why go to school (when you don't have to)?
Here I am, sitting in masters class. It’s 7:50pm on a Wednesday night, I’ve already taught all day long, I’ve had approximately three large cups of coffee. I’m tired, I’m frazzled, I look like…well, ask my students: “Ms. P, you look really, um, tired?” I do. Over the course of nine days, I complete one graduate level course. It’s intense, it’s cool, it’s frustrating, it’s like, hard. So why do this? Why should I keep going to school when I don’t have to? I graduated from university with honors, I’m a certified educator, and I’m an okay (not in any way great, but boy you could be worse) teacher.
But I can’t stop. I love learning stuff! It’s so cool! I’m serious: when you are learning about stuff that you care about, stuff that’s cool, stuff that’s interesting, it ROCKS. IT ROCKS YOUR SOCKS OFF (Fact: I do not have any socks on right now – take that!).
And yes, I have boring days, or frustrating lectures, or pointless work, but the bottom line, my friends, is this: I am taking part in continued discourse on the nature of learning, I am questioning and reflecting on my teaching philosophy and pedagogy, and – this is my student’s favorite part – I have become a much more sympathetic fellow learner. Oh, you’re stressed and tired and you have too much to do and you forgot something important? Me too! You are constantly questioning your mind and your perspective and **hopefully** growing intellectually? ME TOO! This is so cool!
LIFELONG LEARNING IS COOL. Here’s the rub, though: I love learning this stuff because education is my passion, my bag, my cat’s meow, my version of the bees knees, right? But every day my students take courses that they don’t love, that they don’t have passion for…in fact, there are students sitting in my class every day that Don’t Like English. I KNOW – you’re SHOCKED! I AM TOO! I don’t understand how someone couldn’t L-O-V-E my class, because it is infinitely fascinating. Fact. 
So what do we do?
How do we make things interesting that we don’t find interesting? Well, from my perspective, I go for inspiration. I go for enthusiasm. But what if your teacher doesn’t dig that style? What if you don’t dig my style? I say own it. Own that subject. Make it your own. Find a way to enter into a subject and enjoy it. Maybe even (desperate measure here) love that subject because you can; there are individuals all over this globe that don’t get to learn, that don’t get to do what we take for granted. Man, it’s cliche, but DUDE, it’s true: we are so lucky, I am so lucky, you are so lucky, so FEEL LUCKY. Sit in Algebra (my most hated class since I failed it in the 8th grade and Mr. At***** told me I was an idiot and would never understand math) and FEEL LUCKY. Soak it in. Embrace it. Marinate in it. Roll around and savor it.
I am. Right now. At 8:20 on a Wednesday night.
photo: laos chalkboard / s.patterson / 12.08
Hi Ms. P!
Wow! Your blog has changed when I first visited it! Anyway, getting back to the point, I completely agree WITH you on this topic. There are definitely times when I come across this question myself, although I am merely a high-school student.
It’s more difficult to realize this as a student because we are not aware of how blessed we are to learn in such a prosperous environment. A lot of students do not know how children in poor environments strive to learn despite the lack of books, pencils, or even paper. So, from now on, I shouldn’t be complaining about school, but rather, to try ENJOYING it.
P.S. I am going to take your advice and try to “own” every subject! (Take that Algebra II!)
I’ll be looking forward to your future posts Ms. P!
Ms. P! This helps me so much because in fact I think I’m failing Spanish! HAHA. (jk)
But seriously. You’re right about owning and soaking in to subjects we’re not interested in. I’m sure there’s nothing better than our English class (People who don’t enjoy Ms. P’s english class better check edline right now)
but however, whenever I look back and think of all the things I have in life, I thank for them and organize myself to try new things and to study for things I’m not as good at. What’s really important is whether I try or not. Right?
You’ve just made my day Ms. P.
Something funny. I’m not addicted to facbook, to msn, or skype. But addicted to blogging. Hmm you’ve brought a great change in me Ms. P HAAH <3 Have a great break!
Hi Ms. P!
