In this chapter, Dr. Daloz discussed how the learning changes the learner.
In the chapter, the author tells a story about how a friend learned to swim. Here's the story:
"He was out wading on the lakeshore when all of a sudden he stepped off an underwater cliff; the bottom feel away. He panicked and started kicking with his feet and pushing with his hands. Somehow that allowed him to keep his head above water and get turned around until he got his feet under him again and made it to shore. He said, 'I guess I didn't learn to swim at that moment, but I got the idea. You can't move the same way when the water is over your head, as you do when it isn't."
What I like about this story, and above all else in this chapter really stood out to me, was that we learn through experience. We often find ourselves in situations where we need to figure it out, and quick. This swimming incident was one of those times. The friend did what he thought would work. He may have seen other kids doing this, so it was a natural reaction to start doing it when he was forced to.
We are all like the boy learning to swim. Many times we need to just figure it out, and trust that it will work. Luckily, the flapping of arms and legs worked, and he didn't just sink to the bottom. Sometimes we need to just start flapping our arms and legs and hope for the best.
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I believe this 100% that learning changes the learner! Very strong message. I look back at every year I have been in school and change year by year because I am learning more. It is remarkable to think how much I change and progress as I further my education and experience new things everyday.
ReplyDeleteGreat message. I think the learning by experience can be very powerful and rarely happens in a classroom. The culmination of everyday experiences transform us over time, as Rachel mentions, and changes the learner.
ReplyDeleteIt's always curious to me how change is viewed as such a negative thing. In so many ways change is wonderful and allows for growth. I always wanted to know how to have the world embrace change and see that it often leads to such innovation and creativity even if there are hard spots along the way.
I think this is fairly representative of when many adult students are returning to the educationa arena and "need to get their feet wet" and know they are not going to drown.
ReplyDeleteI certainly knew I had the skill set when I returned as an adult (in my 30's) to college and now at 50 in this program, but had that initial trepidation that was resolved after the first class experience.