THE GIFT OF LEARNING (11): WAYS TO LEARN V

 "It is what we think we know already that often prevents us from learning.” - Claude Bernard

Ways to Learn

Learning is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, practice, study, or by being taught. Its acquiring new skills, or modifying and reinforcing, existing knowledge, behaviours, skills, values, etc. It may involve synthesizing different types of information.

In discussing this gift of learning, try experimenting; make mistakes, and ask silly questions; just have fun while at it - fun is a very vital part of learning, especially as an adult. Life isn't a dress rehearsal, so make the most of it. Consider some more tips on learning below.

1. Teach others. To learn a subject better and improve your own understanding, try teaching others. This is a wonderful way to learn. Joseph Joubert once said that "To teach is to learn twice." In teaching others how to learn things, you will find that you learn even more than the students. Not only will you need to have a good grasp of your materials, you will need to respond to the querying minds of your students and extend your understanding beyond what you have considered it to be up to the point of each question asked of you.

2. Observe. Look more intently at your environment, examine both the usual and the unusual, and look at it from varying dimensions. Respond to what you observe, notice then examine your own response. If you find that it's difficult to observe things for long; consider meditating. This will help you to learn to see things you haven't noticed before.

3. Practice. This is a great way to help you learn more completely and retain what you've learned longer. It will also help you to discover flaws and strengths in your learning, which is how we progress as humans. You never know what you might discover, unravel or link together.

We should realize that our lives as humans are shaped more from what we know, than what we don't. We have to make learning a priority in our lives; it gives us an edge - more like life has given us a discount.

THE GIFT OF LEARNING (10): WAYS TO LEARN IV

"You aren’t learning anything when you’re talking. - Lyndon B. Johnson

“Almost anything can become a learning experience if there is enough caring involved.” - Mary MacCraken

Most of us today have gotten so submerged in our daily lives that we forget to learn on a daily basis. Family, work, and social media are all great ways to grow and enjoy life; they provide new experience and countless opportunities for daily learning. I believe learning is best gained through concerted effort.

Here are some more simple ways you can learn something new every day.

1. Improve/Get better. Refine your existing skills. Whatever they are; singing, computers, dancing, cooking e.t.c. Hone these skills and take them to the next level. Also try new things, both inside and outside your preferred skill areas.

2. Do things outside your vocation. As a grown up, your experience MAY be your best teacher. Whether you work for pay or not, focus on a project or activity that grabs your attention - try lots of things and notice the results. You never know when an opportune discovery might arise as a result of your observations and innovative approaches.

3. Create. Not all learning comes from the outside. Matter of fact, some of the most powerful learning takes place when you are creating something for yourself. Creation can be artistic or scientific; physical or intellectual; social or solitary. Try different media and refine those you like the most.

4. Touch. Helen Keller knew more about living a fulfilling life than most of us could ever imagine. She was one of the most inspirational minds of modern times. She relied almost 100% on touch to learn about the world in which she lived. Follow her lead and spend a few moments a day just noticing the temperature and texture of the things that surround you.

5. Write. Like a gratitude journal, a knowledge journal is an attempt to take your everyday experiences and extract the most valuable thoughts from them. Keep a notebook to document daydreams, thought experiments, and stressful times and you’ll automatically solidify the knowledge you gained from each.

There's a need to constantly increase our knowledge - learning new skills, and honing old ones cannot be over emphasized. Someone once said "we start dying, when we stop learning". To stay alive in this present age and time, LEARN DAILY, we must.

THE GIFT OF LEARNING (9): WAYS TO LEARN III

George Herbert once said, "In doing we learn.” And Mark Twain added that, “Supposing is good, but finding out is better.” Yet, Anthony J. D’Angelo dropped the stunner, “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.”

Ways to Learn III

In continuing in this series its imperative for us to understand that certain ways to learn valuable things might not only be in the formal classroom but also from our normal everyday experiences that we, for the most part ignore. Consider these suggestions.

1. Look at learning as an exploration and opportunity, not a chore. Don't just force yourself to learn. Instead, learn things that you need to learn alongside things you love to learn. Follow your heart, as well as your sense of duty.
Even when you're learning the things you have to, seek to go beyond what you're required to learn - make your learning experience much more well-rounded.

