Blog Post #6

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

This lecture really surprised me. I kept putting this assignment off because I was thinking to myself great I have to watch a video for over an hour and then write four paragraphs on what i learn. Wow! I was wrong. This lecture was absolutely amazing. I will admit I cried at the end. Dr. Pausch is a wonderful person for all educators to look up to and dream about one day looking at life as he did in his last few months. I found so many techniques from his lecture that I want to teach my students.

The biggest thing I believe all children need to learn is Pausch's idea with brick walls. Throughout the whole lecture Dr. Pausch brings up his memories with brick walls. He said brick walls prove how badly you want something. These walls let people show their dedication. This technique to me can be used in a classroom. If a child is turned down for an audition in a school play or choral group or not accepted to go on an academic trip, and the child still tries everything possible to be a part of that play, choral group, or trip, then you as a teacher knows this child really deserved the spot he or she was not given. If a child persevered towards the dream he was denied at first, then I would make sure the next time he went for this dream I would back him or her up completely. I would make sure this child's dream came true.

Another huge thing Dr. Pausch talked about was his dream to play NFL. He talked about Coach Graham and the first first football practive with him. There are several things to take away from the section of his lecture, but the one that stood out to me the most is "you have to get the fundamentals down first for the fancy stuff to work". This is something that should be used in classrooms everyday, but students are getting short changed. The fundamentals of all subjects is crucial for a child to improve throughout school. For example, you have to know how to count before you can add or subtract. Also, when you get into upper level classes the fundamentals that are supposed to be taught to you in grade school overlap in courses. For example, you have to know algebra to be able to understand chemistry. So, me being an elementary education major, I have to make sure I teach my students the fundamentals while as Pausch also says "kids have to have fun when learning something hard".

The final technique I see as something I will use is "the best gift of an educator is to have someone become self-reflective". This is something that both Pausch and EDM 310 see as crucial in a learning process. The first things that came to my mind is how can I have someone show me self-reflection is they cannot write? Then it dawned on me. Children in Kindergarten and First grade show you self-reflection through pictures, how they tell a story, and show and tell. I did not realize till taking EDM 310 and watching this video that children of all ages show you self-reflection. The key is you have to know what to look for and then encourage your students that self-reflection is a good thing.