Learning

Now that school's started again, I'm beginning to think about the concepts of learning and teaching a lot harder.  What do those terms mean?  Is it actually possible to teach anyone anything?  I had a professor once who said it wasn't--he said that he couldn't teach us anything.  He could only tell us what he knew, and it was up to us to learn or not.  At the time, I didn't quite get what he was saying--it seemed like a bit of a cop-out, to be honest.  But now I really understand his meaning, and I have to say that I agree with him.

School isn't really about teaching, when all is said and done.  School is about learning, and trying to get kids to want to learn.  If we can accomplish that, then there's a lot that they can accomplish--for learning is something that anyone can do.  But if they don't want to learn, then guess what?  They won't.  It's hard to reconcile that fact sometimes, for the teachers are there to teach, and one of the greatest frustrations of all for teachers is having to deal with students who don't want to learn.

Life is a learning experience, all the way through.  It's actually a series of learning experiences that never ends until the day we die.  And who knows?  There's a good chance it doesn't even end there.

So what have you learned today?  You've had opportunities to learn new things--what have they been?  I hope that when you get the chances to learn, you take them.  It definitely is true that the more we learn--about the world, other people, ourselves--the brighter and fuller we can make our lives.  Teachers are all about us, all the time.  We just have to be receptive learners if we want to take advantage of what they have to offer.

Learning is not attained by chance.  It must be sought
for with ardor and attended to with diligence.

Abigail Adams