Passion-based education – I admit, it sounds wonderful. Who doesn’t want to do something they love for a career? “Whether you are talking about passion, inspiring passion, cultivating passion, or thinking passionately about your own interests, you can be the one to revolutionize learning.” 25 Ways to Institute Passion-Based Learning in the Classroom
(Effie Trinket, Hunger Games)
I’ve developed two beautiful passions in my life – Theater and Teaching. I’d like to say that I could be one of those “wide-eyed” newbie teachers – but I’m not. I’m more of a “crusty” professional theater geek, who likes to share my passion with others – student or not. Whether I teach Language Arts or Theater, I know that theater will always be a part of what I teach because 1) it’s my passion, and 2) I relate everything to theater, 3) I speak and think in theater, and 4) theater can collaborate with any other subject to enhance both. I didn’t read just two of the articles, I read links to links – along with watching some videos! (and then I tweeted them!) I couldn’t get enough of this topic because it’s how I live with my “love” – Theater. When I teach or talk about theater, I’m like a little kid showing off a new toy or trick. “Watch this!” or “Check this out!”
I love to be involved in theater because it engages students, and allows me to build strong relationships inside as well as outside the classroom! You might be surprised about how much you can learn about your students while you’re painting sets, or 20 feet up in a cherry-picker on stage aiming lighting instruments! I’ve made some really strong friendships working long hours to produce a show! So, let’s talk about PASSION! When passion strikes, it’s game over. You can’t help yourself when you’re passionate – you can’t stop. Passion is raw. “Passion is infectious!” (Nine Tenets of Passion-Based Learning) Passion is a FIRE you can’t help but spread – and students know it when they see it! Students know when you really care about them, and not pretending to care. Pursuing your passion is a hot mess – and it’s the best way to live. The W.B. Yeats quote from the “25 Ways” article was fabulous!
“Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.”
Right on! If we, as educators, can simply provide a spark on the tinder of interest, the students will come alive with the blaze of learning! Once they get it they’ll never stop learning. Isn’t that the goal??
~Rite of Spring, CalArts
Peanut Butter Theater 
Great blog couldn’t agree more! Passion is key to success with students.
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One of the questions in interviews is likely to be “how do you get the students engaged?” I think part of that is when we show passion about our subject. My eighth grade Science teacher LOVED Earth Science – and was very enthusiastic about it in class. Whether we enjoyed the subject or not, we all agreed that Mr. Nelson was one of our favorite teachers because of his enthusiasm.
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Love this post, Vicky! And you did exactly what I do when I start reading these articles–click click click and suddenly I’ve spent an hour (or more!) learning. The Internet is awesome that way. I think one problem with passion-based learning is that we teachers can get confused about the focus of the passion. We often think that our job is to be passionate about our content only. Like if I’m enthusiastic enough about English, all my students will also love English. The force of my personality alone will inspire a lifelong passion in others. And I do have a strong personality, but my goal needs to be helping my students find THEIR passions and finding a space for everyone’s special content in my classroom. Teachers would do better, I think, if they had less passion for their content and more passion for pedagogy, for learning, and for kids!
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That is an excellent point Elisabeth! I had not thought of it quite that way before. I, like you, am happy to share my enthusiasm about my subject – shouldn’t everyone love it? Helping them find their passion will indeed inspire our students to be life-long learners like we are, because we found ours!
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Well I think we may be two peas in a pod I feel like you are writing exactly the way I feel about Theater and Language Arts. It is nice to meet a Kindred Sprint!!
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How fun it would be to get together and “geek out” over theater and teaching! I hope that I can project how much these two topics are a passion in my life when I start talking to administrators!
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