Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Randy uses his childhood dreams and goals as a way of explaining the possibilities of what we can accomplish, if we believe and show dedication. He puts a list up at the beginning of goals that most people would see and presume unabtainable. He talks about students wanting to work on the next Star Wars movie years before it is even being considered. The message is clear, let people try to attain their goals. Help them obtain their goals. That's your job!

The common theme that comes up is the brick wall. It shows you that despite setbacks and dead ends you can succeed if you are determined enough. You will fail, you will be told you are a failure, that you can't do it; You have to use that feedback to fuel your desire or you will loose the dreams. Randy is definitely unconventional and that is part of what his classroom was like. The response and enthusiasm he generated not just in his students but in every department throughout the school was amazing. We are entering a profession that gives you the choice to shape many peoples lives.

While we may not all have a chance to go into weightlessness, or to start a virtual reality program known all over the world, we are responsible for helping others. Our jobs as future teachers and parents is to harness the dreams of the children and help them reach for the sky. Showing them, and being shown by them go hand in hand. We are currently looking at blogs all over the world in places like New Zealand where kids are making video casts, radio casts, podcast, blogs, or whatever else. They have one thing in common. Each one is learning, wants to learn and it is fun.

They are not learning to read a book and write their letters in a conventional way, and sometimes boring way, but are learning with another FUN objective in mind. They want to show what they can do on the podcast.
They want to tell the story to people all over the world. Kids that struggle to read and write are actually excited about reading and writing because of this. It also allows them to be creative when so many places are cutting budgets for drama and music and various programs, here is a way to incorporate the arts. They are learning to do something on computers and with technology that many people, including us, never had the chance to do. The amazing thing is that they practice reading, writing, drama, art, creating, interviewing, communicating, or anything else you care to show them again and again at such a young age. They will always know how to do it, and they will only get better and dream of other possibilities. We all have one shot in life, what do you have to loose?