Piute County School District,

It’s graduation season. Last year I shared the graduation speech of Admiral McRaven titled “Make Your Bed.” There are a few other notable graduation speeches. Everyone should watch at last the first half of a 2005 graduation speech by Apple computers founder Steve Jobs. Jobs tells a few personal life stories that inspired his revolutionary work.

If your students ever question the purpose of what you are teaching, have them listen to his first story about taking a calligraphy class at college. If your students fail or feel like a failure, they could listen to his second story about being fired from his own company and how that affected him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

Lots of people don’t know Steve Jobs was one of the masterminds and the major shareholder behind Pixar (Purchased by Disney in 2006). 15 of Pixar’s 23 movies are among the top 50 highest grossing animated films of all time.

I love when Steve Jobs talks about loving what you do. I absolutely love what we do. I hope you have a passion for teaching and learning. You don’t have to push someone to do something they love, they are pulled by their own intrinsic drive to do it. Students develop a passion for learning when everyone around them, teachers, parents, and friends are all passionate about learning. There are a lot of important and valuable teaching strategies, skills, and techniques but a passion for teaching and learning outweighs them all. Thank you for your passion for teaching and your enthusiasm for being a lifelong learner.

Love what you do in Week 37,

Koby