I don’t have a problem with English class, but applying your advice to math class…..now that’s just……near impossible. I cannot imagine myself “marinating” (HAHA that made me literally LOL btw)in log functions and the natural number e (is that even logically allowed?! “E” as a natural “number”?!) But…you do bring up a good point. I am lucky. We’re all lucky in KIS to be here and learning this stuff….but I still stand by my belief that I will never have to use cube root functions in a real life situation. Just saying!
So what exactly are you learning in your graduate course Ms. P? Is it like regular academic stuff or is it more involved with education? Why do you like learning it so much? I can see that learning is your passion but WHERE is that passion coming from? Sorry but I’m just in awe. I am much too apathetic and lethargic for that kind of passion (except when I want it).
By the way, my newest blog post is a bit deeper than my past posts (I took your advice) so check it out! Thanks:D
ms.p,
this post just INSPIRED me to work hard on my ap exams. i was losing my motivation to study ap econ because it’s ust not “clicking” into my brain, but like you said, i’m just going to “OWN IT”
Yes, ducation is probably one of the greatest gifts we have as students privileged in riches, family members who have their own livelihoods (not to mention family members who are alive), musical instruments, laptops, books, and just about everything else… And most of the time, education tends to be interesting. Of course, it depends a lot on the teacher (I’m not naming any names, but there are a few teachers who I just want to bury under a hundred feet of concrete; and of course, you’re not one of them; if you were, chances are I wouldn’t even be writing this right now lol), but many subjects are just ready-made for the student to “marinate” himself/herself in… even though, as Jane said above, certain things, like the cube root function, that we gain from education are things that probably will never be in our ranges of vision ever again. But whenever we savour whatever we’re learning, we can properly rest assured that that “whatever” will turn up again and again in the rest of our lives because … well, we make it turn up. Interesting, how education decides how our lives turn out.
Anyways, I’ve made my newest blog post last night, and I’m planning a couple more as time passes. I’m trying to attack music (not in the pejorative sense) in as many perspectives as possible… Check it out sometime.
Haha. The first time I read this I wanted to write a blog post on it… but didn’t.
And when I tried to get back to it all the cool ideas seemed to disappear.
So I wrote other things instead.
All the ideas seem so cool in my head and yet so awkward on paper. (Or rather word doc.)
But I still want to write about it soon.
Ms. P, =)
Oh, I could totally hear your voice while reading this post. (haha. =P)
I really love how you’re so enthusiastic and passionate. I LOVE learning new things too; it’s like tasting a new flavor of ice cream. I just can’t wait til I get into college so that I can learn things that I’m interested in.
I totally agree with you that we can just ENJOY things that we don’t like to do, for we have to face ‘em anyway. Why dread? Why be miserable when you don’t have to if you think of it as a gift and not a burden? Hakuna Matata! =D
I’m 100% sure that you’re doing great in your masters class, just as you’re good at teaching us. But I hope you’re getting enough sleep, Ms. P. I know you love learning… but you know, your health is more important than anything.
Looking forward to your next post.
<3
Hi Ms. P!
Ms. P, own that coffee and lets learn!! Hopefully, now I will stop blogging (which I have been doing for the past hour) and start revising my essay. Hope you write a new blog soon. It’s been a month Ms. P –you have 8 blogs to catch up on (kidding). But please write soon, it’s been way too long!
YUPPPPPPPPPPP, I agree. Learning is totally awesome–I mean that is the whole reason we go to school right? This post has given me light that just MAYBE algebra two can one day be …fun?
“I’m an okay (not in any way great, but boy you could be worse) teacher” say WHAT? Ms. P are you trying to be modest here.. because… what? If you don’t think you’re a good teacher then I’m going to have to slap you or hit you or do something because you are an awesome teacher.
As for the main point of this blog post. I know I’m lucky to even go to school, and I know I should be lucky to learn in math class, but I think all this luxury comes with a price. If you are as lucky as we are you have to meet expectations. Instead of finding food, you have to study, go to college, and etc. Now, I’m definitely NOT saying that studying is in ANY way better than trying to find food, but we all have different lives and they can be just as hard as any other. It depends on how you look at it. But, I do think that if we DO have this luxury, we should be meeting up to our expectations: we shouldn’t “wing it.”