Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

Why education is so messed up.  I never forgot one dean of a top private university.  He was somewhat unusual:  he was for students who were diagnosed as having an handicap.  I was diagnosed as such for I did not learn as many other students did.  90 per cent of classes are taught by lecture.  I did not learn that way:  thus I was considered handicapped.  I thought that was absurd.  It was education fit all one size.  No wonder public education sucks.  Everyone is taught and expected to fit the mold.  I never studied styles of learning.  Nevertheless, I know there are many people like me and I know without a doubt 90 per cent of the students do not learn by lecture but are forced to.  I did not realize for decades why I could not succeed in school (higher education that is).  It was not my fault.  I was a kinetic learner.  I learned by doing and my own observations.  I did not learn by someone telling me what I should know.  By the time I realized this it was too late.  I thought I was stupid.  The damage was done.

Tags: dean, education, handicap, higher education, kinetic learner, learn by doing, learn by observation, learning style, lecture, stupid, university
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Everyone has something they have to live with.  Sometimes that something is more apparent:  obvious illnesses and handicaps.  Most of the times that something is invisible.  Although if you spend any length of time with that person you usually find out what the difficulties are they are going through.

Some people act as if their unique set of problems is the worst thing in the whole world.  The grass is always greener elsewhere.  Actually our attempts to solve our personal problems is what makes our life interesting.

It is so easy to magnify our problems–distort them.  It is so freeing to find out other people also have problems that appear to have no solutions and also have unresolved conflict.

It is so important not to isolate yourself because when you do your problems always appear larger than they actually are.  Your problems shrink when you share them with trusted friends.

And theirs do likewise when they trust you and share theirs.  Every one has something to live with.  And life is not always fair although that is another subject.  And ‘No man is an island,’ in John Donne’s words.

Tags: difficulties, distort problems, do not isolate yourself, everyone has something, grass is always greener, handicap, illness, invisible, John Donne, life is not fair, magnify problems, no man is an island, personal problems, problems shrink when shared, trusted friends, unique set of problems, unresolved conflict, worst thing in the world
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