Education Experience Unlocked: Passion and Proficiency

Achieving balance for students

Every year that I was in a classroom, there was always that one child who enters the room merely because they have to, and not because they enjoy school. One by one, year after year, I found myself working to lay the foundation for a new perspective of education for my students. I made it my personal mission to find the niche in which that student fit, encourage them to truly value their strengths, and teach them how to apply those strengths when the task at hand was not a part of their passion or proficiency. In my mind, kids were not cattle that I was raising, nor was the day a string of “to do’s” or tasks which I had to complete. Sure, there are things which must be done, however, the focus must always be the child.

Growing up, there were countless times when I was told to practice more, or try harder in areas that were not my area of strength. I likened school to a chore that must be completed, not as an opportunity to grow and develop as a person. Over time I became a classic underachiever. If Cs were good enough, than a C was the score I would earn. My teachers were doing what they could to keep us engaged, but fell short at times of what was really needed; aligning my passions to my proficiencies.

Passion is defined as a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept. Simply put, the things that bring enjoyment to our days. Proficiency is defined as a high degree of competence or skill; expertise. You may be wondering why these definitions matter. It’s not surprising that these are not the focus of most academic endeavors until possibly high school or even college. You see, when kids enter the classroom, teachers are required to use certain curriculum, teach to fit a methodology, and sometimes are even told the pace at which they are to teach the material. On the surface this appears to guarantee equity among students across districts, but student achievement seems to indicate otherwise.

For a certain population of students, those who are already academically proficient, they can survive and depending on the environment, thrive within this context. However, this fails to allow for proper recognition or nurturing of other populations. Often times factors which we know impact student achievement are ignored or skewed. This is unfair to both students and families.

How do we align student passion and proficiency such that their educational experience becomes one of discovery and self determination and not day after day of drudgery? The answer unfortunately is not just about identifying student passion and proficiency. BUT, if we were to think of it as a bigger piece of the equation, students would benefit. Think back to the group projects you worked on in school. Your teacher assigned the group, you attempted to meet the requirements, but, for me at least, there was always someone in the group who felt left out or marginalized and it effected their ability to be productive in the group. Creating these types of scenarios for students, while they are said to produce practice of conflict resolution skills, often result in tensions within the group, an increase in hurt feelings, and a lingering disdain for group work.

Imagine now instead a group of students who have discovered their proficiencies and their passions. They are introduced to the idea of how to build a strong team. Students may then form their teams based on their strengths and contributions and are able to experience a greater sense of belonging within the group. In my experience, these types of group projects go much more smoothly. Does it take time to develop students to this point? Absolutely. Does it always go how you plan? Almost never, at least not exactly. In this scenario, instead of the teacher being the knowledge bank and the students waiting to receive it, all are growing and learning together.

Wondering how this applies at home? As a child, I had chores. Often dreaded tasks that I had to complete before doing something I enjoyed doing. My least favorite chore was unloading the dishwasher (surprise, surprise, it still is!). However, I really enjoyed vacuuming. You see, my brain enjoys puzzles and order. Vacuuming was a very logical task. I could create a pattern in the carpet and then vacuum it to straight lines or a fan shape. Unloading the dishwasher was just...ew. Now, loading the dishwasher was another story. All those hours of Tetris have really paid off. Perhaps that’s the power of my own perspective, but when your strengths lie in observing details and problem solving, you tend to enjoy those tasks!

Next time you’re creating chore assignments, think about which child fits the need of the task. For example, one of my daughters is very logical, methodical and enjoys puzzles. She does best with tasks that challenge those proficiencies. Typically her chores include loading the dishwasher, sweeping the floor or helping me to build or repair something. My other daughter LOVES to cook. She takes advantage of every kitchen gadget she can talk me into buying, and while she’s helping to prep ingredients for the meal, I’m then free to wipe the counters or clean somewhere else in the house. One of my bonus daughters loves to dust the furniture. Literally since she was about five, whenever it is cleaning time, she wants dibs on the dusting. For her, it’s the ability to see exactly what she has accomplished as the rows of dust disappear as she wipes. Have kids that love music? Try doing the dishes by hand once per week, favorite songs blaring, while everyone is having an, albeit careful, karaoke dance party. You won’t be sorry you did.

Am I saying your kids will magically love chores, no. I’m not that crazy, however, honing in on their specific passions and proficiencies and incorporating them into everyday life teaches them each how to shine. Whether it’s sports, culinary, gardening, biking, or pokemon, there are real world applications all around us. Kids have to first believe that their passions and proficiencies matter and are valued. Again, this idea is NOT a stand alone solution to education or everyday life. It is however, a piece of the puzzle that is worth considering. Share your thoughts by commenting on this post!