A Few Thoughts on Lifelong Learning

Have you ever met anyone who really loved being in school? I mean, being in school went beyond enjoyment – it was their passion? I have a friend who, last time we talked, was working on his 6th master’s degree. SIXTH!!! I always considered myself to be a lover of learning, but I don’t know that I am dedicated enough to pursue 6 degrees! Three is enough for me, thank you very much.

Across the country, schools are resuming for a new academic year. In my area, several of the public schools have year-round school, so they have already been in session for a month. Others started in the last couple of weeks. And others, like my university, are just now beginning our new year. There is always an excitement to school starting back, whether it is K-12 or higher ed. It is one of my favorite times of year! I love buying new school supplies, getting myself organized for another year of teaching, and planning for my students. Even the puzzle of scheduling lessons is fun to me.

For those for whom school is a distant (or not so distant memory), this time of year is just the end of another summer. But even if we are not involved in formal education in some capacity, do we ever get to the place that we stop learning? I believe that some people do, while others are lifelong learners.

As a teacher, I am constantly learning. If I taught piano the same way my teachers were taught without developing to adapt to today’s students, I very likely wouldn’t have any students! It is extremely important for teachers to also remain students. One of the richest sources of education, in my opinion, is my own students. Yes, I have more musical knowledge than they do, but they know themselves far better than I know them. I learned (the hard way, unfortunately) to never claim to know it all or to that there is one magic approach to learning that works for every student. There is not! Each student is unique and has his or her own style of learning; and who better to guide me in how to teach the individual than the individual himself?

We learn by staying curious and staying curious opens doors to discovering new ways of approaching our individual fields. No matter where your passion lies, there are always new developments, new discoveries, new ideas to uncover. When we stop learning, we stagnate. Life loses purpose. I have never met anyone who had no life’s purpose and was genuinely happy. We are happiest and living our most fulfilling lives when we embrace our God-given purpose and embrace lifelong learning.

The journey of learning should never end. There are unlimited resources at our fingertips – libraries, internet, free workshops in almost anything you can imagine! It is up to us to make use of these resources and to educate ourselves. And, as teachers, we also have the joy of passing on our knowledge to those younger than us and sharing our love of learning with our students. What a beautiful gift!

Here's to being lifelong learners, my friends. May we never stop growing, may we always be learning, and may we use our passions to change our world.