Learning to Learn by Tyler

Tylerof Warrensburg's entry into Varsity Tutor's May 2014 scholarship contest

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Tyler of Warrensburg, MO
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Learning to Learn by Tyler - May 2014 Scholarship Essay

The best piece of educational advice that I have ever received was, It is not always about the material that you are learning, but learning how to learn it. At the time I first heard this I thought that it held no merit. I thought to myself that I knew how to learn. I sit in a class, read the assigned material, memorize said material and I have learned. After years of being in education I have finally realized what great advice that was.

As a teacher in a high school, I understand now more than ever how important that advice was. A few years ago I was asked to teach a few new classes that I had no clue about the content. One of those classes was computer science. Getting my bachelors degree in general business education I didn’t even take an intro class for this and the only direction that I had for the course was the name of it. This was the first time that I recognized how important that advice was.

I did not think that I was going to be able to get this class up and going. I had no books, no budget and very little to no know how. After a while of trying to piece all of the information that I was finding together, I realized that I was using some of the same little tricks to remember and learn the content that some of my teachers had used to get me to learn their content. The class did come together and I have now been teaching it for four years. Am I a master in the field of computer science now? No, but I still continue to learn the content to help better my class and myself. I understand now that I or anyone can learn anything they want if they have the drive and know how to learn.

Now not only do I remember that advice, but I am able to give it. I constantly tell my students, it is not always about what you learn, but learning how to learn it. Being able to give them examples of how this advice has helped me, I hope helps drive the advice home to them. This advice lends itself well to the subject of computer science. Not only am I able to teach the content, but critical thinking skills, problem solving and how to find information on their own as well. People today can learn how to do anything they want, if they know how and where to find the information. Even I can learn how to change a crankshaft sensor on a car with a little research

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