Discovering Passion!

#passion #teacherpassion #whatsyourpassion

Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown have put into context many of my beliefs about education and expressed many of the frustrations I have with our education system, which actually led to my decision to leave the teaching profession all together for a number of years.

Passion… What is it? Where does it come from? And how do we find it?

I have always known that I want to be a teacher and not because I always loved school and learning but because I have a passion for the true nature of learning, for helping others, and making an impact. The other reason I knew I wanted to become a teacher was because the two people I look up to the absolute most in this world were educators, my grandfather and my mother. My entire life I was surrounded by love and support from educators at home and at school and it was those teachers that made the difference for me.

Like many teachers, I went into the career because of the honest joy, wonder and passion I have for watching a child grow, learn, and succeed. When Douglas and Brown shed light on the importance of passion, it resonated with me. You cannot legislate passion; it must be found, enhanced, and cultivated. (Thomas, 2011) You can not tell someone what their passion should be. As a facilitator of knowledge, aka teacher, you must create an environment that encourages students to discover their own passions. When students are passionate they become intrinsically motivated and learning becomes fluid. “Learners learn best when they are able to follow their passion and operate within constraints of a bounded environment.” (Brown & Thomas, 2011) Why I left my teaching career and why I am returning, can be answered with the same word… Passion!