Thursday, March 04, 2010

Inspiration or Learning?

Today in Environmental Science class a student was back after a trip to Chicago with the AP Art class. I asked her what she had learned, and she said, "nothing." I was a little taken aback and asked had she been inspired. She described some wonderful art that had inspired her. I asked her if there was a difference between learning and inspiration. A wonderful conversation ensued about creativity and learning and inspiration and what makes us be a part of advancing the topics that interest us. I learned this: for juniors and seniors, at least the ones in front of me this morning, their definition of learning was very different from mine. I would not want to learn if learning meant what they thought it did.

I think that truly learning something, something that makes you think a new thought, see the world from a new perspective, ask a new question, explore a new technique, express who you are better to those around you is inspiration.

What do you think? Are inspiration and learning the same thing? What do we do so that our students see learning as something as important as inspiration? What have you inspired in your learners recently?

Posted via email from Jim's posterous

No comments: