Cultivating a Culture of Love for Learning

I have often wondered why kindergarten children can't wait to get to school! At home they excitedly share everything that they learnt during the day. On the other hand, as children get older, they seem to lose this passion to absorb everything that comes their way.

As an educator, I have been challenged to investigate how to keep this passion for learning ablaze, especially as learners progress through school. In this current age, where learners can find anything on the Internet, where their free time is often filled with YouTube clips and interactive games, we most certainly need to examine what we do in the classroom to cultivate our students’ love for learning.

Behavioural psychologists have described two types of internal drivers for motivation: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. In the past, educators have relied heavily on extrinsic motivation to encourage their learners to achieve; they have given rewards – like good grades, or sweets – for good achievement, and have withheld rewards for weak achievement.

Daniel Pink[1] analyses the subject of intrinsic motivation. This motivation grows out of a love for what one is doing. We all have hobbies and interests that, when we engage in them, cause time to be of no concern, simply because we love what we are doing. Pink discusses the concept of “flow” in his book. This is the type of motivation that we should be exploring for our classrooms.

Here are a few pointers that may help to encourage our learners to “get into the flow” in our classrooms:

1. Make learning fun: Incorporate interactive and engaging activities that make learning enjoyable. For example, use games, group activities, and multimedia resources to bring subjects to life.
2. Encourage exploration: Allow students to explore different subjects and topics that interest them. This helps them find their passions and fuels their desire to learn more.
3. Provide opportunities for creativity: Encourage students to be creative in their approach to learning. Allow them to express themselves through writing, art, music, and other mediums.
4. Celebrate achievements: Celebrate students' achievements, no matter how small they may seem. This helps build confidence and encourages a positive attitude towards learning.[2]

As important as it is to help our learners engage in and love our subject, it is also important for us as educators to understand the big picture of why education is important. Education equips us for purposeful living; to carry out the eternal purpose for which we were created. It is a tool God uses to mold us into all He’s designed for us.

The purpose of education is not just to obtain a degree or a job. It is to know God and His ways, and then to use our knowledge and skills to serve Him and others. In Proverbs 9:10 we read that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (NIV). When we seek to understand God's ways and apply them in our lives, we gain true wisdom and understanding.

True learning involves more than just memorizing facts and figures; it requires engaging in critical thinking, asking questions, and seeking answers. It is an ongoing pursuit in which we should always be questioning what we hear and read, seeking to discern truth from error. In 1 Thessalonians 5:21, we are instructed to “test everything; hold on to what is good.”

In cultivating a love for learning, we are striving to become the best that we can be to become all God has designed for us. We seek to improve ourselves, to develop our skills, and to achieve excellence in all that we do. In Colossians 3:23-24 we read “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (NIV).

In addition to making learning fun, encouraging exploration, providing opportunities for creativity and celebrating achievements by cultivating an intrinsic love for learning, we must keep in mind that we as educators should always strive to equip our learners to love the subject matter as well as understand God as the ultimate Creator and Sustainer of this world.

TeachBeyond focuses on transformational education that is centered on the teachings and principles of the Bible and aimed at transforming individuals holistically; encompassing their spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical well-being. It involves the development of critical thinking skills, moral and ethical values, and a deep understanding of God's plan for humanity, leading to personal transformation and growth.

In conclusion, with Biblical directives to be the best that we can, in a world where we are educating the young generation not only to pass academic examinations but to be transformed through education, we are called to produce learners that love the Lord, are able to read and comprehend God’s Word for lifelong learning and to fill their space in society through achieving everything that God has created them to be and do.

 
Bastiaen Norel
Bastiaen is an associate of TeachBeyond in South Africa.  He headed a Christian School for over twenty years.  He now works as an Education Consultant and has presented talks and workshops throughout Africa and in Canada. He is passionate about biblical integration and sound Christian school management. You can reach him at norel@global.co.za or bnorel@teachbeyond.org.