2. Meditate / Reflect/ Think. This is like saying “pump your brakes”. Believe it or not, certain things can’t be learned from the internet – or even the rest of the world. Some questions can only be answered from the inside. Taking time to be still and pray/meditate/reflect is one of the best gifts you can give yourself – and it will make you a better learner.

3. Look. This is similar to pumping your brakes, but quite different at the same time. Look at things from different perspectives. If you’re used to seeing things from a distance, try a close up look at them . Look around and find something fun to examine.

To really learn, some of us need to read more relevant books, post fewer tweets or take our "faces off the book", if you know what I mean – creativity, thoughtfulness and thinking skills are released when we actually read a full book cover to cover. All the keys to our future success, lay in the past experience of others. Make sure to read; at least one good book a month and your life will blossom.

THE GIFT OF LEARNING (8): 3 WAYS TO LEARN

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” - Alvin Toffler
"Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.” - Mark Twain

Ways to Learn

 Really in life unlearning an already learned habit, or knowledge is learning too. Learning new things isn't the only time we learn. Not at all! And there are ways to go about this learning process. We started to talk about ways to learn days ago and in continuing let's consider the following ways also.

Learn the basics. It can be a grind at times, but you'll be able to remember, connect and figure out all kinds of complicated things through relatively few, simple building blocks if you learn some math and natural-science concepts. You can look up precise formulas and trivia again later, but the concepts will do the most good and save a lot of time in repeated look-ups if mostly learned by heart.

Learn the basics: Mix learning the basics with intellectual hobbies and games. Don't space them out so far that you forget what came before.
If you find some issues too complex you can look them up as you learn things that relate to their use. Read books by people who experienced difficulties but have still managed to find workarounds without giving up. Their ways of learning might give you a hint or two to help you improve your own.

Slow Down: like seriously - stop running too fast. If you jump straight from the bed to the shower, to the car and then hit work. You're on the fast lane. How can you uncover the questions life presents in this way – much less their answers. Slow down a little, ride your bike or walk to work one day in a week. I bet you’ll notice things you’ve never seen before.

I once heard that the reason God gave us two ears and one mouth is so that we can listen more and talk less. I doubt if some of us actually do listen at all. I mean really listen – to a lecture, a spouse, a parent, a friend's pain or even the lyrics of a song. Active listening is one way to encourage learning every single time we practice it. Great public speakers are great because they listen; to the feedback (audible and otherwise) that they get from the audience and they respond to it accordingly. Active listening will not only slow you down, but also teach you something new about the sights and sounds we often take for granted.

We all have to once in a while unlearn our hold habits and allow room for new programming so that our Beloved, wlives can tally with the advancements in this 21st century. If we don't make a conscious and deliberate effort to learn, it means we have unconsciously chosen not to learn.

THE GIFT OF LEARNING (7): FIRE YOUR DESIRE

“Only through persistent inquisition and ceaseless importunity does a man enter in through the door of knowledge.” - James Allen

Fire your Desire

Suffice it to say therefore, that the man who must learn must develop a habit of insatiable inquisition. He must learn to ask questions and not just wonder how and why things are the way they are. Sterling W. Sill in "Miracle of Personality" narrated a story, that, A young man came to Socrates one day and said, "Mr. Socrates, I have come 1,500 miles to gain wisdom and learning. I want learning, so I come to you." Socrates said, "Come, follow me." He led the way down to the seashore. They waded out into the water until they were up to their waists, and then Socrates seized his companion and forced his head under the water. In spite of his struggles, Socrates held him under. Finally, when most of his resistance was gone, Socrates laid him out on the shore and returned to the market place. When the visitor had regained his strength, he returned to Socrates to learn the reason for this behavior. Socrates said to him, "When you were under the water, what was the one thing you wanted more than anything else?" He said, "I wanted air." Then Socrates said, "When you want knowledge and understanding as badly as you wanted air, you won't have to ask anyone to give it to you."

Understand that every worthwhile venture in life, begins with the process of inquiry. This is Socrates’ view point on this matter, "Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for. In essence, If the learner sits and lets knowledge flow over him like water over a rock, nothing is going to happen to him. It is only when a genuine interaction between the learner and the "stuff" of education takes place does any observable change occur.