Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

My learning curve is flat (or at a gentle incline), while dd's is almost vertical....

14 replies

Earlybird · 12/04/2008 13:40

Every week I sit outside dd's music class, and listen as she learns to read music, play new songs, and acquires the techniques necessary to become a player of some skill. Every week I watch her take a swim lesson - learning the various strokes, and practising in the water. Obviously she is in school full time, and comes home each day fizzing with excitement about what she's learned - what makes lightning and thunder, the root system of plants, how the ancient Egyptians lived/what they believed, etc.

She is learning a great deal in every area of life atm (both knowledge and skills). And, she is learning things that will hopefully be with her for a lifetime.

As I sat outside music class this week, I began to wonder what I have learned recently - and came to the conclusion the answer is 'not nearly enough'. I spend a great deal of time informing myself about things, but not sure that counts as learning. Why and when did I (and many others presumably) stop learning? Are our adult lives so busy that taking the time to learn/acquire a new skill is a luxury most of us don't pursue?

Come share with me what you are learning/ have learned recently/or want to learn. I need (and want) to be inspired to learn something new.

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 12/04/2008 13:46

I have learnt that the 1911 census asks all woman how many live births they have had in their lifetime.

What I know want to learn is why this question was asked on this census and what the goverment did with this information and did it make woman of childbearings age easier?

Bink · 12/04/2008 14:10

Hello EB.
Well, I found out that if, as a large corporate, you have raised money by issuing some bonds, & those bonds (because of the credit crunch) have started trading at a discount in the market, it makes bog-obvious commercial sense to go into the market with any spare cash you have & buy up your own bonds. But that there are ever such thorny technical legal issues about whether you can actually do that.

And that Julian Barnes has a better essay-writing style than Oliver Sacks does, but that I would probably prefer to meet Sacks.

Good question in principle, though: what mental furnishing are we doing, at any time? My job does it a lot for me, which is possibly on the lazy side.

Anna8888 · 12/04/2008 14:27

If you really want a hard and steep learning curve, go and live in a new country with a culture and language you don't know

marina · 12/04/2008 14:39

Earlybird, I have brushed up my rusty Latin, learned to teach the Primary Latin Minimus course and am now doing one afternoon class a week at the dc's school. So I am learning what fun teaching can be.

Do you play an instrument yourself? Why not learn with your dd and practise duets? That's what I'm hoping to do with dd in due course.

I am fortunate in that my job is focussed on learning support and most who do a good job in my profession are keen lifelong learners themselves.

Currently I am also learning a Britten motet with my choir and doing a distance learning course on indexing.

My internal jury is still out on whether Oliver James is a trite charlatan or Affluenza is a life-changing read

Frizbe · 12/04/2008 14:48

I have learned that I need to purchase a book on crochet, that will teach me more than I already know. I did attempt some painting last night though, something I've not done since school. It was nice to take a few hours and tinker with colours on canvas

ReallyTired · 12/04/2008 14:53

I think that whether learning stops as an adult depends on your attitude to life. Last year I did some microsoft qualifications in Windows XP and and Windows 2003 Server. I also learnt a lot of things in my job that I started last september.

In the future I would like to do some courses on CISCO or possibly learn BSL. Its finding the time and energy.

It is hard to find time to do formal courses. The OU is very good and if you do not want to do qualifications then there is always books in the local library and the internet.

Anna8888 · 12/04/2008 14:57

EB - if you read decent newspapers and magazines, you learn masses of things every day.

But perhaps you have the desire to quantify your learning or validate with a diploma?

mrz · 12/04/2008 15:05

If you have stop learning you must be dead because we never stop learning as long as we live.

Smithagain · 12/04/2008 19:47

I learn lots of things when I take on a new project. So I take on new projects whenever I get bored.

And the other day I was at a meeting where someone else was talking about starting up a kids club similar to one I started about five years ago. And I suddenly realised how much I know now, that she doesn't know - and I presumably didn't know either when I started.

It felt good!

Why not go to your library and browse a section you have never previously even looked at, grab something interesting and see where it leads. Go on, I dare you!

Yurtgirl · 12/04/2008 19:55

earlybird - I love learning!
Learning from dds books - I have learnt about egyptians, romans, caves and oceans this week!

I love learning another language

This weeks greatest achievement has been learning how to knit a picot edging

geekgirl · 12/04/2008 19:57

I'm learning to play the piano
Am two-thirds through the first course book at the moment (I started in February and have a weekly lesson) and it's just so satisfying and rewarding being able to play nice little tunes and getting really good at the new ones that just seemed impossible at first but then quickly take shape.
It's very relaxing, too - can't possibly think of anything else whilst trying to work out where my fingers need to go

scaryteacher · 15/04/2008 13:46

I've moved to another country and am trying to learn Dutch/Flemish. I have taken over running a youth club and have learned that moving didn't take away my skills.

I am starting an OU course next month on writing essays, and am about to apply to do my MA by distance learning. I helped to set up a book group, and am reading stuff (or not) that I would never have chosen to read.

A good 20 months in all since I moved.

mrsgboring · 17/04/2008 18:22

I started learning the oboe in 2000. Am still rubbish, partly due to natural incompetence, and partly due to not doing enough work on it. Started playing in an orchestra which was great until DS started being hysterical every time I went.

Have also done two OU short courses in science - particle physics and evolutionary biology.

But this has all dried up and I must get going again.

ivykaty I should guess the 1911 census is asking about live births because in 1911, the maternal mortality rate was actually going up, and organisations like The Birthday Trust were actively lobbying in government (read a book on the history of The Birthday Trust a few years ago, which is why I think this. Am not an historian or anything....)

Madsometimes · 18/04/2008 12:02

I am a SAHM and asked myself the same question just before dd2 was about to start school full time. So I embarked upon my first OU course. Even if you already have a degree I highly recommend having a look at the OU.

My course runs for 9 months and cost less than £400 and is worth every penny. My family thought I was crazy because I chose maths to study. I have just signed onto my next maths course which will be harder, but I have more time now. I already have a degree from years ago, so I am not motivated by gaining a qualification, just by learning.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page