When I was in high school I dreamed of becoming an art teacher. I took every art elective our high school offered (and then some). To this day, I still catch myself doodling at random times during the day.
One of the reasons I love being an educator is that I never feel I need to check my passion at the door. I've found a way to bring my passion for creativity, making, and the design process to most of the roles I've served in. Our school has a fleet of mobile MakerSpace carts that classrooms can check out like you would check out a library book. Another small example is the pumpkin painting we do each year. We affectionately refer to our creations as #LiteracyOLanterns because the pumpkins are transformed to represent our favorite books.
I'm sharing a photo of this year's crop of #LiteracyOLanterns (below) and would invite you to print out a digital poster if you're interested in seeing some of the other books I've featured on pumpkins and random squash-like vegetables over the years. I absolutely love seeing students join in on the fun as we celebrate books and art together. However, I also understand this can't be the end of the story.
When we operate from a place of passion students feel it. When we empower them to tap into their own passions they never forget it.
How might we help our students bring more of their own unique talents and passions to the work we're asking them to do each day?
If this blog post resonated, you might like my newest book, Reclaiming Our Calling: Hold on to the Heart, Mind, and Hope of Education. The book tackles a tension many educators are feeling using a combination of stories and practical strategies. If you’re interested in technology integration, Renegade Leadership: Creating Innovative Schools for Digital-Age Students is a best-seller with Corwin Press. Both books are built on the belief that everything we do in education starts with relationships and connectedness.
