Blog Post 6

"You have to decide if your a Tigger or an Eeyore." 

Randy Posch

The assignment for this blog post was to watch Randy Pausch's Last Lecture from September 18, 2007 at Carnegie Mellon University.   Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University before he died of pancreatic cancer in 2008.  The theme of his lecture is about "Really Achieving your Childhood Dreams."  In his lecture, Randy talks about enabling his own childhood dreams, enabling the dreams of others, and lessons learned on how to do both.

Randy's childhood dreams included being in zero gravity, playing in the NFL, authoring an article in the world book encyclopedia, being captain Kirk, winning stuffed animals, being a Disney Imagineer.  Randy says, "It's important to have specific dreams," because unlike popular American beliefs, some things can be unattainable.  I find this quote to be very true, especially when educating young people.  I don't think teachers should tell students that their imagination is the limit.  Unfortunately, the real world doesn't work that way.  However, with specific dreams, and people who work hard to realize them, it is more than possible to achieve said dreams.

The next thing Randy talks about is enabling the childhood dreams of others.  He says that becoming a professor is a great way to start.  He goes on to talk about creating a course called "Building Virtual Worlds" in hopes of helping students realize their dreams.  What stuck out to me the most, were the words "created a course."  I have no idea how much creative leeway I will be granted as a teacher in the public education system, but I feel it will be my professional duty to push the proverbial bubble as far as possible.  Incorporating creative teaching techniques in my classroom will be paramount in realizing my own dreams of helping young people live better lives.

Last, Randy talks about the lessons he has learned along the way.  He talked throughout his lecture about the proverbial "brick wall" that will try and stop you from realizing your dreams, and how each wall you face has a purpose for pushing you forward.  He talked about the importance of teaching students to be self reflective.  This is a very important point for me.  In my future classroom, self reflection and honesty will be a big part of the way I will teach.  There is nothing more important than being honest with yourself.  Another big thing I got from the last part of Randy's lecture was, the importance of keeping the fun.  Enthusiasm is contagious.  When I can make a lesson fun, I can give my students what Randy calls, "a head fake."  Learning will take place with students being unaware, because they will be having fun.  I want to be a "Tigger."

Here are some of Randy's Quotes courtesy of Cliffano Subagio's Blog.


Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you more welcome.

I probably got more from that dream and not accomplishing it than I got from any of the ones that I did accomplish.

You’ve got to get the fundamentals down because otherwise the fancy stuff isn’t going to work.

When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are your ones telling you they still love you and care.

Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.

Head fake learning is absolutely important, and you should keep your eye out for them because they’re everywhere.

The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough.

It’s pretty easy to be smart when you’re parroting smart people.

It’s very important to know when you’re in a pissing match. And it’s very important to get out of it as quickly as possible.

Until you got ice cream spilled on you, you’re not doing field work.

I can’t tell you beforehand, but right before they present it I can tell you if the world (his students project work) is good by the body language. If they’re standing close to each other, the world is good.

If you’re going to do anything that pioneering you will get those arrows in the back, and you just have to put up with it. I mean everything that could go wrong did go wrong.

Somewhere along the way there’s got to be some aspect of what lets you get to achieve your dreams. First one is the role of parents, mentors, and students.

And he (Andy Van Dam) said, Randy, it’s such a shame that people perceive you as so arrogant. Because it’s going to limit what you’re going to be able to accomplish in life.

You just have to decide if you’re a Tigger or an Eeyore.

I have a theory that people who come from large families are better people because they’ve just had to learn to get along.

Loyalty is a two way street.

You can’t get there alone. People have to help you and I do believe in karma. I believe in paybacks. You get people to help you by telling the truth. Being earnest.

I’ll take an earnest person over a hip person every day, because hip is short term. Earnest is long term.

Apologise when you screw up and focus on other people, not on yourself.

Don’t bail. The best of the gold’s at the bottom of barrels of crap.

Get a feedback loop and listen to it. Your feedback loop can be this dorky spreadsheet thing I did, or it can just be one great man who tells you what you need to hear. The hard part is the listening to it.

Be good at something, it makes you valuable.

Find the best in everybody. Just keep waiting no matter how long it takes. No one is all evil. Everybody has a good side, just keep waiting, it will come out.

Be prepared. Luck is truly where preparation meets opportunity.