In past posts, I talked about motivation.  I never really was talking about motivation, but really how do we inspire learning? Or How do we create a passion for learning?   Over the summer, I saw two presentations that gave me the language I needed to truly write about inspiring students.  One was by Angela Maires, she did a presentation on Passion Driven Learning at BCL, in Boston.  Then at convocation, Bridget Lambright, spoke about inspiring student learning, not to mention, Daniel Pink’s “Drive”. These ideas encompass what Mike and I really want to create in our classrooms and make visible in this blog.

Motivation is about rewards (Bridget), carrots and sticks (Pink). Motivation is like your daily coffee, it gives you a boost, but will not keep you going.  Passion is what is in your spirit: INSPIRATION.  It is what you love and how you show that love each day.  It is what makes you reach deep inside yourself to help others when your feet hurt, your voice is cracking and you are dreaming of sleep.  It is who you are inside.

Motivation is needed from time to time, but passion will carry students beyond your class and lessons and create an internal flame that will burn for a lifetime. So, how do we create passion in students?   I believe it starts with you.   Think about the following:

1. What is your vision?
2. What is your purpose?
3. What excites you?
4. What gives you energy?
5. What fulfills you?
6. What are you emotionally attached to?
7. What do you love to do so much it is not seen as work?

Once you answer these questions, you can begin to see where your passion lives. 

I would like to hear from you before I post more on this topic, so what did you answer to these questions?