Blog Post #7

Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006. It was not until August 2007 that he was told his diagnosis was terminal and he only had three to six months to live. Instead of throwing himself a pity party, he delivered an inspiring, uplifting last lecture on September 18,2007. During his last lecture, Randy Pausch ironically spoke about how to live while he was dying. This infamous lecture has inspired many people around the world including myself.

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture taught me many things about being a learner and a teacher. My favorite part of the lecture was when he discussed brick walls that pop up from time to time. Mr. Pausch claims “brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.” This claim reminds me that I am going to struggle from time to time and I am not going to know everything. There will be times when I come to a wall and I will have to regroup, think, and find a different solution. I can also take this principle and apply it to my students. As a teacher I must realize that there will be times where my students are stuck staring at a brick wall and will need my guidance to help defeat that wall. Without pesky brick walls in our lives we could potentially miss out on something extremely important or be led down a wrong pathway. So we should embrace all life hands us even if it comes in the form of a harsh brick wall.

Another brilliant statement Mr. Pausch makes during his last lecture that applies to all teachers is the following: “When you’re screwing up and nobody says anything to you anymore that means they’ve given up on you…you may not want to hear it but your critics are often the ones telling you they still love you and care about you and want to make you better.” I agree with this statement 100%. If there comes a time when I become so nonchalant and unconcerned with my students, I would hope I would have someone there to remind me of what my purpose as a teacher is. When you as a teacher no longer correct or discipline your students it is a strong sign you no longer care about them or their success. The same goes for when administrators no longer correct their teachers when they do wrong. Of course there is always an appropriate and productive way to help and correct your students. I think as a teacher, you should always consider what is best for the student.

As a future educator I hope to have the wisdom and ability to impact as many lives as Randy Pausch did. The first step in accomplishing this enormous dream is to take advice from Mr. Pausch himself and learn to "focus on other people, not on yourself".

What would you say if you only could give one more lecture?