Part 3: Action Plan

If you believe in the magnitude of the impact you have on students, then you will teach with passion. I always say that the day I instruct teachers or students without passion will be the last day I teach. Think about it. How can a mathematics teacher get students excited about learning mathematics if he or she is not excited about teaching mathematics?

It is never too soon for students to begin to think about what they are passionate about. I knew I wanted to teach when I was six years old. Find out what interests your students have and engage them in conversations based on those interests. A good time to engage them is when they are entering or leaving class. Discuss with them the prerequisites for entering the profession that they ultimately visualize themselves occupying.

My granddaughter Christian would like to be a pediatrician. When her mother, Amanda, was in the hospital giving birth to her baby brother, Maxwell, I sat in the waiting room with Christian. As the intercom announced the names of various doctors and in what part of the hospital they were requested, I reminded Christian that one day her name would be called over the loudspeaker. We also discussed the years of schooling that would be required for the goal of a doctor to become a reality and how she would have to make good grades all along the way to achieve that goal. After all, she needed to understand that she would not wake up one morning as a doctor without achieving the necessary prerequisites to become one.

Teachers will learn a great deal about their students as they develop relationships with them. If students are old enough, administer an Interest Inventory to understand their likes, dislikes, and career goals. Much of the conversation regarding those interests can occur as teachers are standing at the door at the beginning or end of class. Teachers can also work student interests into class discussions if those interests relate to the content being taught.

Recall at the beginning of the chapter the discussion of Donna Summer’s hit song “She Works Hard for the Money.” As a teacher, you too work hard for the money. But it isn’t the money that attracted you to the profession in the first place, nor is it the money that will sustain you throughout your career. It is, instead, a passion for the job you are doing. It is the knowledge that you are making a major difference in the lives of those students who are fortunate enough to be in your class. Complete the following action plan (page 16) to determine if you are finding the passion for your purpose.