What if our students could learn by exploring their own passions, interests, and questions? What if there was a way to teach the standards by giving them opportunities to learn by making, creating, and even designing? I’m sure that regardless of your teaching philosophy, you can imagine the impact that this type of learning could have on our students. And although it sounds like a great idea, it also sounds really scary and risky. Our minds immediately go to our checklist of standards and test preparation.

The majority of us did not get into teaching to hand out worksheets and assign lunch detention. We focused on education because we love children, realize the potential to impact the future, and want to make a difference. But then it happened. We became complacent, comfortable, and satisfied with just doing enough. We realized that we couldn’t beat the system, and last year’s test scores now determine our worth. Year after year, we continue to look for the “magic pill” to reignite our classrooms.

I’m not sure that there is anything more powerful than passion. Think about your own passions. Understand that I am not talking about hobbies or activities; I am talking about passion. Passion is defined as a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something. It’s a fire that burns within that can’t be extinguished. I enjoy sewing, but it’s not my passion. It’s fun, and I will do it in my spare time, but it’s not something that occupies my thoughts or keeps me up at night. However, encouraging educators to begin to see their classrooms differently is my passion. I think about it often, lying awake at night thinking of ways to make a difference, and spend my free time researching, reading, and taking in any information that I can regarding innovative teaching strategies. I am passionate about it. It’s important enough to be a priority.

What are your students’ passions? Many of us have no idea. You may know that Johnny likes racecars, but do you know that he goes home and works on cars with his dad? Do you know that he sees the inside of car like a puzzle and loves putting them back together after they have been taken apart? Johnny thinks about cars in class. He draws them, peruses car parts online in the computer lab when no one is looking, and would give anything to have time during the school day to share this passion with anyone who would listen.

Finding our students’ passions is not an easy task. Most of the time, they do not even know what they want to learn more about. It is a matter of finding that spark, which requires us to know our students well. Listening to what they talk about, knowing what they read, and watching what they search online can all help us as teachers find their spark. They know what they enjoy, but not what they are passionate about. Understanding passion has to be taught and then encouraged. Our questions and conversations with our students can be the match that lights the spark.

I want to be sure that you catch this… in order to help our students find their passions, we must know them, as individuals, first. We will not know our students by grading their worksheets. We will not know them by simply saying “Good morning” at the door each day but then not speaking to them again unless we are calling on them or reprimanding their behavior. The only way that we can truly know our students is through communication and observation. Talk to them, ask them questions, and engage them in meaningful conversation. When we began Genius Hour in my classroom, conversation began to trump everything. I began to realize that offering genuine feedback is so much more meaningful and beneficial than a red grade on a paper. A student-teacher conference means so much more than a report card full of As and Bs. Conversation always wins.

Observation is also important. For elementary teachers, recess is a great place to begin to realize your students’ passions. Perhaps Jessie spends her recess making dog toys out of recycled materials, while Michael spends his time teaching other students how to throw a football correctly. You might not initially think these things happen during recess. At first glance, you might think that your students just run around and act like kids and you wouldn’t be wrong. But just take some time to look around and really observe what’s really happening. The next time you take your class outside, walk around and listen to their conversations. Swing next to Sally and ask about her activities outside of school. Watch her face and take note of her reactions. Did she smile when she talked about helping her mom cook dinner every night? Did she light up when you asked about the art project that she’s working on in specials?

For secondary learners, transitions and extracurricular events are often the best opportunities to gain a new perspective into who they really are. Walk with them down the hall and ask about their day or what they are looking forward to after school. Take note of what they respond to and how they interact depending on what it is that you are chatting about. It doesn’t matter what grade level we are talking about, it always starts here. Observation and conversation—if you want to know what your students’ passions are—have to be the starting point.

When I introduced passion in the classroom, I loved to ask my students to fill out a bracket just as they would for March Madness (see Figure 2). I got this idea from A. J. Juliani (2013), and it works so well. It really helps students think about what their passions are versus their interests. They may have 64 interests, but when the bracket is completed, what wins?

I appreciate that this bracket doesn’t simply focus on what our learners love but also encourages them to consider what bothers them. You see, I believe that passions are typically ignited by wanting to change something that bothers you. This is why I am such a fan of AJ’s bracket and made it a priority in my own classroom.

Let’s be honest. When you first hand out a bracket like this, your students are going to say things like, “I don’t know what I like” and “Can you just tell me what to write?” And we can’t blame them. This is what they know school to be. They are familiar with us telling them what to do and how to do it. The first time the tables are turned and we begin to give them the freedom to explore their own interests, they are going to be uncomfortable. It’s like putting on a shoe that’s too big, too much room. It doesn’t fit right now, but with time, they will grow into it.

It’s not a bad idea to fill this bracket out yourself before giving it to your learners. This way, you will know what they are feeling and experiencing as they work toward completing it on their own. I’ve done this with teachers many times, and they are always surprised at how difficult it is to think of eight things that they love and eight things that bother them.

If this part of the experience needs to be scaffolded, you could always ask ...