Blog Post #7

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture


I am so glad to have watched this lecture by Randy Pausch. It inspired me and gave me knowledge to use in my life as a teacher, but also in my personal life. The lecture started off by him giving some devastating news. He showed the audience a picture of his cancer and how badly it has spread, and also stated that he was told one month ago he only had about six months left to live. Now, my next guess would be that a devasting man would throw a pity party for himself and make people feel bad for him. NOT AT ALL! While it did put things in perspective for me, instead of listening to a sad man, like I thought I was listening to. I heard a man who loved his family, lived a fulfilling life, and loved the life he had lived. He never looked at anything as a failure but only as a lesson that served a bigger purpose in his life. He never sugar coated one thing, but made everything in life the best he could, even cancer.

Pausch talked about how he accomplished his dreams and then how he helped others accomplish theirs. I look at my teaching career in a whole new way now. I want to use an alternative way of teaching like Pausch. I am not doing this just to have an ordinary job, but I also want to make an impact in others lives and help them achieve their fullest potential. I want learning for my students to be fun. I plan on putting in the effort to be the best teacher ever. I really liked when people asked Pausch how he became tenure so quickly and he said," I don't know call me at 10 o'clock on a Friday night in my office and ask me." He was dedicated in everything that he did. I also want to teach my students to, "get worried when people stop correcting you when you screw up." Pausch said this and said that it either means they've given up on you, or they do not care. I want my students to ALWAYS continue to grow, and know that correction is good!

Another thing I will teach my students is how to work in groups. Not only in school will you have to work and get along with others, but in the workplace. Bickering and fighting can cause people to be unproductive. This can even be used in one's personal life I think. You must always know how to properly communicate with other's to be a successful person.

I did some research about this speech. I found out he mainly wrote this for his family. He also said that how those first three copies of this speech effected them was his goal, everyone else was just a side-effect. He put family first and then put the rest of his energy toward others. I truly have been inspired by Randy Pausch, and am sad to say that before this class I have never watched a video of him. I would recommend this to anyone. I will now strive to live life to the fullest now matter what is thrown my way, grow from every situation, and strive to make others the best they can be!