THE BIGGER PICTURE: Learning is a wonderful thing. It offers real opportunities for growth and happiness. When we feel free to be truly ourselves and pursue our fulfilment, we learn from everything we do, every moment of the day, every day of our lives. In this way, learning is the most rewarding experience of our lives, and it takes place most painlessly and naturally.
This week, a considerable part of our population - both teachers and students - will be going back to school. However, many of them will be dreading it. Our education system is meant to be a system of learning, and as such ought to be one of the most enjoyable and engaging experiences in our society. But it is not, and it warrants asking why.
Learning is about being creative, flexible and inspired. It is an expression of great interest in something - a love that moves us deeply to understand, integrate and make part of ourselves something we perceive in the world around us. It requires us to lower our defences, open ourselves up to uncertainty and take risks. Thus, in order to learn, we must have access to self-esteem, care and encouragement.
The education system, on the other hand, is a project of providing intense amounts of information in a formal and unnatural setting. While there is no doubt that the broader, more rational aim has always been to develop an individual to be more insightful, giving and involved, it is also clear that the project has been overtaken by conformity and control. As such, we forget to trust, appreciate and inspire each other. Not only do pupils feel demeaned, but teachers feel isolated and stressed, making the project one that is endured more than enjoyed.
Learning can only happen when we are loved, trusted and believed in. We cannot learn when we feel defensive. We need acknowledgement, respect, appreciation and to be engaged with. Furthermore, learning happens best when you are not worried or concentrating at all, but enjoying yourself in a natural and creative environment.
We must be thrilled. We must be able to express ourselves completely - to tap into a passion within us where we want to know. Great learning takes place when we are not forced to take it too seriously, but can enjoy every minute. Only then can we feel safe enough to be vulnerable, awkward, take risks and experience what happens when things don't work out best. Rather than feeling like failures, we can learn about what we want to try next time and, eventually, what brings success.
Rarely will someone tell you they feel this way in our schools today. We have forgotten to safeguard self-esteem and inspiration above all else - even more important than getting through information and taking exams - for if the conditions are right for learning, we will take in a hundred times more information and be able to express it better.
Learning through play is something we will allow for very young children, but rarely for teenagers. Yet, teenagers need our love and encouragement absolutely as much as the younger ones. We underestimate how challenging the physical and emotional changes of puberty are to a person's sense of self. We distrust and disrespect teenagers, losing patience and blaming them for their struggles. We seem to be frightened of them, and forget to love them like any human needs to be loved. As a result, we make school a nightmare for both them and us. It's no surprise that one of the most common complaints in school is boredom. Boredom comes from being disengaged - not involved, not inspired and, so, not interested. You waste away in classes that don't have to be this way. Every single thing in the world can be thrilling. However, a lack of empowerment on behalf of either the student or the teacher will make anything a bore.
Probably the most oppressive aspect of our education system, however, is the message that integrity and success come from doing things on our own. Nothing could be further from the truth. No one achieves anything significant - or learns anything to any great depth - by themselves. Success comes from an interaction of ideas. Support generates inspiration and a real love of learning.
What we don't seem to teach in school is the fact that you need help to succeed. We can't innovate on our own. Thus, we have teachers, support teachers, even libraries full of resources. Homework is completely unrealistic unless there is a network of support at home to facilitate it, and that means having parents with both the skills and time to be helpful. Increasingly, many have neither. The terrible outcome is that only a few of us ever really succeed.
It makes a world of difference to have people around us (both peers and role models) who will believe in us and love us deeply. Our individuality, creativity and specific experiences must be expressed, and we experience a real joy in doing so. Learning ought to be the greatest expression we have of ourselves. My greatest hope is that more of us are opened to our passion for it.
Shalini Sinha works as a life coach and counsellor and presents the intercultural programme, Mono, on RTÉ Television.