teach. - It's My Passion. It's My Elevator Pitch.
Blog Challenge Day 5
What's your elevator pitch?
A couple days ago I was listening to a podcast, The Minimalists, and they were discussing that question you get when you first meet someone, what do you do? They got into a conversation about how people ask you this, most of the time, to start comparing you to them. For example, "Oh, she's a teacher. She doesn't make much money." I've never thought of it that way, and I ask this question all the time. But, I ask this question because I genuinely want to hear the person's answer.
There are some incredible people doing some amazing things I never thought existed, so I learn from their answer. The Minimalists proceeded to discuss how they thought the wording of this question should be changed to, "What is your passion?" Now, I LOVE that question. Imagine the answers I'd get if I asked that instead. So, "What is your passion?" got me thinking, "What would I say?"
I'll be honest, when someone ask me what I do, I always reply, "I'm a teacher." Typically, they have a follow up question, "What do you teach?" I reply, "Elementary special education." I'm very specific. But, if they asked, "What is your passion," would my reply change?
What is your passion is essentially the same as what is your elevator pitch. If I had one minute or less to answer that question, let's say during a run with a new running buddy, what would I say?
Instinctively, I'd still say, "I'm a teacher." Teaching is my passion, but it runs deeper than a classroom. I'm so much more than an special education teacher or an elementary school teacher. I see teaching as a way to touch and change lives. Essentially, teaching is getting to know your student(s) by actively listening, actively observing, and being actively present. A teacher recognizes weakness (or weaknesses), analyzes areas of weakness, determines the primary or biggest weakness, creates a goal which is specific to that person's need, makes a plan to achieve the goal, implements the plan, tweeks the plan along the way, if needed, and all the while building a trusting relationship and strong foundation for life long learning and evolving to happen on.
Yes, I enjoy teaching the academics and giving young people the gift of reading, writing, doing math, etc. But, honestly, the real joy comes from watching them grow as human beings.
Watching them become more aware of themselves. Watching them make discoveries about themselves and those around them. Watching them creep out of their shell. Watching them gain the confidence to take a leap of faith (whether on answering a question in front of the class or making a new friend). Watching them put themselves back together after a failure or heartbreak. Watching them realize they can survive the hard stuff. Watching not only their minds grow but their hearts too. Watching them uncover the truths of this world (the good, the bad, and the ugly). Watching them think critically about these truths. Watching them become life long learners. Watching them desiring to help others. Watching them become kinder, more loving, more responsible members of society. Watching them become more human. This is where the joy and passion lies.
I love watching this happen within adults too, because we are never too old to gain more knowledge, more common sense, more self discovery, more humanity. I've been passionate about teaching others since I was a child. When someone would ask me what I wanted to be growing up, I'd reply, "I want to change the world." And, essentially, I do. Of course, I'm more realistic about it as an adult. But, I do believe I can help in changing the world, for the better of course, by helping one person at a time.
So, what is my elevator pitch? What is my passion?
My passion is teaching. I teach people of all ages about self-discovery and the impact they make on the world. I do this because I truly believe the root of mankind is love, and it's possible to create a more loving world one human at a time.
What's your elevator pitch?
A couple days ago I was listening to a podcast, The Minimalists, and they were discussing that question you get when you first meet someone, what do you do? They got into a conversation about how people ask you this, most of the time, to start comparing you to them. For example, "Oh, she's a teacher. She doesn't make much money." I've never thought of it that way, and I ask this question all the time. But, I ask this question because I genuinely want to hear the person's answer.
There are some incredible people doing some amazing things I never thought existed, so I learn from their answer. The Minimalists proceeded to discuss how they thought the wording of this question should be changed to, "What is your passion?" Now, I LOVE that question. Imagine the answers I'd get if I asked that instead. So, "What is your passion?" got me thinking, "What would I say?"
I'll be honest, when someone ask me what I do, I always reply, "I'm a teacher." Typically, they have a follow up question, "What do you teach?" I reply, "Elementary special education." I'm very specific. But, if they asked, "What is your passion," would my reply change?
What is your passion is essentially the same as what is your elevator pitch. If I had one minute or less to answer that question, let's say during a run with a new running buddy, what would I say?
Instinctively, I'd still say, "I'm a teacher." Teaching is my passion, but it runs deeper than a classroom. I'm so much more than an special education teacher or an elementary school teacher. I see teaching as a way to touch and change lives. Essentially, teaching is getting to know your student(s) by actively listening, actively observing, and being actively present. A teacher recognizes weakness (or weaknesses), analyzes areas of weakness, determines the primary or biggest weakness, creates a goal which is specific to that person's need, makes a plan to achieve the goal, implements the plan, tweeks the plan along the way, if needed, and all the while building a trusting relationship and strong foundation for life long learning and evolving to happen on.
Yes, I enjoy teaching the academics and giving young people the gift of reading, writing, doing math, etc. But, honestly, the real joy comes from watching them grow as human beings.
Watching them become more aware of themselves. Watching them make discoveries about themselves and those around them. Watching them creep out of their shell. Watching them gain the confidence to take a leap of faith (whether on answering a question in front of the class or making a new friend). Watching them put themselves back together after a failure or heartbreak. Watching them realize they can survive the hard stuff. Watching not only their minds grow but their hearts too. Watching them uncover the truths of this world (the good, the bad, and the ugly). Watching them think critically about these truths. Watching them become life long learners. Watching them desiring to help others. Watching them become kinder, more loving, more responsible members of society. Watching them become more human. This is where the joy and passion lies.
I love watching this happen within adults too, because we are never too old to gain more knowledge, more common sense, more self discovery, more humanity. I've been passionate about teaching others since I was a child. When someone would ask me what I wanted to be growing up, I'd reply, "I want to change the world." And, essentially, I do. Of course, I'm more realistic about it as an adult. But, I do believe I can help in changing the world, for the better of course, by helping one person at a time.
So, what is my elevator pitch? What is my passion?
My passion is teaching. I teach people of all ages about self-discovery and the impact they make on the world. I do this because I truly believe the root of mankind is love, and it's possible to create a more loving world one human at a time.
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