Sunday, February 28, 2010

My Love Affair With Learning

My Love Affair With Learning: "

also posted on Angela Maiers' site



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I love learning. I love being around people who are passionate about their own lifelong journey of learning and teaching. It's contagious.



As I reflect on these past 20 years of working in this great profession of education, and particularly the past few years of worldwide connections I've been fortunate to find due to the blogosphere, I'm excited about learning now more than ever. I strive for at least one WOW each day.



On this day where we celebrate sharing our hearts and passion, I thought I'd share something I've been thinking on for a few days.



My Love Affair With Learning



Literacy: Though we often think about literacy with regard to book learning, there is so much more to literacy than that. Social literacy and how we interact with others. Health literacy and how we treat our bodies. Global and Economic literacies and how we are supporters of our neighbors and stewards of our possessions. And with changes constantly about, we continue to learn



Odyssey: And with changes constantly about ... we realize learning is not a destination (and I think this is what I love most about learning), but a lifelong journey. Who knew 4 or 5 years ago we would be sharing our thoughts via blogs and wikis and Twitter?



Valuable: Our brains are pattern-seeking, meaning-making muscles. Thank goodness for that, because otherwise the noise would be too much to filter. Each of us have different styles and reasons to learn. What I am learning (important to me) may not be your cup of tea -- and that's okay, as long as each of us continue to find value in what we are learning, we will continue in our learning odyssey.



Enduring: The most important part of lifelong learning is that it endures. That's the passion part of our love affair. And yet, just like in this acronym - it's often silent and unrecognized. I ask students from 17 to 70 what drives them to continue to learn. Often, a shrug of the shoulders is the immediate answer. If we recognize our enduring love affair with learning, we will continue to nurture it, and even spread it without enthusiasm.



It is my hope that you are having a lifelong LOVE affair with your learning, and you spread it infectiously to everyone you meet.



But let me ask you this: What drives you to continue to learn (watch the shoulders)



Photo on Flickr by Snap



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