Topic Guide
What Is Passion projects?
Passion projects is a subject covered in depth across 1 podcast episode in our database. Below you'll find key concepts, expert insights, and the top episodes to listen to — all distilled from hours of conversation by leading experts.
Key Concepts in Passion projects
Values chart (vision board)
A tool used in an "alpha middle school" program where students diagram "who do you want to be" and what "awesome stuff" they aspire to do. It's presented as a way to clarify personal values and long-term goals for young people, forming a foundation for self-direction.
168-hour project
An exercise where students track every hour of their week to analyze how they spend their time, based on the principle "you are what you do." This project helps students confront the reality of their activities versus their aspirations, often revealing disengaging habits like excessive scrolling.
What Experts Say About Passion projects
- 1.Middle schoolers are experiencing an "epidemic of scrollers," disengaged by dopamine loops from platforms like TikTok and Fortnite.
- 2.The "alpha middle school" program aims to re-engage students by connecting their daily activities with their core values and aspirations.
- 3.Students create a "values chart" or vision board to define "who do you want to be," revealing their desire to accomplish "awesome stuff."
- 4.A "168-hour project" requires students to track every hour of their week, emphasizing the principle: "you are what you do."
- 5.This tracking often leads students to a disappointing realization that their actual activities, like excessive TikTok scrolling, do not align with their desired future selves.
- 6.Schools have a responsibility to guide students beyond academics by providing opportunities like "afternoon workshops" to explore and develop "passion project[s]."