Most US schools these days start up after summer vacation some time in August. Whether this is a moment of liberation or incarceration, the end of an adventure or the beginning of one depends not only on whether you are a child or a parent, but also on the perspective you bring to your education.
How do you pursue learning as an adventure?
In addition to filling my home with far too many books, I bring my 8-year-old son to the library every Tuesday to read and pick out his dvds.
I am a committed life-long learner. I’ve taken classes that enabled me to acquire skills that led to career advancement, classes that addressed my spiritual and physical needs, and classes just for the sheer joy I receive in the learning process.
I went back to college (night school) as an adult 28 years ago and completed a degree that eventually helped me land my dream job. After that, the real learning began. I studied in specialized training classes and on the job for years to acquire the skills necessary for my profession. I am happy to say that the hard work paid off.
At this point in my life, I have begun taking classes that have little or no bearing on my career advancement. I have attended classes at the UU church to help me explore and develop my own personal theology. I enjoy taking painting classes with a local artist and once a year I attend a summer camp for “big kids” at a college where we study music with professional musicians. This year I had a wonderful week learning slide guitar from Bluesman and recording artist Steve James. After my retirement I plan to go back to college to study American History since this was my favorite subject when I was a kid. I beleive that learning should be a lifelong pursuit and it’s never too late to have a happy childhood.