Passion for Learning

While looking through the website K12 Online Conference 2009, I came across a video called Engaging Our Youngest Minds by Angela Maiers. I watched this video, and it just blew me away. It is about how passion drives learners, and technology is used to aid that passion in students. Maiers shares with her viewers an experience she had with a 5 year old girl by the name of Haley. Haley had posted flyers throughout her town about endangered animals and warning people not to kill them. Through these posters, Haley raised about $200 to send to a wounded panda bear in China. She also made T-shirts supporting her cause, so that her message could be seen everywhere she went. Haley read about these animals, and learned many facts about them at the age of 5, before she had even entered kindergarten. Haley's passion for animals drove her to these projects. Maiers points out that it was not technology that enhanced Haley's passion for learning, but her passion for learning paired with the use of technology could enhance Haley's schooling experience. It is just mind blowing that a 5 year old girl can have that much passion for something, and actually find a way to make a difference. We, as teachers (or future teacher), need to find this passion in our students and expose it to resources that allow it to grow.

This video can be viewed at http://k12online.ning.com/video/engaging-our-youngest-minds