TITLE: Passion is a Heavy Burden
AUTHOR: Eugene Wallingford
DATE: November 01, 2014  3:27 PM
DESC: 
-----
BODY:
Mark Guzdial blogged this morning about
<A HREF="http://computinged.wordpress.com/2014/11/01/the-challenge-of-turning-business-teachers-into-cs-teachers-wheres-the-passion/">
   the challenge of turning business teachers into CS teachers</A>.
<EM>Where is the passion?</EM> he asks.

These days, I wince every time I hear word 'passion'.  We apply
it to so many things.  We expect teachers to have passion for
the courses they teach, students to have passion for the
courses they take, and graduates to have passion for the jobs
they do and the careers they build.

Passion is a heavy burden.  In particular, I've seen it paralyze
otherwise well-adjusted college students who think they need to
try another major, because they don't feel a passion for the
one they are currently studying.  They don't realize that often
passion comes later, after they master something, do it for a
while, and come to appreciate it ways they could never imagine
before.  I'm sure some of these students become alumni who are
discontent with their careers, because they don't feel passion.

I think requiring all CS teachers to have a passion for CS sets
the bar too high.  It's an unrealistic expectation of prospective
teachers <EM>and</EM> of the programs that prepare them.

We can survive without passionate teachers.  We should set our
sights on more realistic and relevant goals:
<UL>
<LI> Teachers should be <B>curious</B>.  They should have a desire
     to learn new things.  </LI>
<LI> Teachers should be <B>professional</B>.  They should have a
     desire to do their jobs well.  </LI>
<LI> Teachers should be <B>competent</B>.  They should be capable
     of doing their jobs well.  </LI>
</UL>

Curiosity is so much more important than passion for most people
in most contexts.  If you are curious, you will like encountering
new ideas and learning new skills.  That enjoyment will carry you
a long way.  It may even help you find your passion.

Perhaps we should set similarly realistic goals for our students,
too.  If they are curious, professional, and competent, they will
most likely be successful -- and content, if not happy.  We could
all do worse.
-----