Passion
What drives you?A couple of weeks ago, I read a blog from fellow educators (#edtechafterdark) in regards to teacher willingness to collaborate. The last paragraph focused on the identity of a teacher and what drives them. The blog ended with a series of questions. The last question - what drives you to be a teacher? - was the impetus to my writing this blog. From Liking to PassionI think it’s safe to say we all enjoy a hobby of some sort. Weekend mountain bike warriors, cooking, reading, and fill in the blank. We like doing these things but somewhere, the like becomes more than just a hobby. We spend hours reading about a topic. We search online to learn more about it. We spend every extra hour submerging ourselves in what we like. This is where I think we’ve hit the passion phase. Merriam-webster’s defines passion as a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept. What differentiates passion from a hobby? For me it’s the word strong. Driven by PassionOne of my favorite athletes of all time was Tony Gwynn. He was an 8 time National League batting champion, had highest career batting average of any player post 1940’s, and many more accolades. But he didn't get there by chance. Tony studied the game. He spent hours watching video of each of his every at bat from every single game. Passion drove Tony Gwynn to be the best hitter in baseball. Other players couldn't believe the time he dedicated to the art of hitting. Not many players boast the same career stats in modern era. But others did not have the passion for hitting as Mr. Gwynn did. I believe passion cannot be stopped or stunted. About a month ago, I was asked to complete a questionnaire about myself for an employee recognition award. Questions included where I grew up and which college I attended. Easy enough to answer. But there were two questions that really made me think.
- What drew you to this profession?
- What do you like best about your job?
I had to really think about how to answer those questions without sounding corny. In a nutshell, my answer was that I truly enjoy working with teachers and students in finding creative ways to improve learning through use of technology. It is something I’m passionate about. I love learning about new and different ways technology enhances our lives and makes learning fun and exciting. I guess you can say it’s what drives me to learn, drives me to excel, drives me to fail and try again. It’s my passion! What’s your passion?What are you passionate about in education? Referenceshttp://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passion