Learning For Adults - Conquering the Fear and Achieving Success

No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks. It's no wonder that people sometimes reach adulthood and figure that the learning is over and thank goodness for that. We've all had those times in school where we were called to the board to work out a problem or we had to stand in front of the class and recite a times table or a poem or some such nonsense. And then we dream at night that we are in school and we suddenly realize that we forgot to get dressed. None of us want to be exposed in front of our peers, and unfortunately the education system can make haters out of people.

In school many of us found learning to be boring or difficult or pointless, and that doesn't have to be true at all. The issue is that the traditional learning techniques, which are adequate to teach basic subjects, are centered around the curriculum and the teachers and not around the students necessarily. Now before I get slammed by teachers, I don't hold them responsible and I know that for the most part they dread the system and the paperwork more than the students do. They know it's not the most effective means and has to cater to the middle of the pack, while mostly ignoring the people at either extreme.

But, as adults, we aren't trapped by that system. We can pick and choose our subject matter. The real joy of "not for credit" college classes (the typical adult learning scenario) we can focus in on what we want to learn and the instructor is an aid, not a dictator. The best teachers are there as a resource. For example, if I am taking a course to learn Adobe's Photoshop, I may not be at all interested in certain features. I want to learn the aspects of the program that will be useful to me on an ongoing basis. So after the basic introduction to the tools, the instructor can allow me to design my own learning to a great extent.

This is what makes adult learning a completely different experience. You are the one in charge. You are learning about subjects you want to know about to enhance your personal or professional life. The courses are there to make your life easier and you know it. That is the chasm that separates high school from possible experiences in learning as an adult. The learning can be one on one as you learn guitar, or as an individual in a computer lab setting, where there are support people around to help you with whatever questions you have regarding any aspect of the material.

Do not be nervous about moving on with your education. Whether it is welding, writing, acting, software or anything else, know that the difference between then and now is who is in charge. You decide what you want to learn and how and when you want to learn it. Take advantage of the learning opportunities that are out there. They will improve your life.