Being Passionate

 

Okay, so this is a rather semantic-based blog with a focus on a pet hate that my wife and I have often discussed; being ‘passionate’ about an aspect of school and education when you are talking about yourself and your role, particularly in a job interview.

I think it stems from the fact that the both of us are English teachers and can recognise when a word or phrase is being overused.  I remember, sometimes vaguely, the 1980s when ‘synergy’ was the buzzword to use in business and I do remember that, at the time, thinking it was just corporate twaddle.

And so it is with the word ‘passionate’.  You see it in job adverts; “the ideal candidate should be passionate about inclusion” just to quote an example. 

Passionate about inclusion?  Really?  Why?

Passion is when you support your Football or Rugby or American Football or Cricket team and you get properly riled up when they play.  When they score or hit a four you go absolutely beserk and scream and shout and scare the dogs who were previously just chilling on the sofa.  When they concede said scores you go equally beserk but negatively and scream and shout at someone on the field or screen that they are not very good at what  they are doing and should do better (ahem). 

Passion is what you see when you observe the fans at the Tour de France screaming at the riders to, well, do their jobs very well.  Okay, many of the said spectators have been infused with alcohol because waiting for a peloton isn’t exciting, but you get the point.

Passion is when you have worked for years at the European Space Agency on a spacecraft using all of your incredible knowledge to enable this unbelievably expensive mission to succeed whilst, at the same time, really not earning very much at all in comparison with your intellectual capacity but doing it for the love of what you do.  And when this mission, that you have been a part of, succeeds then you have the right to go totally insane for a few moments.  Being a scientist, you will of course gather yourself and ensure the data is being read correctly. 

It's a science thing.

But you say you’re passionate about inclusion.  Does that mean you jump up and down, whoop a lot, shout a lot and do a jig when you finish your school’s inclusion policy?  Really?  Hmm.  Does your passion scare your sleeping dogs? 

Do you go into a brief depressive state when you fail to complete the inclusion policy?  Really?  Because if you were really passionate about it, that is how you would react. 

I’m not passionate about inclusion.  I’ll never be passionate about it.  I will take it seriously.  Of course I’ll take it seriously because it’s a serious part of education and how I perceive it to be.  I’ll think about it.  I’ll consider its implications in any job that I take on and try my best to make it a positive aspect of any school’s performance.  To not do so would be a huge dereliction of my role as a teacher and I really would not be happy about just ignoring it.

Passionate about it?  No.

Of course there is room for passion in education.  You only have to see the very best course leaders who instruct teachers to see that  they love their subject areas and want everyone to share their enthusiasm.   But in a room full of students and with so much of the curriculum to deliver, it’s bloody hard to be continuously passionate about something  because there is so much other stuff that you have to deal with.

Sure, you can teach a Shakespeare play that you love or explain dark matter that you are fascinated with.  Such passion for a part of the school curriculum will shine through, you really don’t need to state that you are passionate about it, unless you want to of course.  But beware that this word has been overused lately and its impact has been lessened. 

So, please, let us stop this ‘passionate’ nonsense.  Be a little bit more honest.  Yeah, that thing really interests you.  Sure, that thing fascinates you.  Absolutely, that thing really gets you going.  Aye, this is a thing that you are determined to get right.   But, please, stop saying passionate.  Its overuse has rendered it useless.

My rant is over.  Yes, it is pedantic and petty and very much an old fart type of rant.  But I’m passionate about it.