When I stop Learning, I have stopped Living

I believe that it was Aristotle that first indicated that each creature on the planet was made for one special purpose. They could do more than one, but their individual structure was designed for that one special task. The easiest example of this is fish, they are designed to swim. Lots of creatures can swim but fish are the best at it. With this in mind that each creature is best at just one thing, I feel strongly that humans are best at learning. This is what we are designed to do. We hear, see and feel new things around us each and every day. We take in this information and then internalize it and think about it, sometimes at great length, and come to a set of conclusions forming a new understanding of the world around us. We as educators simply get to set up the tasks and activities for children to learn. We SIMPLY set it up and the magic of learning happens. There is of course nothing simple about it.

What we sometimes fail to see is that while we are going through the process of determining what specific activity we are going to use in the class room, what reading we are going to assign and what technological tool we are going to use to help bring it all to life, we are learning. If to be human is to learn from each and every interaction then you have no choice but to learn. Of course we have not even considered what actually goes on in the classroom while the activity is happening and you are interacting with the students or reflecting on the class and marking assignments. We as teachers and educators are lifelong learners. Of course "lifelong learning has become a strong catchphrase during current times, a slogan bandied about in conferences, symposiums and seminars" (Findsen and Formosa, 2011, p.1). I would suggest that lifelong learning is not a catchphrase at all but simply a statement of what we are.

The concept of lifelong learning has got me to start to question the idea of life itself and what it really is. We string it together as a series of accomplishments and milestones that are all learning activities. Life is not a spectator sport, it is meant for us to take hold and get involved and to learn. My grandfather said to me once when I was a boy of twelve that the day he stopped learning was the day he stopped living. I of course have tried to learn new things everyday of my life. As my parents have started to age and we consider homes for them to move into I have really started to question the concept of education for older people and wonder what we should do as educators about it. "Keeping old people in a state of inertia, passively awaiting death, is a denial of the right to citizenship" (Findsen and Formosa, 2011). I of course think that when I stop learning I will stop living so keeping me in a state of inertia with no opportunity to interact and learn is death.

I think that there is no simple answer here for our aging population. There are two things we as educators can do to help. The first is easy as we get to interact with the people who will be filling these old age homes 60 years from now everyday. We need to make sure they understand learning is fun and that they should never stop trying to reinvent themselves. By reaching out to them now we might help them build and prepare to always learn. The other requires some work. Would it not be cool to start an evening of education in an old age home in your community. I wonder what information and knowledge I would get from the interaction?

Learning is not something that only happens in the classroom, from reading a book or the exercise of study. Learning occurs in many forms around us everyday in our day to day life's.  I have promised my self to never stop studying and growing. To never stop looking to the world and looking within for answers to life's questions. I shall always look to reach out and try new things, go to new places and meet new people. To interact, explore and discover. My goal is to live and learn.

Findsen, B. & Formosa, M. (2011), Lifelong Learning in Later Life. Rotterdam, Netherlands; Sense