Learning: 1

Quote of the day:

"School may be hard, but learning IS fun and easy"

Many students complain about the rigours of academic life, and perceive each new level of their education to be difficult, often beyond their abilities.  School, as well as being a place of relaxation with friends, is seen as a necessary evil; a system designed to stand in the way of real achievement and success, although paradoxically it is also the path that the majority view as the road to that very same success.

As a consequence, barriers to learning are accepted, and tolerated.  School is hard they say, so I'm never going to really learn; I just need to pass and get through.

This is a gross misunderstanding.

Let's have a reality check:

1)  School is very LIKELY to be difficult, as life is not without its challenges.  If you feel challenged, and overcome that challenge, you'll feel the real taste of success and achievement.  This will become a part of you, and you will remember the moment for far longer than that moment you found out you passed.

Contrast "Phew, I passed." with "I really did it; I have it within me to overcome obstacles, and now I'd like to see what more I can overcome."

2)  School is not an evil - it is there to help you learn and grow.  The meaning of life is to grow.  If you are finding school difficult, it's time to explore the real reasons why, because school is not working against you.  Armed with the truth as to why school may be hard for you, you'll be able to do something about it.

3)  Learning and school are two completely different things.  Why?  Because school is not the only place we learn!  Learning takes place 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Each experience is one we can learn from; every day presents learning opportunities, from logging onto the internet to watch a seminar online to the challenges that our lives present us on a daily basis. (physically, emotionally, psychologically, socially)

4) If school is hard, it might be that you find learning difficult.  The question becomes: "How can I make learning fun for me?"  Because if it is fun, it is going to be easy....(to learn that is, not necessarily to pass - the challenges are still there!)

Herein lies the moral of the quote.  What needs to change in your education to make it more fun?  What needs to change in your education to make it more appropriate for you?  Indeed, are you in control of your own education?  Do you realise the challenges that lie before you?  Do you embrace them instead of looking for an easy way out?  The education system in the 21st Century needs to adapt to make itself more appropriate for today's students, encompassing the information that students need, transmitted in a way that is understood, and in a way where students can then go out and build upon what they've learned.  But what about the third question?  Are you in control of your own education?  This is your responsibility as a school student, and, as time goes on, as a student of life.

Being in control of your own education will make learning easy and fun, even if school remains a challenge that is really not your favourite.