up amongst the stars. And who knows where the stars will take you... one of you might be the next James T Kirk.
This is a lot of information to think about on a Friday. I wanted to end by showing you the power of following your passions, and taking opportunities to learn, and changing the status quo. This is a boy who is your age, who lives in Sierra Leone. He probably didn't have the same educational opportunities that you have. But because he worked hard, believed in something, and dared to color outside of the lines, here is what he was able to accomplish:
This is a journey that we are going to take together this year. It may be for some of you, "the road less traveled." But, I hope and believe fervently that it could make all the difference to you, and to the world.
So, I want you to write for the remaining 2-3 minutes of class. Make a list. What are you passionate about? Interested in? It doesn't have to be Latin related. Just start writing. Don't over-think it. If you think of something throughout the week, add it to the list.
Right now, this is a reflective time for you. There will be time to discuss later. Start writing!
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It was the kids reactions to this that made it the best day ever. To see them excited about something, truly excited and already brainstorming... that made all of the difference to me.
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