When we look at all subject matters across life, we are often drawn to the things that inspire us the most. Our inspiration could come from anything in this world, whether it stems from good or bad intentions. It can often come from the most unlikely places and when you least expect it. For me, inspiration comes from the yearning to create efficiency and simplicity in the lives of others. Giving someone back a little bit of the time they may have spent doing something that robs them of happiness means a great deal to me. In education, inspiration can come from a simple conversation with a student about their goals in life or just watching groups of students interact with one another to solve problems. Hence, the importance of a teacher's "Why!"
In the video Rethinking Learning: The 21st Century Learner, John Seely Brown proposes the question, how do you catch students that have a question for curiosity and a questing disposition?
For educators to spark inspiration, they must model inspirational behaviors that foster and inspire curiosity and exploration within their learners. For example, by asking provoking questions or pushing students to be curious about the world around them, educators invoke a growth mindset in their students, showing that it is okay to question things and to seek answers even if one may be available. In addition, providing opportunities for students to explore on their own and discover new information will help create a love of learning.
So how can we become effective digital learners in the 21st century? One of the most critical pieces to this puzzle is one's need to be inspired by someone already proficient in the 21st-century skills required for real-world success. Unfortunately, this component can be a significant Achilles' heel when implementing innovation within public education.
MacArthur Foundation. (2010). Rethinking Learning: The 21st Century Learner. YouTube. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://youtu.be/c0xa98cy-Rw.
I love how you talk about modeling inspirational behaviors to our learners. If we want our learners to ask questions, and find answers, and know it's ok to not know something "yet," then we have to be vulnerable as teachers and drop any sense of needing to be the knowledge keeper in the classroom. We need to ask questions along with them and let them teach us something too.
I agree with you when you talked about igniting that spark, all the students always look for a role model to follow, for somebody to push them to their greatest, to know that somebody care. And as an educator it one big responsibility and achievement that we have. We can only push forward and hoping that we made a difference on our students life.