Skip to main content

Lifelong learning

It is 1215am and I have decided to write. I have no topic but I want to write. Everyday is a blessing. Take care of yourself. Take care of your mind, body and spirit. Educate yourself. I am talking to myself also. Ideally the education system could do more to educate us on everyday topics. Common sense topics. Life education topics. But that is not happening so we have to self educate. There is much information and resources out there. Why educate ourselves? To live better lives and make the world a better place to live. I like the term lifelong learning. Learning does not have to be boring. Learning can be fun and engaging. Find the type of learning that suits your mind. Seek out opportunities to learn new things. Learn, unlearn and relearn.

My friend calls it practical everyday knowledge and self-directed education. Fancy smancy terminology. I think one of the major failures of our education system is that it does not cater to the needs of all students. If you are good at beating books you will be fine otherwise not so much. The education system becomes a struggle for you. Even turning you off from learning, books and reading in the future. The education system is supposed to ensure that everyone comes out as lifelong learners. The education system should inspire curiosity. It should have us asking questions. Difficult questions too.

When education measures everyone by the same narrow stick through memorizing facts and passing standardized tests, it ends up alienating millions of naturally curious minds. Instead of creating curious, adaptive human beings, it often turns learning into a chore to be escaped as soon as school ends. Many students are burnt out by the time they leave school. Given all that has been said so far, how can things be made better? My friend says that to make things better, change has to happen on two levels: reimagining the system and taking ownership at the individual level. For example learning through hands-on projects like building something, solving a community problem, or running a mock business. William Butler Yeats said that "The ultimate goal of education is not to fill a bucket, but to light a fire" which emphasizes that true education should not merely be about accumulating knowledge but rather igniting a passion for learning and discovery.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Light

This is a chapter from my latest book called (G)rains (o)f san(d)s. Learn more about the book here . Thank you God for light. The Quran is the light of mankind. The Quran is the light of this life. The Quran is the delight of the heart. God is the source of this light. The Quran is a miracle. God shine your light on my path and bring ease with it. Though I may struggle on your path, let me keep returning to where your light shines. What do I notice by looking at the word light? G stands in the middle of light. G for God. One side we have li for life and on the other side we have ht which is short for hayat or life in Arabic. I am almost through reading the English Quran for a second time. Today I passed surah 61 verse 6 which states that Jesus had announced the coming of the prophet (peace be upon him). That verse stood out to me out of all the verses I have read so far. Muhammad (pbuh) was the one tasked with bringing the light of the Quran for mankind. I just noticed that the end of ...

Giving

It is 237pm and I have decided to write. I drank a strong cup of coffee. It is hot outside but cool inside in the AC. I have no topic but I feel like writing. I love giving charity. Who knows it, feels it. The world would be a much better place if we all shared with one another. If we helped one another. If we only take as much as we need and leave the rest for others. If we prioritised needs over wants. We are going to leave it all behind when we die. We cannot carry anything into the grave except our deeds. One of the easiest ways to give money to charities is through SMS codes. The telecoms should have a system in place where charitable causes can sign up for an SMS code to accept donations. Long ago I remember seeing the donation tins at the supermarket. We should have more of those. I think more people would give more if they were presented with more opportunities to give. The nlcb booths could be outlets for making donations. Linx machines could be points for making donations. AT...

A mirror for the soul

It is 207pm and I have decided to write. I had this thought. Is the Quran a mirror for the soul? How does the Quran help me see my soul? What is a soul? I am reading about the soul and it is all abstract as if we really do not know what the soul is. The soul is what remains after the body dies. I get that. The immaterial part of our existence. Is it responsible for the conscience? Is it linked to emotions? Are my thoughts from my soul? My friend says that the Quran speaks of the soul in this way. "And they ask you about the soul. Say, 'The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little.'" (Quran 17:85). "And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it. And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness." (Quran 91:7–8). In Islam we talk about the ruh, nafs and self. The ruh is the spirit whose true nature is known fully only to Allah, the nafs is the self involved in desires, struggles, and...