Blog Post 8

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture provided many ideas about teaching others. Pausch clearly believed in never giving up on someone, having fun, and giving students tools to reach their dreams. These three characteristics aren't all that I got from the video, however, they are the ones that stuck out the most.

Pausch stated that "people will impress you, given enough time." This struck me because I know many students that teachers simply gave up on. These students were left alone because of one or two bad experiences. If teachers took Pausch's words to heart, there would be many more students who were able to succeed and do what they wanted. Pausch was the perfect example of how teachers should approach troublesome students. He stated that helping others was more important than doing the easy thing. I took this as when I face a student that gives me trouble, I should keep trying. It is my responsibility to do everything in my power to help that student. Another point that Pausch made was that loyalty was "a two way street" and this could be applied to student and teacher relations because many students feel betrayed by teachers. Teachers have to keep in mind the student's view point about situations. Students can feel betrayed if a teacher ignores them, embarrasses them, or is harsh with them. For a teacher to truly help a student, the teacher has to be willing to be loyal.

Pausch sees the importance of having fun. He knows that students are more likely to really learn when they are enjoying themselves. Many teachers have forgotten this aspect of teaching. Because of pressure from parents and administration, teachers tend to forget that learning can and should be fun. Students will also be more willing to work on projects to the best of their ability if it is fun.

The last major trait of Pausch's teaching that stuck with me is how he gave students tools to reach their dreams. He gave as much as possible to ensure his students could do what they wanted to do. He did this by project based learning, rewarding students, demanding the best, and indirect learning. He mentioned many other methods, too. Pausch knew that every student had a dream and needed guidance to reach that dream. While he taught them skills, he also taught them how to think. Pausch taught that chasing a dream can be just as important as reaching that dream. He taught students that facing "brick walls" separated the people who were dedicated to their dream from the others.
I mainly took away from Pausch's teaching methods the brutal honesty of his thinking. Pausch believed in his students, but he wasn't afraid of being honest with them. He knew that honesty was the best way for students to learn.

Source:theunattainablelife.com