Love of Learning

I've mentioned elsewhere that we need a love of learning. Here are the words of the wise man:

Sit and hear the importance of a love of learning.

Loving goodness without loving learning leads to foolishness.

Loving knowledge without loving learning leads to confusion.

Loving trustworthiness without loving learning leads to harmful actions.

Loving virtue without loving learning leads to harshness.

Loving courage without loving learning leads to rebellion.

Loving inner strength without loving learning leads to stubbornness.

Wow! What great words. The love of learning is part of the path to wisdom!

You normally do not hear about the love of learning. The schools use the Six Pillars of Character: (1) Trustworthiness, (2)Respect, (3) Responsibility, (4) Fairness, (5) Caring, and (6) Citizenship.

The Character First organization uses a list of 49 character traits. It is a great list, but the love of learning is not on the list.

The love of learning is an important key to removing the barriers to success that plague unsuccessful schools. It has been 25 years since the Bell Report, A Nation at Risk, came out. We've seen twenty-five years of sweat, tears, and frustration, twenty-five years of money into failing programs, and we have not improved the failing schools because no one has talked about the love of learning.

We must break with the status quo. We need a better vision to advance education. Vote for Robert Canright (place 4) and David Hall (place 5) if you value education.

Robert Canright

PS: the NY Times has an excellent OP-ED piece, "A Nation at a Loss" by Edward B. Fiske, Friday, April 25, 2008.