Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Passion for Learning
What causes a passion for learning? What causes that spark in one's mind that builds a fire that can only be quenched with knowledge? We have talked about how one needs a passion for education, or what they are learning to really retain the information. It is also important to note that there is a difference between retaining information and really learning, as opposed to memorizing something that you will use for a short amount of time, and then when you have finished with the information, you forget it. What causes a passion for learning? If you don't have a passion for learning, why continue your education?
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That's a great question, and I'm not sure there is a good reason to learn about something you're not passionate about. I think there are a variety of things that could cause a passion for learning, which is why (like Dewey says) psychological connections between the student and teacher are necessary. The passion could be ignited by particular interests of the student with respect to subject matter, the personality of a certain teacher, the medium through which the learning is done, or any number of things. The important thing, in my mind, is to be in a learning environment conducive to a multitude student interests, maximizing the possibility that the passion of any one student be ignited.
ReplyDeleteI personally believe that if something sparks some ones interest that they then might want to learn more about it. If you hear a song and really love the message it sends, you might look up the artist and see what other songs they produce, and learn about their background. I think it might be hard to have students strive to learn in elementary to high school but most students know that this is preparing them for the rest of their lives, and that after they graduate from high school they can do what ever they wish to. As they choose an occupation what ever it might be they will want to learn more about it and continue to learn. I find that if something comes off strange to me that I want to learn more about it, and eventually it seems normal. There is always something that sparks students interest and makes them want to continue.
ReplyDeleteFascinating concept and a topic I have given considerable thought to over the years. I believe a person's passions certainly change throughout the years, as evident from how many times a young person will change their mind as to what they want to be when they grow up. The role of an educator has an enormous impact on the psyche of a developing mind and can create many opportunities to spark a natural interest or ability to emerge. Good educators can spark a student's interest which has an impact that lasts a lifetime.
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