Teachers are Problem Solvers: Passion Project Work

Greetings fellow educators! I am feeling energized and motivated from a great weekend spent with my fellow County and State teachers of the year. We had a statewide meeting where we discussed what our passion projects are, and how we can work together to start making them come to life. It was also a time for reflection, sharing, and fun- which we all need with our colleagues! This time inspired me to think of I can help continue the momentum going after the meeting. I've learned that having an initial meeting to brainstorm is the most exciting part, but the most crucial is what happens right after that meeting to keep everyone focused and starting the work to reach the goals of passion projects. 

When I asked myself how I could get started and point everyone in the right direction, I remembered something I learned from a friend of mine, Jeanne (one of my state teacher of the year friends). We should not ask our students what they want to be when they grow up, but rather what problems do they want to solve when they get older? I loved this idea right from the start, and from that moment on, I always ask my students that question instead. I wasn’t sure about this at first with my first graders, but with a little modeling and some examples, I realized this was the right question to be asking. Once they knew what problem they wanted to solve in the world when they were older, I asked them what they could do right now in first grade to get to the point where they could solve the problem. Answers like reading more, studying vocabulary words, and doing experiments was among many answers I got, and they all made sense! It then clicked with me, we don't need to leap right to the end where we are polishing our final steps, but we need to take the first small step toward many others to see our work through that we do solve the problem one day in the future. 

Teachers are problem solvers, and if we reflect on what we love most about our work, we’ll naturally find what problems we can solve. This can feel overwhelming at first since we know there are many problems to solve, but if we focus on just one, our work will make a lasting impact. This is what we worked on this weekend, listing many problems at first, narrowing the list down, then again to see how we can make groups to work on specific passion project areas that can have more of us working on it together. 

Where I feel so many of us get stuck is right in the beginning with the “ideas” and discussing the problem. It’s necessary for us to discuss it, view it from all angles, and see all possible parts that need to be fixed. It’s also good to express how e feel about the problem. Teachers have to keep a lot in when they are in front of their students, so when we are with trusted colleagues, it’s good to feel and discuss all of our emotions about the problem at hand. That was the purpose of our meeting this week; to get the initial brainstorming work out of the way and get organized with our thoughts. 

We also know that we can’t solve our problem alone, and taking on any problem can be a challenge, but defeat will come faster if we attempt to climb the mountain alone. By having a team with us, we appoint others to utilize their talents to the fullest, making our work manageable, and we can enjoy the journey of it more. This is a learning experience for us as well, and we should embrace others as we work along side one another toward the common goal. This is why I am forever grateful for my county and state teacher friends who are just as passionate about making a difference for other educators like I am. They see the value in uplifting teachers, they can continue to have the fuel they need to continue their work. 

The hardest part however is taking the first step. Some often loose their way here and end up stopping the work all together, or look for someone else to help them find their way. The question is, now that the problem is identified, labeled, and the ideas are discussed... what should we do, where should we go? Ask yourself this question: What is one thing I can do tomorrow to take a step toward solving the problem without feeling overwhelmed? Perhaps it’s sending an email to someone, researching a topic more and taking notes, looking up possible contacts you’ll need, writing down an outline/timeline of small goals to set milestones for the journey. Whatever it is, don’t hesitate, go for it and take that first step! It’s then we truly begin making a difference and start the real work of what it is we want to do, and making a difference. 

This week, ask yourself, where am I in my problem solving stages? What is one step I can take this week to being closer to accomplishing what I’m setting out to do? Who can I bring with me to help? How will we enjoy the journey together as we work, and what is our ultimate goal in starting the journey? Keeping these in mind will be the ultimate compass to navigating ourselves to success. It is with slow progress at first more will get accomplished in the end. Taking our time ensures that we will get there in the end. 

Final Thoughts: Keep focused on one problem you can solve, while there are many, our energy is best spent on focusing our work to one thing. Keep thinking of small ways you can make a difference toward solving the problem your passion project focuses on. Keep taking that one small step each day toward the end goal, each step is one step closer to the finish line. Finally, keep in mind that we all need one another to make this difference, and we will embrace this journey together! 

Go get started problem solvers- you’re doing great things for others and you will continue to do so!