Let's start this series with the most important question -
What is a Passion Project?
Simply put, a PASSION PROJECT is an independent project that a student develops outside of an academic requirement. Passion projects can be as big or as small as the student chooses. Passion projects give students an opportunity to dive deep into learning a new skill, understanding a new concept, or finding joy in a hidden talent. No matter what your passion project focuses on, your student will be practicing and growing their skills in leadership, problem-solving, creativity, time management, organization, and more.
Learn a new skill
Do you remember when your student was a preschooler and they loved taping random pieces of paper or cardboard together to create masterpieces? Are your memories of years ago filled with images of your student building towers and cities out of their wooden blocks and legos? What if your student had the space to explore their world this freely again?
Passion Projects can allow ideas to flow and give students a space for skills to develop organically.
Understand a new concept or new academic material
This may not be well received by your student at first glance, but hear me out! Sure, the thought of writing 10-page research papers doesn't exactly make 15-year-olds jump out of bed in the morning, but that's usually because it's on a topic that someone else thinks is interesting or important. Once in a while, students are lucky enough to be given an assignment that they're actually interested in studying. But, even when that happens, some things don't line up. Do they get to ask and answer their own research questions or are those predetermined? Do they get to dive into this subject for as long as they'd like to or is this a month-long assignment?
A Passion Project allows your student to have the space to delve as deep as they'd like into a subject that they are truly interested in. The student themselves can determine how they'd like to then "present" this material. Some students may want to write a research paper while others will want to put all that they've learned about a new subject into a video presentation. Their research may or may not be seen by others, but your student will be learning for the sake of learning, not for a grade focused on boosting their GPA.
Find joy in a hidden talent
I'm sure I would have been an amazing pianist if I had been given the space and support to develop my talent. Actually, I am kidding, but for some people, this can indeed be true. I can't promise that your student will become an overnight pop sensation but they may just discover that they have a knack for writing poetry or playing the banjo after watching a few youtube videos and practicing several hours a week.
If you have any questions on PASSION PROJECTS, reach out to me via email - I'm at ParentCoachAngie@gmail.com.
Until next time, Momma!!
Parent Coach Angie @ Empowered Parents Empowering Daughters