Blog Post 8

What can we learn about teaching and learning from Randy Pausch?

This was the first I had heard of Randy Pausch. I could listen to him for hours. He had a way about him that just keeps the listener intrigued. I am not going to lie, when I saw that that the video was one hour and sixteen minutes long I was trying to figure out ways to get around it. I was watching and I just could not stop watching until the end. I did cry at the end and when he had the whole audience sing happy birthday to his wife. (I am such a sap.) Randy had so many great ideas on teaching and learning. The only way I can share all the ones that I caught is to list them.

Randy Pausch's last lecture

1. We can not change the cards we are dealt we just have to play the hand.
2. He laughs at himself.
3. Enabling the dreams of others is more fun than your own dreams.
4. You have to get the fundamentals down otherwise the fancy stuff just wont work.
5. Your critics are the ones telling you they care.
6. Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted.
7. Most of what we learn we learn indirectly. ex: Teamwork, by working in a group to do a project.
8. Wait long enough and people will impress you.
9. Identify dreams and work on how to get you there and others there.
10. You don't know where the bar should be and you will only be doing your students a disfavor by setting one. (keep the bar moving!)
11. Bonding!
12. You can tell if a project is good if the group members have bonded.
13. When you are doing something that is pioneering everything that could go wrong will go wrong but the end result will be amazing.
14. Find someone better than you to hand over your legacy. (does not really have anything to do with being an elementary school teacher but still very important because you don't need to take your self too seriously and if you truly want your students to succeed you will give them the best opportunity no matter what.)
15. Key to success is hands on project based learning.
16. Focus on people and learning to work in groups.
17. Have peers evaluate each other.
18. A good teacher will have a student become self-reflective.
19. The best way to teach someone something is to make them think they are learning something else.
20. Everyone should be helping others.
21. Let your children/ students express themselves.
22. if you are going to sell someone something sell them something worth while... education!
23. Tell students to have fun.
24. Teach by example.
25. Loyalty is a two way street.
26. Ignore what people say and only pay attention to what they do!
27. Never give up.
28. You can not get anywhere alone, you need help!
29. Apologize when you screw up.
30. Focus on others not yourself.
31. Brick walls let us show how dedicated we are!
32. When you do the right thing good stuff has a way of happening.
33. Get feed back and listen to it!
34. Show gratitude.
35. Do not complain just work harder.
36. Be a hard worker.
37. People will show you their good side you just have to wait.
38. Be prepared.
39. If you lead your life the right way, karma will follow suit.

My favorite analogy Randy stated over and over again was the brick wall. I had heard the expression before but not explained the way he explained the way he did. Brick walls keep people out who do not want it bad enough. If you truly want something you will work your butt off to get there no matter how many obstacles you have to over come.