The Passion-Driven Classroom

Angela Maiers is a leading education consultant and keynote speaker. She is the author of six books, and her You Matter talk at TEDxDesMoines has been viewed several hundred thousand times. Angela is the founder of Choose2Matter, a global movement that challenges and inspires students to work collaboratively to develop innovative solutions to social problems. Amy Sandvold is practicing her passion as a third-grade teacher at Highland Elementary School in Waterloo, Iowa. She has been both an elementary and middle school principal for an Apple Distinguished Campus for 1-1 technology integration. She has been an Education Programs Consultant for the Iowa Department of Education. She co-authored The Fundamentals of Literacy Coaching.

Contents

About the Authors

Preface

Acknowledgments

1 Achievement Gap Or Passion Gap?

Listening To Our Students

Minding the Passion Gap

Closing the Gap



Step One: Know and Show Your Passion
Step Two: Know and Show the Students’ Passion
Step Three: Know and Show the World Passion

2 Let’s Talk About Passion

Defining Passion

P.A.S.S.I.O.N.



PASSION IS

Passion-Driven Learning Is More Than a Project

What Passion Can Do

3 The Clubhouse Mindset: Where Passion Meets Practice

Our Very First Passion-Driven Learning Club

The Philosophy: Clubs Are Passion Playing Fields

What Makes Club Life Enticing?

The Passion Discovery Continuum

The Workshop Classroom: Driven by Curiosity

The Role of the Teacher: Expert Learner and Passion Practitioner

The Role of the Student: Apprentice Learner and Global Citizen

The Resident Expert Wall

More Than Fluff

4 A Passion-Driven Classroom: The Essentials

Essential #1: The Learning Clubs instead of Classroom Jobs

Essential #2: You Matter Time

Essential #3: Reflection

Essential #4: The Task Board

Essential #5: Good-Fit Tools And Technology



Good-Fit Technology
Remember to Include Books!
H.E.A.R.T.—A Strategy for Deep Meaning
The H.E.A.R.T. Technique

Essential #6: Celebration



Doing and Being

5 Organizing the Passion-Driven Classroom

The Physical Environment



Meeting Spaces
Middle and High School Practices and Spaces
Grouping Students
The Students’ Seating/Desk Arrangement

Passion-Driven Tools



Key Reflection Tool: The Student Thinkbook

The Clubhouse Classroom Routine Sequence



1. The Opening Message: You Matter Time
2. The Daily Boardroom Meeting
3. The Learning Clubs
4. Content Connections
5. The Closing

Passion From Day One: Simple Changes = Big Impacts



Invite Students to Create the Classroom Environment
The Crucial Conversation
Rules or Manifesto?
Heart Maps
The Wonderful Gift Lesson
More Ideas to Explore

6 Managing the Clubhouse Classroom

The Three Phases In Action

Phase One: Launching the Learning—Passion Discovery



The Opening Message Anchor Lessons
The Boardroom and Learning Club Anchor Lessons
Learning Clubs: Bringing It All Together

Phase Two: Practicing Our Passion—Learning Is Thinking



The Opening Message Anchor Lessons
The Boardroom and Learning Club Anchor Lessons
Bring It All Together Lessons—Learning Club Tools
Closing Phase Two

Phase Three: Sharing Our Gifts—The Passion Project



The Google Way
The Passion Project
The Opening Message Lessons
The Boardroom Lessons and Passion Project Work
Tools for Sharing Our Passion

7 From the Trenches: The Voices of Passion

Passion Still Matters

New to Edchat?

Challenge

8 Closing Thoughts

The Promise of Passion

Closing Thoughts: Choosing Passion in Times of Change

References