How To Teach Love of Learning
People are taught to receive information, learn it by rote without thinking about it, and spit it back to prove it was learned. This is the model most of us grew up with and this the way most of our children are currently being taught in school systems.
Instead, try helping children to learn about what interests them. Find the information required to learn, and then try doing whatever it is, if possible. Mistakes will be made, but that’s okay. Correct any mistakes and learn what happened. Figure out how to avoid these mistakes next time. Repeat, repeat, repeat!!
Pursue what is fascinating.
Along the way we all have to learn a few things that might not be so fascinating to be able to solve the interesting things, but this is the way it works sometimes.
This is an innate learning process that we are hard-wired with. We all know how to do this already! Have you ever watched a young child try to figure something out? You can see this process as they tackle a problem. Watch a little kid try to figure out how to turn something on. The process is fascinating if you just sit back and watch. They will try until they figure it out.
Many kids have difficulty fitting into the learning process created in the school system. Schools set forth an authority system that kids must adhere to. There is no room for creativity within this system as it is designed. Often when creative kids have problems in school it is out of sheer frustration. Left unabated this can even turn into truancy and drugs when kids are older.
Our kids are still as creative as ever…don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The problem is that it is being squashed by the standard school system.
Give your kids a little freedom to figure out where they want to go. Then help them get there by facilitating. Expose kids to interesting and (yes) educational topics like science and math by showing them the fascinating side of these topics instead of the dry textbook side. Give games to spark interest. Instead of solving problems for them, teach them problem-solving so they can do it themselves.
Guide children through this maze to help them find their passion. This is the gift of a lifetime.
