Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

According to the blog assignment I am supposed to identify and comment on the teaching methods that Randy Pausch used as a professor. But, what I learned from Randy Pausch's Last Lecture goes way beyond teaching methods. I would like to identify and comment on things that he suggested to live by as well. To me, it was not so much what he taught it was how. All of the inspirational messages given by Randy Pausch should be remembered, taught, and then retaught as a way to live your life and achieve dreams.

The first thing that I learned from the lecture is that correcting a student is a good thing, even if it comes off as criticism, as long as your students are reminded that you are only being hard on them because you care and if you didn't constantly correct them then you have given up on them. I think this is very true and by letting a student know the reasons behind "tough love" you can let them know that you care and that your expectations for them are high. Second lesson he spoke on, and yes I will probably touch on each of them even though it was over an hour long, was that experience is what you get when you don't get what you want. I will have this posted some where in my classroom. Although, if I teach kindergarten they might not be able to grasp the concept. I will experiment with different grade levels and try to get them to practice higher thinking skills with some of these inspirational meanings.

He spoke about several things that as a teacher and a professional I should know. He told a story about how amazing his students did with an assignment that he had given them two weeks to complete. Their work was equivalent to what could have been possible if they had the whole semester. He did not know what to do. His mentor told him to say that their work was good but that they could do better! He did and they did. The thing to remember here is "Don't set the bar". An incredible, but fundamental concept! He talked about what it takes to achieve goals. The first of which was great parents, teachers, and mentors being a big part of that success. He also said that arrogance, or acting like you know all, will limit your affect on others. It is important to teach fundamentals first. The following are equally important:
-Respect authority while questioning it
-Learn from your students
-Loyalty is a two way street
-Have FUN! Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore? (another fun poster to display)
-Never lose your child-like wonder
-Always HELP OTHERS!
-Show Gratitude to your students. Show that you appreciate their hard work, after all you benefit from it too.
-Don't Complain, Just Work Harder! (A good one for me to remember)
-Be good at something because it makes you valuable!
-Find the best in everyone. If you wait long enough they will show their good side.
-Be Prepared. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
-Focus on others, not yourself!

The repetition or the theme of the lecture was that brick walls are there for you to 1) Realize what you want, and 2) Prove it.

It is also important to work and play well with others! What to do: 1. Be honest, have dignity. 2. Apologize when wrong. Say your sorry and that you were wrong, and ask what you can do to make it right. 3. Focus on others, not yourself. Focusing on people and learning to work in groups is a significant task. What he did with his students who were working on their Masters degree in Entertainment technology was have them do project based group work all semester and at the end he had members of the groups rate each other on how well they worked with others. He displayed the results and it caused his students to evaluate themselves based on how their group rated them.

In conclusion, the lecture was well worth the hour and forty-four minutes. It was very emotional as well. I admit that I cried the whole last half of the video. What an inspirational, motivating, and awakening message from a dying man who just wanted to leave what he has learned behind for his children when they are older.