Finding Their Spark
Inspiring student to seek their interests and draw upon passion
Think of a spark. What comes to mind? Something bright? A source of energy? A catalyst to ignite a larger flame? While each of these are accurate depictions of a spark scientifically and literally, metaphorically, they have meaning too.
We can have sparks in our lives. Those things that get us up and moving. They're activities and interests that bring us joy, expand our horizons, and get us thinking creatively. Sparks are what we love to do. They give us excitement and energy and motivate us to learn and grow.
Let's talk about when students find their metaphorical spark.
Why Student Interest and Passion are Important
It pays to have passion and interest can lead learners to great heights. That's why a spark is so significant for a student's learning and success.
Interest is a crucial factor in learning because it helps motivate individuals to engage with the subject matter and retain the information more effectively. When someone is interested in a topic, they are more likely to pay attention, ask questions, and seek out additional resources to deepen their understanding. This curiosity and engagement can lead to a more enjoyable and rewarding learning experience.
Passion is an important factor in achieving success and satisfaction in life. When you are passionate about something, you are more likely to put in the time and effort needed to excel at it.
Passion can also provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment, as it allows you to engage in activities that bring you joy and make you feel alive!
Passion is a powerful force that can drive personal growth and contribute to a more fulfilling life.
Assisting and Inspiring Young Learners
Teachers, mentors, leaders, and other invested adults can inspire students in many ways. One of the most important ways is by being passionate about subjects of interest and sharing that passion with their students or mentees.
When adults are enthusiastic and engaged in what they share, it can be contagious and motivate students to want to learn more. Another way we can inspire students is by providing a safe and supportive environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes.
Finally, we can inspire students by setting high expectations for them and providing the necessary support to help them achieve those expectations.
Putting Passion and Interest Together
Passion and interest are integral to finding a spark, but let's take a look at how to discover and evaluate those activities that drive us.
Speaker, author, blogger, and digital photography teacher Darren Rowse wrote a helpful piece on how to discover your interests and passions and find your spark. Drawing upon his own experiences working to reinvigorate his drive and motivation, he gives some great suggestions that we can pass on to young people about where to find motivation and inspiration. (1)
Rowse cites four aspects of life that promote finding your spark :
`1. Curiosity
Curiosity is our natural desire to learn, explore, and seek out new experiences and information. It is a powerful motivator that can drive us to push our boundaries and expand our knowledge and understanding of the world around us. It can help us to stay engaged, improve our problem-solving skills, and promote personal growth and development.
Suggested activities:
Research a new topic online
Attend a class or participate in an extracurricular activity of interest
Engage in a conversation with someone experienced in my area of interest
Questions to ask:
What do I want to know more about?
Is there a new experience I'd like to try?
What new skill could help me improve an area of my life?
2 .Creativity
Creativity can be defined as the ability to use imagination and original ideas to generate something new and valuable. It allows individuals to break free from conventional thinking patterns and come up with innovative solutions to problems. Creativity promotes emotional well-being. Engaging in creative activities such as painting, writing, or playing music can be therapeutic and help reduce stress and anxiety.
Suggested activities:
What do I want to know more about?
Is there a new experience I'd like to try?
What new skill could help me improve an area of my life?
Questions to ask:
What do I want to know more about?
Is there a new experience I'd like to try?
What new skill could help me improve an area of my life?
3. Connection
Connecting with others means establishing a relationship or a bond with people around us. It is important because humans are social creatures, and social connection is a basic human need. Connecting with others helps us feel a sense of belonging, reduces feelings of loneliness, and provides emotional support. It can also lead to new opportunities.
Suggested activities:
What do I want to know more about?
Is there a new experience I'd like to try?
What new skill could help me improve an area of my life?
Questions to ask:
What do I want to know more about?
Is there a new experience I'd like to try?
What new skill could help me improve an area of my life?
4. Contribution
Connecting with others means establishing a relationship or a bond with people around us. It is important because humans are social creatures, and social connection is a basic human need. Connecting with others helps us feel a sense of belonging, reduces feelings of loneliness, and provides emotional support. It can also lead to new opportunities.
Suggested activities:
What do I want to know more about?
Is there a new experience I'd like to try?
What new skill could help me improve an area of my life?
Questions to ask:
What do I want to know more about?
Is there a new experience I'd like to try?
What new skill could help me improve an area of my life?
By evaluating these areas, it's possible to discover areas that foster interest and passion within us.
(What's interesting about Darren's writing is that it's not just students but all of us who can benefit from finding and nurturing our spark!)
Passion Projects
Another fantastic way for students to hone in on their passions and interests is to create a passion project.
Jin Chow, cofounder of Polygence, an online research academy dedicated to mentoring students in research and development projects, defines a passion project as a project or a hobby that you are excited to pursue because of intrinsic motivation to learn about the topic and to devote time and energy to it. (2)
They're a powerful way to develop new skills and gain experience in areas of interest, and there are endless options!
Start a club
Learn a new language
Start a fundraising campaign
Develop a website
Create a YouTube video
Organize a community service project
Some ideas for passion projects:
Start a blog
Plant a community garden
Start a business
Produce a podcast
Design an app or video game
Create a social media campaign for a cause
Write a creative piece
Passion projects are a way to engage with a topic on a deeper level.
What Does it Mean for the Classroom and Extracurriculars?
Truly, it means that in any learning environment, students benefit from time and attention spent exploring what they love.
In the classroom, we should consider the importance of offering diverse learning opportunities in an array of topics and subjects. Additionally, being mindful of student choice and allowing flexibility and differentiation of study means we're guiding students to find out for themselves what will energize and inspire them.
Expanding extracurricular opportunities for students means a higher likelihood they'll find an activity that motivates and inspires them. Or, as often happens, an extracurricular opportunity stems from an interest sparked in the classroom.
The process of finding your spark also suggests that students need support in their endeavors. Pursuing passions and interests can often come with a time commitment and monetary cost that, for some, can be challenging.
The Michelle Young Foundation believes in creating opportunities for students to foster their talents, abilities, and interests. Through our work, worthy primary and secondary students nominated by their teachers can receive scholarship funding for an activity of their choice.
We're poised to reach populations that would otherwise not be able to participate in such activities.
You, too, can get involved and start making a difference in a student's life. Consider donating or volunteering as a way to give back and empower students. Help us give all students a chance to find their spark.
Scholarships to Support Students Finding Their Spark
The Michelle Young Foundation believes in creating opportunities for students to foster their talents, abilities, and interests. Through our work, worthy primary and secondary students nominated by their teachers can receive scholarship funding for an activity of their choice.
We're poised to reach populations that would otherwise not be able to participate in such activities.
You, too, can get involved and start making a difference in a student's life. Consider donating or volunteering as a way to give back and empower students. Help us give all students a chance to find their spark.
Rowse, Darren. "Find Your Spark: 4 Places to Look First." Darren Rowse, 11 Feb. 2019, darrenrowse.com/journey/how-to-find-your-spark-4-places-to-look-first/.
Chow, Jin. "Passion Project Ideas for High School Students in 2024." Polygence, 26 Jan. 2024, www.polygence.org/blog/passion-project-ideas-for-high-school-students.