Show Me the Skill of Learning

My teacher said that learning is a lifelong journey, progress isn’t linear, and failure is only when you fail to learn from mistakes. - Michael

We like to talk about lifelong learning as a mythical thing to aspire to, as if it were something on a greeting card. It is just generic enough to be considered nice and makes good use of our eduspeak.  

As much of a fairytale as it sounds, what we are really talking about are the habits and attitudes of learning. 

Can we help students pursue curiosity? 

Can we help them get over stumbling blocks or seek out help when confused about something?  

Can we encourage them to reflect on their experiences to find the new skills they have gained or new perspectives on the things they didn’t do as well?

We are in school only a short time, but we are learning constantly our whole lives. We want to give students the skills to do well in class and beyond. 

How can they navigate this work situation? How can they navigate new social situations? These may not seem like the same things as what we are doing in class, but they are all part of that persistence muscle. 

If we teach the skill of learning, then they can never be truly lost in school or life. 

Make that the skill of the day.