Activity & Assignment: Your Passion, Your Life. Provided by Jaci VanHeest. Class Level Learning Outcomes: 1. Students will understand: (a) the meaning of passion and (b) the relationship of passion and intelligence (as described by Robinson) 2. Students will value: (a) the role of passion in their lives, (b) the effects that disregarding passion can have on one’s motivation and success, and (c) completing the personal ‘work’ of defining one’s passion early in the college experience. 3. Students will be able to: (a) define one of their passions and (b) investigate resources both on and off campus that will feed their defined passion.

Required Pre-ClassInstructor Preparation

Required Pre-ClassStudent Preparation

1. Reading – The Element (K. Robinson) at minimum chapters 1-4. 2. Overview – The Passion Plan (R. Chang) 3. Review TED talk 4. Resources on Passion 5. Prepare T-Shirt assignment

READING – The Element (Ken Robinson) Pages 21-26 and 42-51

Class Sequence (including Activities, Time, Materials/Resources and Preparation) 1. Opening “hook” Activity: Each student needs a sheet of paper and a pen/pencil. Instruct students that they are to quickly answer the following question. NO NAME ON THE PAPER.

What does the word passion mean to you? (one word answer) This should be the first thing that jumps into their minds. Give 10-15 seconds to answer.

Write down the titles of three movies that you really enjoy. Give a few minutes to complete answer. [You should also complete this question]

Ask students to say their answers to question number 1 while you write the responses on the white board. Discuss any similarities and relate to the general definition of passion (focus on the relationship with life and career passion).

Begin with one student and have them read the three movie titles. Then you need to have the other students describe what these movies have in common and how they might reflect the student’s passions. Go around the class and have everyone share their three movies, including yourself.

The activity has scholarly support to indicate that your favorite movies reflect common aspects about who you are and what interests you. [The activity will also serve as a means to gain greater understanding of the group – especially when they are able to realize something about the instructor]

2. TED Waterloo talk by JF Carrey – Everest and Passion

a. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW3XamV1Gkw b. JF describes his life from early in his childhood to determining and achieving a major goal – to climb Mount Everest. c. Just play the video and let the students begin to absorb JF’s story. Watch carefully to select which students and what elements in the story appear to resonate. Utilize these ‘tips’ to engage in a brief dialog following the video. d. Quote – Transition and discussion [Post video dialog – use single question (rapid reply) format] i. How did that make you feel? ii. What struck you? iii. What made you uncomfortable? Why? iv. Was JF’s story similar to your life? Or not? In what ways?

3. Thinking Questions a. Question 1: Whatever makes you smile and makes you happy when you encounter it is something that you are passionate about. Happiness and passion are described as going ‘hand-in-hand’. Think about something that you do or that you used to do that brings you total peace and happiness. b. Question 2: Typically, things that are easy are things that we enjoy. If you are a natural drummer, you find it easy and it is fun then you are thought to be passionate about drumming. Assess things that you do, things that are fun and ‘easy’ – they may be your passions. Don’t limit your thoughts here. You can make a career out of almost anything! c. Question 3: Think about something in your life where you seem to be able to expand your creativity, to develop new and exciting approaches or ideas. d. Question 4: This is a tricky one! We are ruled by money and finances which are necessary to sustain ourselves. Do you think that the most successful people in the world got to where they are because they wanted to get rich? The data suggests otherwise. In fact, most report that they became successful and often wealthy because they did what they loved – their passion. e. Question 5: Topics of conversations will eventually move toward our interests. Most of the time, we are not aware of this fact. You can see a person’s eyes brighten when they begin to discuss their interests. Listen when people talk to one another and you will learn a great deal about their passions. f. Question 6: When we do what we are passionate about, we are confident! We worry less about failing and more about enjoying the experience. Doing what you love is a success in and of itself. g. Question 7: We all have dreams, then we encounter ‘LIFE’ and we get pushed away from these dreams. If you were at the end of your life, what would you regret not to have tried? Take time and think through this question. Be honest with yourself and see if your thoughts align with your current goals.

4. Lesson Wrap-Up and Assignment (assignment is optional)

a. How did JF’s friend tell him to handle his ‘big Everest project’? Just like eating an elephant, ONE BITE AT A TIME. Relate that concept to their thinking about the future. Decrease their fears and the daunting ‘big decisions’. b. Assignment [OPTIONAL] – Each student needs to email a ‘t-shirt’ with one of their passions illustrated on the front. The t-shirt will be a contract between you and the student. The goal is to develop a relationship with the student to support them toward their passion – not merely the goals that they currently believe are true. The t-shirt assignment should be reflective and not merely reactive. Give ample time before the assignment is due. The assignment begins an interactive process between instructor and student to develop four-year college planning strategies aimed at career goals. Step ONE – determine ONE passion. Step TWO – next class follow-up assignment. c. It is critical to maintain contact and direction of the student toward the t-shirt passion. Provide regular, prompt opportunities for the students to move toward their passion (especially if this is something that they are just now realizing). Provide time to have one-on-one discussions with students regarding their t-shirt assignment and their plans.

Follow-up and Spring Board: Next class session and final class session 1. Discuss the t-shirts that were provided. Begin the next session with a 1-minute essay: What ONE ACTIVITY will you do to move toward your passion?

a. Review essays and provide feedback to student. Keep a list of their activities and periodically ‘check-in’ with each student to assist him/her with their goals. b. Develop additional opportunities for the students to achieve these goals during their first semester (activities would be outside of class).

2. End of semester wrap-up class. Revisit the passion and t-shirt assignment. Provide a single t-shirt with everyone’s passion illustrated on the shirt image. Engage in discussion regarding this passion and their single objective or activity. Have the students achieved this objective? Has their passion been redefined or refined? What are their next steps to move toward their passion(s)?

Instructor Resources: 1. Robinson, K. The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything. Penguin Books, New York. 2009. 2. Chang, R.Y. The Passion Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide to Discovering, Developing, and Living Your Passion. Jossey-Bass, Wiley, USA, 2001. 3. Sir Kenneth Robinson – various TEDtalks