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Lifelong learning

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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.
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