Blog Post #6

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

After watching Randy Pausch's Last Lecture, I think this video is pretty inspirational. I think he is an awesome influence and role model toward future teachers. Although his video was an hour long, I thoroughly enjoyed watching all sixty minutes of it. The first half of his video was big on following your dreams. I love this part of the video because my whole life I been told to follow my dreams and not to let anyone tell you that you can’t do. By following my dreams, it has taught me hard work and perseverance which he talks about as well. I thought the part about the “brick walls” was pretty inspiring. He says that there are going to be “brick walls” while trying to reach your dream that you have to overcome. Some people come by an obstacle and just give up but he talks about when you get knocked down by these “brick walls” to get back up and to continue to preserve.

Another exceptional technique he talked about was to always have a good support system. I thought this was great advice because there is no way I would be the person I am today without the people that loved me. First off, my parents have always been there for me and taught me the rights and wrong of life. They have always been there for me through the thick and thin and I wouldn't be the same person without me. Being an athlete, there has been a lot of coaches who have been role models to me. Most of all one of my best friends, Philip Mcduffie, is one of my biggest role models. This kid has been through it all. He has gone through his family being bankrupt to not having a car to drive and not having hardly any money to eat. He just kept on having a positive attitude and keep his head up high and things are looking up for him. Also in the classroom, he showed me how to work hard and to keep your priorities straight because in the big picture, school is most important. He has showed me how to work hard and treat people the right way.

He also talked about having high expectations for his students in the classroom. He talks about not having expectations or a ceiling for his students in his classroom. He says that the students should do as much as they want to do and go above and beyond what they think they can do. You should never tell a child that they cannot reach a certain goal or dream. By putting an expectation on these kids, you limit them from thinking outside the box and reaching their potential. He also goes on to explain that having fun is very important. He thinks you should interact and have fun with your kids in the classroom. Personally, I never really enjoy just sitting in the classroom and listening to the teacher lecture. I would rather play a game or something to learn instead of taking notes.

Overall, I really enjoyed watching this video. I feel like it will help me become a better teacher in the future. I cannot wait to put these tools to good use and help my classroom be more successful. I would definitely suggest to all students who have not watched this video to do so because Randy is such an inspiring speaker. I feel like everyone should be required to watch this video because it helped realize that no matter what I should never give up on my dreams. I cannot wait to use these tools when I continue in this career.