Leaving a Legacy Randy Pausch Style

After the initial introduction I never again thought about how this man had recently been diagnosed with a life threatening form of cancer. He was merely one of the best, most consuming motivational speakers I have ever heard. I loved listening to this man discuss his surprisingly interesting life and give me some amazing advice on how to pursue my own dreams. His advice could be used by anyone. Anyone could have found something inspirational from lecture. For me, some of his most applicable advice would have to be his teaching techniques.

The head fake. It has to be the simplest, yet most brilliant teaching concept ever. Make students learn, but don't tell them they're learning. No one really likes the word 'learn' so avoid it at all costs. Technology doesn't have to be the main factor it's just a matter of setting up a fun atmosphere that is actually a learning environment in disguise. For example, the best of the best history teachers do this. Instead of making students feel like they are at a lecture, a good history teacher will make his or her students feel like they are at story time.


There are also some teaching techniques I caught on from Randy that went unspoken. One for instance is to encourage students to leave a legacy. He did this not by telling them to chase their dreams, but by chasing his own. He was also a man who taught that it is possible for someone to accomplish every goal he sets in life and to be able to look back on life and be happy with it. With everything he did he showed that a life lesson could be taken from all of it. I feel like part of being an educator is to inspire students. To do so requires one to live an inspirational life, and that is definitely something that Randy Pausch accomplished.


Randy taught his students to be better than himself. When he gave his students the assignment to have the virtual reality fair it far exceeded his expectations. They did so well he didn't even know what else to teach them and had to trick them into doing better. Somehow it worked and they exceeded his expectations even more. He taught them to expect the absolute best out of themselves. It wasn't to push them, but to show them what they were naturally capable of. That is something everyone needs to learn and sometimes it take a teacher to do so.