Lifelong learning

Something I have been an advocate of for many years is lifelong learning.

I first came across the phrase when I was involved with the WHALE Arts Agency in Wester Hailes in Edinburgh.  It resonated with me immediately, man being a learning animal and all, and stuck in my head.

I feel, for myself, that learning is a journey through life this is something highlighted in the unschooling world through the ironically titled Learn Nothing Day.

For many years now my learning experience has been intrinsically linked with that of my children and it has been an eye opening, and occasionally hair-raising, journey and one that I am very glad to have been and continue to be involved in.

Since I started writing I have been looking at ways to deepen my understanding of writing and my ability to write effectively.  With those objectives in mind I embarked upon some Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs.

I have, today, finished my first essay for the first of the courses I am currently enrolled in and I am quite proud of it, especially as this is the first piece of truly academic work I have done since dropping out of school at fifteen {I'm not counting the arts courses I did as they were vocational rather than academic}.