The Joy of Learning

The year is quickly coming to a close – and what a year it has been. Who would have ever thought we would have had restrictions on weddings and funerals? Had to wear masks in public? Had to sit 1.5m away from another in a restaurant or would be restricted in how much pasta or toilet paper we could buy? All this, and much more, has shown us that we are more adaptable and flexible than we ever knew. More capable of change than we were willing to admit and more resilient and malleable than we ever wanted to be.

So, where does that leave us educationally? Have we learnt anything that might help us to move forward in a way that prepares our students better than previously? I believe the answer is yes! We have learnt that students can learn differently, they can learn more independently, they can learn collaboratively and they can learn more deeply. Do we want to just go back to how it always was or do we move forward boldly discovering a better and more progressive model?

The age of the teacher having all the knowledge and just having to impart it to their students is well and truly gone. With the click of a button, students can find anything they require from how much a 1945 penny is worth to the words of the latest rap song and the worth of the writer! What then is our job as teachers? I believe it’s simple.  Our job is to impart the JOY of learning. In the book Education, Ellen White states “train our youth to be thinkers, and not mere reflectors of other men’s thought.” (1903, p.11) This is our job. We want students to be able to problem solve, to critically examine, to collaborate, communicate and discover for themselves!

As teachers, we have succeeded when a student is excited about their learning, when they are intrinsically motivated to explore for themselves – without a grade or a mark driving the process. 

What will education look like in 5 years? 10 years? I don’t have the answers but what I do know is that it won’t look like it does now. We are going to have to be poised and ready for change! Clinging to the old is just not an option. Embracing the new is imperative!

Hold on and enjoy the ride! It’s coming – ready or not!

Mrs Julie Carter
Secondary Director of Learning