I am not the first to think about a good education as being like a spiral staircase, in that, when one is educated, there is an ever climbing upward journey through the same topics again and again, one layer building on another as the student moves up on the ladder of specificity in each topic.
As a parent, I teach my kids everything from how to do chores to how to do math to American history to playing tennis and about a hundred other things. However, at young ages, the kids’ only glean so much of each concept, so with proper education, one does not move too far to the left or right, but hopes to continually revisit the same topics, going into higher and higher concepts in that study or subject.
For instance, my children first looked at board books showing sea animals as babies and toddlers (one full rotation around the staircase). Next, as preschoolers and kindergarteners, they read picture books, visited an aquarium or two, and watched a few easy cartoons on the sea (another shade or level of learning sets in). As they have grown into first and third graders (and are now 18, 16, and 11, as I update this blog), they have had innumrable an opportunities.
I loved that I got to take them to a Marine Biology class and learn about sea animals (another round), and we joined an aquarium, so they could visit regularly (another round). They learn even more if we go right after they read their textbook (another level). In class, there were not only games (another level), but also don a dissection or two and various specimen brought to class (yet another level). We often frequent the beach; just this month we have found sea urchins, an oyster, and seen a dead shark (another level) and occasionally the kids watch YouTube videos of concepts in books, or watch a nature program (more rotations around the staircase).
Yesterday, the worker, a shell specialist, at Mote Marine, was very impressed with the girls’ knowledge of sea creatures. I was thankful for the opportunities they’ve had to learn in so many reading and textbook fashions, but I know if I’d read it once with them and given them less of an experience with it, it would have been lost unless the passion was so strong that it was their calling.
I like this analogy because learning never stops, but grows with life experience and interest, and it doesn’t have to look exactly the same; in fact preferably you learn the same concept in various ways.
Living in Florida, marine biology is fairly easy to teach, although some subjects I am, admittedly less adept at taking them around the staircase. In these cases, I enjoy asking fellow educators to help me on the journey, like the girls’ piano teacher for instance, who began, of course, teaching only the basic notes, but after a few years, has guided them through various trainings, to become actual junior pianists who are able to not only read music, but to play it as well. I supplement the teaching with practice time each day and with showing them businesses where kids and adults alike, have blessed others through music, such as those who play in orchestras, bands, for weddings, or church. The girls watch videos occasionally, or read books, about a famous composer like Mozart or Beethoven, or they watch an inspiring YouTube video about a child pianist who really amazes them. I hear piano works both side of the brain so we wanted to make sure they had a start with that instrument, particularly.
As an adult, I still make my way around the staircase. My memory is great for people, which is why I enjoy counseling and coaching, podcasting, and writing, since this practice keeps me refreshed also.
