Seeing the Big Picture

As Ivan Illich's states in his book, Deschooling Society, 'The pupil is thereby "schooled" to confuse teaching with learning, grade achievement with education, a diploma with competence, and fluency with the ability to say something new.' (Illich, 2009) There are so many other factors that influence teaching and learning, which influences creativity and innovation. However, this was what I used to think what education was growing up. I feel it may be the remnants of the Industrial Age model or thinking of education. I guess what changed for me is to see beyond the school walls of what defines success and how we can also succeed in life. 

It's funny...I'm back in school teaching now after a year off. Many colleagues have asked me how I feel being back. 'It's interesting', I said, 'the buildings are the same, the routine is the same, the subject area is the same, but I am no longer the same.' I feel that as people we need to recognise the growth we experience as individuals and not just academic growth. What does growth mean anyway? Or should I say...how do we define learning in the context of life or us in the world?

I'm finding, more now than ever before, that what used to stress me no longer does because my life is so much bigger than my life at school. School is there but it's quite small in the big picture. The learning process doesn't begin or end at school, but what matters, in my opinion, is how we use experiences to learn about ourselves. We all have the ability to bring change no matter how small or big it maybe. However, if each and every one of us gave the time and space to experiencing the experience and understanding the quality of the experience (Falkenberg, 2012) - how different would our perspectives be of the world around us?
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