What if learning wasn’t something students had to do, but something they felt compelled to do? What if education spoke not just to our students minds, but to their hearts?

This isn’t just a question for students, it’s just as relevant for teachers. Too often, both teaching and learning become mechanical: following scripts, checking boxes, covering content, taking notes, completing worksheets, taking a test, and just going through the motions of trying to do school well. But real learning, the kind that stays with us long-term, the kind that transforms, happens when it’s fueled by passion, purpose, and personal connection.

If we want students to learn with their heart, we need teachers who are free to teach with their heart. And to make that possible, we must rethink the way we approach education for everyone.

When Teaching Feels Empty: The Shift That Changed Everything

Eight years into my teaching career, I found myself standing on the edge of burnout. “Have I chosen the wrong profession? Why am I so angry all the time? I don’t even like these kids. No one listens to me.” These thoughts ran through my mind on repeat, and for the first time, I seriously considered quitting. Teaching had become exhausting, frustrating, and worst of all, joyless. I was giving everything I had, but I was getting nothing in return. My students weren’t engaged, and I felt like I was drowning in an endless cycle of lectures, assignments, and apathy.

I tried to quit. I even went to my Administrators to tell them that I was done. What happened next was remarkable. My superintendent refused to let me quit and encouraged me to find a different way to teach. Still frustrated, I explored “new and innovative ways to teach.” This was the point where it became clear that I was done trying to survive teaching, I was on a mission to rediscover my purpose in education. I explored new teaching methods, reimagined my classroom structure, and fully embraced student-centered learning. What started as a desperate search for change turned into a complete renewal of my passion for teaching.

My story isn’t unique. When educators find personal meaning in their work, engagement shifts from mere survival to genuine fulfillment. But here’s the key: the same transformation that reignites a teacher’s passion also unlocks a student’s potential.

Do Students and Teachers Value What They’re Learning?

Students aren’t disengaged because they don’t care about learning; they disengage for many reasons: lack of relevance, frustration, fear of failure, or even personal struggles that have nothing to do with school. One major factor, however, is that they often don’t see the connection between what they’re learning and their own lives. The same is true for educators, when professional development feels disconnected from their real challenges, it becomes just another obligation. More often than not, teachers have to develop on their own if they truly want to grow. 

So the real question is: How do we make learning meaningful?

• Do students see how what they’re learning applies to their world?
• Do teachers feel empowered to bring their own expertise, creativity, and passion to their classrooms?
• Does the learning, whether for students or educators, connect to something beyond compliance?

If the answer is no, then we are not just failing to engage students, we are failing to engage the very people who shape the future of learning.

From Compliance to Connection: Opening the Heart to Learning

Engagement doesn’t come from mandates. It comes from ownership, purpose, and a sense of impact. When students are given a voice in their learning, when they are allowed to explore, experiment, and create, they move from passive recipients to active participants.

The same holds true for educators. A teacher who feels micromanaged and undervalued is unlikely to teach with passion. But a teacher who is given trust, autonomy, and meaningful professional learning experiences will bring that energy into their classroom.

So how do we open the heart to learning for both students and staff?

• Give them choice – Let students and teachers explore areas of passion within the curriculum.
• Make it personal – Show how learning connects to their interests and lives.
• Allow real-world impact – Learning should feel authentic, not just an academic exercise.

How PBL Answers These Questions

Project-Based Learning is built on real-world relevance, collaboration, and ownership, and that’s what makes it so powerful for both students and educators.

For Students:

• PBL gives them a reason to care about what they’re learning. Instead of memorizing content for a test, they apply knowledge to solve meaningful problems.
• It shifts learning from a task to complete to a mission to pursue.
• It fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and a deep connection to their work.

For Educators:

• PBL transforms professional development. Instead of passively receiving information, teachers work through real classroom challenges, test ideas, and collaborate with peers.
• It encourages innovation and autonomy, allowing educators to design learning experiences that matter.
• It makes teaching feel alive again, reigniting the passion that brought them into the profession.

When PBL is embraced at all levels, learning becomes something deeper; it becomes personal.

Overcoming the Barriers

Of course, shifting from traditional teaching to a more student-driven, heart-centered approach comes with challenges. Here’s how to address them:

• “I don’t have time for PBL.”
  → Start small. Try a single project-based unit instead of a full curriculum shift.
• “Not all students engage in PBL.”
  → Allow for different roles. Some students thrive in research, others in presentation, others in design.
• “I have to teach to the test.”
  → Use PBL to teach core skills. Students still meet standards, just in an applied way. You will be shocked at the performance growth your students will have on tests.

These small shifts can lead to big changes in engagement and learning outcomes.

The Research Behind Learning with Heart

The science backs it up:

• A study from the American Psychological Association found that students who see relevance in their learning retain information longer and perform better academically.
• According to Gallup, engaged teachers are more effective, less likely to burn out, and have a greater impact on student achievement.
• John Dewey championed experiential learning over a century ago, emphasizing that education should be rooted in real-world experiences rather than rote memorization.

The evidence is clear: When learning is meaningful, personal, and connected to the real world (and not just the “real world” but “their world”), both students and teachers thrive.

From Head to Heart

Traditional education has long been designed for efficiency: structured lessons, standardized assessments, predictable outcomes. But true learning, the kind that lasts and changes lives, is messy, emotional, and deeply human.

If we want students to learn with their hearts, we must create a culture where teachers are encouraged and free  to teach with theirs.

So, what’s one small step you can take today?

• If you’re an educator, find a way to make learning personal for your students.
• If you’re a school leader, create space for teachers to innovate and own their teaching.
• If you’re in professional development, design PD that engages educators the way we want students to be engaged.

Because when students and educators care, learning stops being something they have to do, and becomes something they want to do.

And that changes everything.