Do you remember how you felt when you learned how to ride a bike?
Or maybe the first time you tied your shoes on your own?
Perhaps you felt a sense of freedom or accomplishment. These feelings were probably preceded by moments of frustration or fear as you fell or didn’t quite get the bunny ears (laces) to cooperate.
When was the last time you experienced that same learning curve? One that began with struggle and ended with a sense of pride or self-satisfaction.
Recently a student told me that she hadn’t done as well on a test as she hoped but that after talking to the professor she understood what she got wrong. The result was that she felt good about the test – because she learned.
Everyday presents us with opportunities to learn. Many of which can involve some level of difficulty.
When we learn something new, our brains do at least two things. It releases a little dopamine hit – helping us feel good. And our hippocampus actually grows a little by generating new neurons.
The benefits of effortful learning strengthens our memory, forges new connections and keeps our brains from shrinking – which can also stave off depression.
In our schools, learning can too often feel like an unexciting chore. Rote memorization, racing to get through material that will be on the test where the primary measurement is a grade not growth.
To use a metaphor I heard recently, learning should not be the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.
What lights your fire? Or your child’s?
When we share what we learn with others it has the potential to spark their interest as well. We literally could help make their brains grow or give them a quick dopamine boost.
Learn something new today. Light your fire and maybe even someone else’s.
This Week’s Recommendation: One of my favorite shows is Antiques Roadshow on PBS. People come in with various family heirlooms to learn from an expert about its origin, history and worth. I find it fascinating and I learn something new every time I put it on.
Share this with someone and ask them what they’ve learned recently.