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| Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson |
Why is it, that as a child, I loathed school, whereas I absolutely love and crave learning now?
Since becoming an adult, I am ravenous about finding out how the world works. I hardly ever read non-fiction, and instead gobble up books, magazines, audio/video content to discover...everything!
Actually, now that I think of it, I did enjoy learning back then too, as I delighted in watching shows about science, like Nova or The Nature of Things, etc. It seemed that almost anything they showed on these broadcasts could capture my attention too!
- Astronomy
- Physics
- Macro Biology
- Micro Biology
- Ecology
- Chemistry
It all thrilled me! And it wasn't like I adverse to reading either. Like many small boys, I found many books on dinosaurs that thrilled me, or paleontology, or other matters of science.
I remember, quite vividly, being in elementary school (grade 5 I believe), and daydreaming that I was Spiderman crawling along the walls and ceiling while my teacher droned on and on about...well, to be honest, I don't remember what she was droning on and on about, because I was daydreaming. I do remember that whatever she was droning on and on about, seemed to have little or no consequence to me.
I don't think that it has to do with the subject matter either, because I can point to many instance where I learned more from a two or three minute episode of School House Rock, than an entire chapter on grammar:
- You describe it with adjectives
- Conjunction Junction
- A noun is a person, place or thing
- Verb, that's what's happenin'
So obviously, learning about any subject matter can be made relevant to the learner. So why is it, that school was so boring?
I don't think it was the fact that the curriculum was too prescriptive, because as I pointed out earlier, I took interest in so much!
Was it the fault of my teachers? Maybe they were actually just brain dead drones that would spew out exactly what was on the page of the textbook? I really doubt this, as it would paint all teachers with the same brush, and I know there are teachers out there that are passionate about their work, and know that they can and do get through to kids on a daily basis.
Was it me? Maybe I had some sort of learning disability where as soon as my buttocks touched the laminated wood of the school desk, some sort of learning disability would be enabled by the takeup of toxic substances in the seat through hind-quarter osmosis. But on reflection, I don't think so, because I rarely sat in my desk naked.
Or is it much more complicated than that? Maybe the methods we teach children over the past few decades isn't suited to all learners? If that is the case, can we make it better for more people like me?
I'd honestly like to hear from my teacher friends (or anyone with a point about this subject), to let me know their thoughts.
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