Blog Post #6

"Randy Pausch's Last Lecture Video" was very touching! He is such a great influence and role model to have for future teachers and educators. I was not excited to watch an hour long video but as he went on about life lessons it really caught my eye. I couldn't stop watching! His first teaching method was to follow your dreams. I definitely will use that in my classroom in the future because children and even adults always have dreams they want to pursue. I grew up with an awesome family who supported me through school and always told me to be whatever I wanted to be. With that being said, I became a teacher! I would come home from school everyday for years and years, and play school! I would run off papers, grade them, file them, and even use chalkboards in my own bedroom! I had a passion for teaching so I am proud of my achievements so far! I hope to be a role model to my students and be that person who pushes them to reach for the stars and follow their dreams! Parents, mentors, and students can help others to achieve their dreams as well. They all set examples on how to do so by coming into the classroom with a positive attitude and being an inspiration to others. They should always show gratitude, work hard without complaining, be good at something, be prepared, and find the best in everybody-no matter who it is.

Everyone should have high expectations and goals for themselves and others. To be an over-achiever is something not many people cannot say they do. Always be someone to look up to and for others to want to be like. Pausch says indirect learning is useful because you should learn more important things like leadership, sportsmanship, and perseverance, not just the skills that are taught. I couldn't agree more and I will have character words in my classroom as well. I think that being the best person you can be is so important in life especially with children because they need to see how to be better people. I think this is where brick walls come into the picture too. Some people just can't see pass them and that is why it is important for teachers and educators to show students how to set goals for yourself and do everything you can to achieve them. Pausch says, "Brick walls stop people who don't want it bad enough." That is so true and we see it all the time in life. Life is too short to waste time. I love how Pausch said be an imagineer and to make something like Disneyland instead of just experiencing it. That says so much about how to be somebody and a leader, not just a follower. Love that!

Achieving your dreams is easier said than done! Once you achieve a dream, make another one! I think life is precious and you should live it to the fullest and go places, spend time with the ones you love, meet new people, enjoy every second of every day because you never know when it will taken away from you or someone you love! With that being said, you should knock down those brick walls and be powerful and show the world and yourself how successful you can be! It takes time, energy and hard work but if you really want something, you will find a way! Helping others is such a great start because it will come back to you in the long run. If you're good to others, others will return the favor. Get other people to help you-be honest, earnest, apologize when you should, and focus on others by setting an example for them. In the classroom, we can learn from our students as well. They have faith in their teachers and look up to them as someone they may want to be one day. So we need to never lose the child like wonder. Also, never give up! There is always a way! I will too have a "Never Give Up" atmosphere in my classroom when the time comes! Another idea I like is not being allowed to say the word "can't." It reminds me of this course! You can always ask for help.

Life lessons are the hardest. Or are they? You know we are put on this Earth to live our lives how we want and how we think will make a difference in other's lives. Pausch is still changing lives and motivating others with his videos and lectures. He worked hard even when he was at his weakest points which we never even saw, or at least I didn't. It's so touching to see someone strive to be the best even through his toughest moments in life. He touches so many lives and we respect him for that. I love how he ended his video with the lessons learned: How to Lead Your Life, and how this talk wasn't for us, it was for his kids. That really got to me because I cherish life and especially my daughter and to be in his shoes trying to educate others about his "lessons learned" he was really talking to his kids about his sickness and how they shouldn't let anything get them down not even the worst possible thing. In my classroom, we will discuss life and how sometimes it seems unfair, but it's our job to make the best out of it because we only have one!