The Love of Learning

In my language arts class, we have been studying logical fallacies. These are logical statements that are not true, but people talk and think illogically all the time. The class had to bring in examples of logical fallacies from the world around them. They brought in commercials from television and ads from their iPhones. One of them even brought in a transcripted conversation with their younger sibling. Ha!

With my mind on the logical fallacies that exist all around us, I thought of this one.

School is for learning.

Therefore all learning happens at school.

NOT TRUE!

While school is (supposed to be) for learning, learning can happen anywhere. Learning is a free agent! Many people are lifelong learners in various fields. In one way or another, we are all lifelong learners.

The trouble with the mindset that learning happens at school is that it makes learning outside of school seems "hard" or at least "not fun". Learning is fun and it doesn't have to be hard.

Small children love to learn. Why does that stop? By first or second grade, children I have met from school will frown at the idea of homework. Most homeschool children I know at the same age enjoy getting an assignment. Of course this varies by child, but in general, I try to keep the homeschool children I work with in love with learning and excited about a challenge.

It often takes children who have been in school at least a year, maybe more, to rediscover the joy of learning. When I work with these kind of children, I have to tread lightly least I evoke their anxieties about rejection, failure and lack of ability. It is sad to me to see their love of learning gone and replaced with dread and fear. But with time, they can rediscover that they want to learn and that learning opens doors to exciting ideas, people, places, and opportunities.

While there are times we all do things we don't fully enjoy, learning does not have to always be that way. I write this in hopes of rejoicing with those who love to learn and encouraging those whose flaming passion of learning has been snuffed out that it can be rekindled. Let's all take the time to pursue our interests and find those who will love to learn with us wherever they might be...in school, at home, in a co-op, online, at a museum or in a book.