As teachers, we understand that every moment matters in the classroom. We feel the pressure and worry about the learning outcomes. Each of us want to be responsible with the time we have to educate the students in front of us.  We have standards and testing looming in the background.

With passion projects, you release control to the students’ interests.  It is not all day. However, I understand how it might seem easy to ask, “Is this a waste of time? Are they learning from this?”

Sometimes the voice of the teacher inside wants to get in the way of a student’s choice for a project.  Just this spring, I had a student who had bounced from several project proposals during the year. Suddenly, he decided he wanted to use a Sphero.

Part of me wanted to immediately start the teacher drill of questions when he came to me with his rather weak proposal.  What are you going to do with that? Why do you want to use the Sphero? Do you have a goal in mind? However, I knew better because this particular student struggles to find a passion for learning.  It was not my time to get in his way and create obstacles.  I needed to let him gain an interest in a technological tool.

So, for four mornings I watched him come in excited. He got his iPad and went to borrow the Sphero from our media center. He worked with the Sphero for the entire 40 minutes.  It looked like play. He spent this time driving the Sphero in the classroom around other people.  He drove the Sphero in the hallway.  It looked like nothing was going to happen other than play. Four days of this made me wonder, when will he want more. Will he do more than this?

Yes, my bias was starting to get in the way. Yet, I wanted to keep him passionate about learning.  So, I called over my student and had a conversation.  It went something like this:

• T: Wow. I noticed that you know how to drive the Sphero really well now.
• T: What do you think about the Sphero?
• S: It’s fun.  I really like it.
• T: What else do you think you can do with the Sphero?
• S: I don’t know.
• T: Can you make an obstacle course? Can you make something that it is contained in and still make it drive?
• S: I never thought of that.
• T: Okay, what kind of research can we find for you to explore? (See video)
  
• T: What inspired you in that video? What do you want to try?
• S: I want to try an obstacle course.
• T: Awesome.  Plan what you want to do in your Passion Notebook, and then you can get started.

Educators, SPACE to explore is still learning! Our job is to let the play lead to something more.  You do not have to stay idle during Passion Time. You do need to give space. Then, you coach. As a teacher, I try to see the big picture for a student. Often kids need to have positive experiences in school to make BIG Change in their lives as learners. I could have been an obstacle for my student, but I let him play first. He created his own obstacle later.

What are your thoughts on play within Passion Projects?