My Future as a Learner...

One of my most valued goals for my students is that they become life-long learners.  What is a life-long learner?  A common definition is that of one who continues their education past normal boundaries.  If that is the case, then what should I do when I’ve already completed my master’s degree and I’m only 29 years old.  Where do I go from here and how do I define life-long learning?

To me life-long learning encapsulates much more than just obtaining degrees.  Life-long leaning is a mindset that is constantly wondering and questioning things.  Life-long learners don’t stop with the first answer to a question, but continue to seek multiple answers to decipher what is right.  They are always trying to learn new things and become more diversified in their abilities.  In my life, I see a future open with many opportunities for me to continue learning after I have my degree.

In my classroom, I learn every day from my students.  I learn about how they think and see the world around them in their innocent way.  They show me a way to think about things that isn’t guided by my biased thoughts.  I love hearing my students suggest an answer to a question which I haven’t yet heard.  To me that is my chance to model life-long learning, admitting that sometimes students, even kindergarten students, can teach others.  I am not too proud to say that I don't have all the answers.  I know that I am constantly learning and growing with my students.

In my personal life, there are other ways to keep learning.  There are many books that have been suggested to me over the past three years while I was in school, few of which I was actually able to read.  Now that I am completing my degree, I have the opportunity to follow other passions and learn in other areas of my life.  Life-long learning is such a broad topic and relates to all of life, not just one’s career.  I would love to read more and begin to take up some hobbies that I’ve neglected during my time in graduate school.

Professionally, of course I will continue to learn through professional development classes.  One area that I’ve become more interested in during my time at Michigan State has been teaching professional development classes.  I have had the opportunity to learn about many strategies and supplemental curriculums which can be used to help students.  Now I can return the favor by teaching some of what I’ve learned to fellow teachers.  Teaching professional development would challenge me to stay current and continue pushing myself to learn professionally.

Current technology gives us many opportunities to learn.  There are far more learning opportunities at our fingertips than we could ever possibly pursue.  I’ve had the chance to utilize technology in a new way by having completed my entire degree utilizing online classes.  Some might think it was the easy way out, but I find that I have had great community and plenty of student input despite the miles of distance separating us.  Discussion forums and live chats have expanded my learning as I heard about new ideas and strategies that teachers are using across the country.

I know that my future as a learner will involve technology.   There is so much information and learning that can take place through the internet and technological applications.  There is no excuse for people to claim that they cannot find an answer to a question.  One area that I would like to investigate more is the art of blogging.  I have heard many teachers discuss the wonderful insights and things that they have learned reading blogs.  Blogs help to create a community with people from different places therefore expanding our learning as we share with other people about our differing lives.

As I contemplate my future as a learner, I honestly have no idea where it will take me, but I know that I will continue to constantly learn as I question what I know and what I want to know.  I hope that in my quest to be a life long learner, I am able to impact children and help them to see how they can become life long learners in their own lives.