Randy Pausch's Last Lecture : Acheiving your Childhood Dreams

Wow, I was impressed by Randy Pausch's motivation speech. He was one of the best speakers I have ever heard! Though Randy had only a couple of months to live, he spent it by tugging at the heart of his listeners, through the retelling of his own story.

Randy Pausch achieved every one of his childhood dreams through a tremendous amount of determination. He mentions, that "one cannot achieve his or her dreams alone." Opportunities arise each and every day to help another, whether that help comes from parents, teachers, or co-workers. As a future educator, I will make an impact upon my students' lives by believing in THEIR childhood dreams.

Another excellent point that Randy brings up in his lecture is the "Head Fake." To make a student comprehend a subject is hard, but to get them to like it, is a whole new ball field. This concept has been used throughout the years in many subjects. As a fifth grade student, I remember taking an adventure on the "Oregon Trail." My teacher brought it to life by allowing us to pretend, as if we were traveling across the nation ourselves. Because I was having so much fun, I did not realize that I was learning in disguise about an important piece of American history.

"We can not change the cards that we are dealt..." In order to achieve our childhood dreams, we must push through the status quo and make something out of our lives. Every individual comes from many different environments and lifestyles, yet it all begins with a dream: A Specific Dream. Randy achieved every dream he had, as a child, though his circumstances might have temporarily prevented them. For example, Randy could not check out "Zero Gravity," as a faculty member. But this didn't prevent him from pursuing his dream, he enlisted as the classes' journalist and documented his space experience.

"Don't bail; the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap." This is absolutely true! I believe that Randy Pausch's quote can be applied to many aspects of life. In my own life, I regret quitting certain activities. If I had held on longer, I would have gotten so much better at the skills. Besides my family, many people did not believe in me, which ultimately caused me to have low self-esteem. Occasionally in my future teaching, I will have to dig deep to find a child's potential, though it may be difficult. I will have to persevere and not give up!

All in all, Randy not only leaves his legacy to colleagues, students, and the occasional video watcher like myself, but most importantly, to his three children. He explains the importance of being able to achieve one's childhood dreams and the lessons he has learned from doing so.