When I think of the holidays, my mind wanders to gift giving. Red ribbon. Bows. Metallic wrapping paper. However, the greatest gifts are not those you hold, but those that are felt in the heart. You and I have the opportunity to give a powerful gift to the students we teach. Purpose. To give them a sense of feeling needed and a chance to give back to the world. All people long for purpose. Purpose motivates us and pushes us to go further and do more. People spend their lives searching for it. Just as my students were searching for it, in the lessons I taught.
“Why should I learn this?” “When am I ever going to use it?” “How is this information important for my life?” Students would ask these questions year after year in my classroom. They longed to see how our content connected to the world.
Continue reading “Gift-Giving: Students Tackling Real-World Problems”