While watching the abridged version of Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture” on The Oprah Winfrey Show, I was captivated. Not just by his deeply affecting lesson, but by what he says in his intro.

“There’s an academic tradition called ‘The Last Lecture.’ Hypothetically, if you knew you were going to die and you had one last lecture, what would you say to your students?”

It’s the best question I’ve ever heard directed toward teachers. And even though I’ve thought long and hard about how I’d answer it —I keep changing my mind — I thought even longer and harder about how I could amend and use Dr. Pausch’s question to help teachers and their students. My Vital Lesson is the culmination of that thinking. A way to learn and share the best from the best. 

The essence of the project is to ask transformative teachers,

"What lesson do you most want your students to learn? How do you teach it? In other words, what is your most vital lesson?" 

Initially, I spent three months driving around the country meeting with all types of teachers in all kinds of places, from the Navajo Reservation in Chinle, Arizona to the heart of Appalachia in Pikeville, Kentucky.

The project continues to evolve as I document the vital lessons from the best teachers and the wisest people I’ve been lucky enough to meet.