Blog Post # 6

Randy Pausch Last Lecture

To start off I want to say childhood dreams are important. We believe we can do so much when we are young, and the older we get the less we believe in ourselves. As a teacher I should recognize the dreams of students and push them to be the best they can be. You never know when you could inspire someone to pursue their dreams, and if they want it badly enough succeed.

Randy Pausch started a project where the students create virtual worlds, and it became huge on his college campus. When he first started this the students had five projects to do throughout the semester. When they turned in the first one they had done such a good job that he said he would have given them all A's for the semester. So instead of telling them that he told them to try harder and do better, and they kept excelling. The point here is that we shouldn't set a bar for our students. They always have room for improvement. When I'm a teacher that is the kind of teacher I want to be. One who pushes her students past their limits to reach their ultimate potential.

Randy also kept pushing himself. As an educator he not only believed in the student always going beyond, but he also believed it for himself. He and a friend created the Entertainment Technology Center, and when that wasn't enough he started Alice. Alice is a program anyone in the world can download and create things on. Randy went above and beyond with his ideas. That is what a teacher should be, someone who sees no limits to their own abilities either.

Randy Pausch is very inspiring. Someone who has been told he doesn't have much longer to live yet he can still give those speeches. He still has a smile on his face, and he doesn't want pity. He worked toward helping others until he couldn't anymore. He inspires me not only as a future teacher but as a person. We focus so much on our own issues. Then you see someone like him and it completely changes your view.