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I sit here studying. I worry about my assignments, the coming tests (especially finals), and ultimately my grades. We (although maybe it's just me?) as students tend to take in information in order to pour it back out. All to often it's about grades and not about actually learning and growing off of information.
I wish I could say I break away from this. That I ignore the grade, and just do it for the learning. I wish I could say this, because I truly value the idea of soaking in knowledge. I love the idea of learning just for the sake of learning. Not for doing well on the next test, and then forgetting all the information after the test is over. But the fact is, I'm competitive and I cannot help myself.
Through being homeschooled I learned to love and appreciate learning in general. I legitimately enjoy learning new things, and I want to keep all the information I can. Yet, a great part of me wants to do as well as I can, and to beat my previous scores. I want to impress the teacher (if possible) or impress myself. And if I can't impress my teacher or myself I simply strive to get the best number and/or letter grade possible. I want to do my best. All to often "doing my best" ends up meaning "get the best grade"... and I'm tired of it.
Shouldn't doing your best mean something more than getting a nice letter grade written on that last biology test? Shouldn't doing your best mean that you are interested? Shouldn't it mean remembering things? Shouldn't learning meaning something more?
I think that learning should mean something more. It should mean something more than studying late to pass tests, working to get the best grade you can, and memorizing facts (or teachers ideas). Learning, according to Webster,
means gaining "knowledge or skills through experience, study, or by being taught." Maybe we should balance out our focus and think a little less about studying or being taught, and think a little more about learning through experience. I plan on balancing a little more this summer, and having more full experiences. Join me?