So I spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about what this week's topic could bring up for me, personally.
I eventually figured it out and this is what I discovered about learning-
We only learn as much as we allow ourselves.
It's really that simple.
I firmly believe that the educational system we're all raised in is actually suppressing the learning experience we receive.
I'm not speaking necessarily about college or universities, rather the grades k-12.
Our present school system only teaches to the middle, ignoring the bottom and the very top students.
The way we're being taught is an assembly line, cookie-cutter style that breads mediocrity.
If we don't perform well on a standardized test, it reflects poorly on us as the students as oppose to the curriculum and the teachers.
As an example, John Oliver, host of the HBO's Last Week Tonight Show, did an entire segment on this very issue. He spoke about a female student that was the star pupil. Her school system calculated her expected state test score from her previous grades and achievements. According to the calculations, out of the 800 points possible, the student was predicted to score an 870.
Obviously this is an impossible task and when she didn't accomplish that score, her whole school's average went down and she was looked upon as a failure.
Another example is when students learn about the Vietnam war. Sure after the whole half hour they spend on this they can maybe tell you the dates of when it took place but a student cannot explain or understand the significance of how the Vietnam war impacted our country and continues to today.
Teachers will passionately defend this kind of teaching because their jobs depend on it or they simply just don't understand the significance themselves.
This is why education is an ongoing process and is put on the shoulders of the individual.
Education or schools serve only as a headline to understand that there are things that individuals should learn about but that is something only the individual can do alone.
Every time I scroll down or listen to CNN, The Rolling Stone, NPR shows, or The Huffington Post, I read about the insanity going on around the planet. And I realize then that education is a never ending process that is my responsibility and not the responsibility of the lower or higher educational institutions.
This grants me the feeling that I'm soaking in what's bleeding out. This is not prompted by a teacher or parent, it's just an urge to be aware.
I believe there's always a learning experience present but it's our choice whether or not we notice that.
Learning can be anything or anywhere.
Learning can range from listening to the radio to something as routine as getting the mail.
I do my best everyday to stay openminded and aware of the opportunities that the universe is always gifting me with.
Hannah, I enjoyed reading your stance on our education system here in the United States. It has its flaws and is pretty behind the most of the rest of the world and I agree on what you said about learning can be ignored or allowed by a person's attitude. When you spoke about that little girl being seen a failure it reminded me something my coach told me one time which is, "there is nothing one can learn from winning, but there is tons of things one can learn from losing." I think this saying might apply to that little girl even though her task was impossible, she might have come out better because of it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with how you talked about the school system being flawed, i actually wrote my blog about that. But i liked how you talked about how learning is all around us, we are constantly learning through experiences. My favorite part about your blog post was when you said we only learn as much as we allow ourselves to. Because it couldn't be mor e true when you think about it. Awesome post
ReplyDelete"We only learn as much as we allow ourselves.
ReplyDeleteIt's really that simple."
Brilliant, and unfortunately true.