Passion Drives The Voice and My Teaching

I don't watch a whole lot of television, but one show that I get excited about each season is The Voice.  I've always thought it would be amazing to sing beautifully and share it with the world.  I love watching the contestant's journey as they progress through the competition amazing the judges with their mind-blowing talent.  As I'm sitting in my living room binge watching past episodes it dawns on me, it's not just the singing that I love about this show...it's the passion.

Contestants on The Voice have a passion and love for singing that is tangible.  You feel their excitement as they share their stories of what brought them to this point in their journey. I may not have a great voice...okay, it's terrible.  However, I can relate to their passion.  This is how I feel about being an educator.  I know what it feels like to love it so much that my mind continually spins with new possibilities to bring to the classroom.  I too have a story that has shaped me as an educator and will be the legacy that I leave.

When singers perform, they are giving it their all.  They are leaving it all on the stage. I think about all the emotions I feel as an educator when I give my all in the classroom. Let's be honest, not everyday feels like a stellar performance but every day my goal is to bring my best self and give it all I've got.  

Let's talk about the judges. They are passionate about their role as a mentor, and that passion shines through. There is continuous banter, laughter, and a positive vibe because they love what they are doing!  Though the game is serious, they are having fun in the process.  This is what I love about my PLN.  These are the people in my life that are continually giving me encouragement and support.  They are my cheerleaders rooting for me and giving me authentic feedback to help me continue to grow as an educator.  On the days when I'm discouraged and feeling beat down, I can always look to them for inspiration, positivity, and a good laugh.

Now don't get me wrong, I 'm sure there is a lot of "out takes", and "off camera" moments on The Voice that aren't so pretty, but isn't that real life for us too?  There are days that I would rather not be "on camera", but I'm glad those days are few and my passion and love for teaching keeps me going between episodes.  Singing is definitely not my calling, but I'm so glad teaching is!

*Shout out to my friend, Rodney Turner for this blog post's title. Power of a PLN!
Follow him on Twitter @techyturner....he's awesome!



​

---