It’s the time of year when I conference with every family in our secondary school. Toward the conclusion of the conference, I ask the teen where he/she is headed in regard to profession. I look to see if it’s changed from last year, gotten more clear, or remained as much a mystery as the last time I asked. My most in-touch students already recognize about what they are passionate, and passion is one of the strongest determiners of success in leadership.
I often describe passion this way: when one is passionate about a career, he can’t stop doing it. I am passionate about teaching. Literally every moment is a “teachable moment.” I have to teach a Sunday school class rather than just belong to one because I’m that annoying member who can’t let a teaching point the actual teacher missed pass!
Many say that students lack passion when it comes to the future. They use the spontaneity and short-sightedness of youth against them. I’d say adults have always done that to kids, and kids remain as passionate about what they love as ever. If you don’t believe me, watch a season of So You Think You Can Dance.
Passion requires believing in something wholeheartedly. I think kids are still passionate about what they can and will do. Instead, their disillusion comes with “the establishment.” Again, this is not new to youth. I do believe there is a difference between the disillusionment we adults had with our government and the disillusionment they have. We always felt we could get in there and change things. I don’t believe our kids think they can do a thing to fix this!
Can they fix what ails schools? Our politics? Health care? The out-of-control tuition rates at colleges? Racism? It’s hard to see how they could. We can’t even get our leaders not to bully; how are they supposed to fix that?!
I can’t fix it either. My family saw the downward spiral of education, and we took our proverbial marbles elsewhere to play. We have a school that helps children achieve and feel good about themselves. We introduce real world problems and invite the kids to help solve them, all the while preparing them to deal with so-called “wicked” problems (those that will never be solved completely).
I see passionate kids every day. I see passionate millennials. I am amazed at the way millennials have gone back to our roots. They are growing their own food and raising farm animals in the city and learning to make objects by hand. I love that so many are free-lancers. How brave is that?!
This Valentine’s Day spend a little time figuring out about what your children are passionate. I promise you that you will be proud of them!
- Michelle