June 27, 2012

Learning for learning's sake

Photo credit: The Learning Institute
Several times, I've commented on posts at Joanne Jacobs' blog that a teacher's ultimate goal should be to create a love of learning in students.

Students should want to learn for learning's sake -- not because I tell them to learn something and certainly not for a grade.

My contention that creating a lifelong love of learning is paramount is often a point of contention in the blogosphere.

"Why should creating independent learners be the ultimate goal in education?" one inquisitive reader recently asked.

This seems so easy that I'm amazed by the question.

Is there another, better, goal for teachers?

1 comment:

  1. As you know Mark, I totally agree with your philosophy. However, I think students naturally, innately, have a love of learning and its our broken industrial education system that slowly kills the love of learning and creativity. Sure, we can expose and direct students to wider array of topics, but generally if you/we provide the hook, they will bite and want to learn.

    I have found that one of my first jobs is to un-educate my kids... deprogram them from their grade-centered mentality and refocus them on just learning.

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