I am a lifelong learner. I hope you are, too. I feel like that is a quality I’d imagine most Tiny Twig readers share. A love of learning.
Maybe you’re not a book learner. Maybe college wasn’t for you. Maybe you didn’t study above an eighth grade education. But, I’d venture a bet that you devour books, or read the news like you’re paid to. I bet you long to understand things better. I just think that’s the kind of woman you are. Your learning probably looks uniquely like you.
I love learning in most capacities, but nothing sucks the life out of learning for me than being tested on the material. I will do 100x worse in comprehension if I’m quizzed than if I’m challenged to do something practical or exciting with what I’ve learned. I’m even a good test taker–it’s not that. It’s just that my love of learning and of a subject is deadened by the traditional methods of measuring information retention and comprehension.
I have a person goal and commitment to take some sort of class every quarter. I want to take this one by Kal Barteski, this one by Melissa Esplin, and about a billion more. I love learning from other women especially. Although, my favorite teachers in school were men.
I have started to think about school for my boys. Right now, our oldest is in an AMAZING preschool that has just 9 students (5 in the 3’s and 4 in Pre-K). His teacher is amazing and very well educated in early childhood education. We just had Noah’s first parent/teacher conference and her insights into his learning were incredibly enlightening–a true gift to know about him for the future. Her willingness to teach to each child’s strengths and weaknesses is priceless. I know she is giving Noah a strong foundation for his future in learning. She is doing nothing but fueling his love of the process of learning.
I love the idea of playing to the strengths of each child, allowing them to learn at their own pace and driven by their natural inclinations. However, I am also unsure of how this works into the “real world” when they are grown up…but, what will the “real world” be in 20 years, anyway? Seth Godin tackles the question of the future of education in this amazing free .pdf.
After reading Godin’s take on education (and I admire him as a forward thinker in our time), I am interested in asking you a few questions and getting us talking. Not really about the school system, but about the way all individuals will learn–from infanthood up to elder life. This may take us through the end of the week, or it may be just one post.
BUT. I want to know…
1. Do you read for pleasure?
2. Why did you love your favorite teacher?
3. What are the qualities or situations that get you jazzed about learning (not the subject)?