The Essence of Learning

“Is this stupid homework going to help me in life?” Every time I would sit on my Paw Patrol–styled table and do a math worksheet my second-grade teacher had assigned, this would be the first thing I would ask myself. This question would circulate in my head as I just sat there and bit my pencil and I stared blankly at my paper. My brain didn’t seem to want to work on these problems since I never had the energy to focus in class so I would call it a day and skip the entire assignment. I had parents and teachers tell me to work harder and not be lazy but for me, their words would go in one ear and come out the other as I didn’t care about the things they had to say.

Throughout my childhood, I was told one thing “hard work leads to success.” As a child, this mindset wasn’t really important for me because I never really tried anything when it came to education but that changed as I got older. For me, learning is the essence of success and in order to grasp the idea of learning, one has to be passionate and determined to work hard to get ahead.

Passion for learning is something that can make a person feel the excitement and thrill of learning, and that was something my 7-year-old self lacked. Growing up as a kid who was known to be very lazy when it came to homework or even paying attention in class, I wasn’t the best scholar in my classes. I always believed that none of this had any meaning in my life. As my teacher in second grade would teach, I would be fast asleep as she would have to wake me up plenty of times. It came to the point where I had private one-on-one sessions with my teacher where she would teach me the topic in full detail from beginning to end. Regardless of her attempts to teach me I would not pay attention and would get bored of her lessons. I would honestly tell her despite my young age that I wasn’t interested and that I had no motivation to focus in class or do my homework.

I already knew that my teacher at the time would be mad or upset due to my words and now that I look back at it, she had the right to be since my behavior can be considered rude or just plain careless. Instead of anger, she expressed sympathy which of course I didn’t understand then but do now as she told me to find some motivation or else I would go nowhere with my education. These words were like a trigger point to me as I realized the downside of not doing anything in class as I realized how others would get better grades because they would pay attention in class. It was like I had a reality check which led me to change my way of learning.

A lack of passion leads to a lack of motivation, and no motivation leads to a path of nothing and this is what I realized when I saw all those zeros. I already knew that my grades were getting worse because of my lack of doing anything when it came to school. The disappointment in my parent’s faces made things worse as I knew I had to redeem myself one way or another.

That night after school I thought to myself about the reason why I was so lazy. Why didn’t I feel the same thrill as other kids when a lesson was taught in class? Why didn't I feel the same excitement or why would I fall asleep in class and not do my homework? I also wondered why it took my teacher to call me after school or during lunch breaks to reteach a topic and still I wouldn’t pay attention. As these questions circulated in my head, I also thought about what my teacher meant by “finding motivation” and how I would go nowhere if I didn’t have any motivation.

The first thing I did was look up the word motivation and I saw that motivation is when someone has an intense desire to do something without stopping. That’s when my young self kind of understood what my teacher was trying to say as I picked up my notebook and began doing my math homework. Due to the lack of attention I gave during class to my teacher’s lectures, I didn’t understand anything but something woke up inside me like a flame—a desire to know how to tackle these problems and how can I master this overall concept.

So the first thing I did the next day was pay full attention to my teacher’s lecture about adding four-digit numbers. I also consulted her after class to teach me more which she happily did. I knew for a fact that she saw the new change in me as she taught me more of the lesson and how I listened intently. It was obvious I was gaining my motivation as I knew that my days of laziness were over.

Receiving motivation was like my passageway key to achieving as many goals as I wanted to. As time progressed I knew that as long as I had my motivation, I would be able to do anything. I would work endlessly and tirelessly hard, would stop being lazy in class, and pay attention to every word my teachers would say. I noticed an increase in my work ethic and realized that as much as I worked hard and had determination in myself and my skills, the idea of learning became easier for me. The push that my second-grade teacher gave me that day was the beginning of an endless cycle for me.

As I progressed from elementary school to middle school and then eventually to high school then college, I had made a learning cycle for me. It would start with how intense my motivation to learn a specific concept would be and then I would be determined to master that concept through my hard work. This included; paying attention in class, doing homework, taking extra lectures, and keep working nonstop until I mastered the topic that I wanted to learn. Through this learning cycle, I was able to become successful in my classes and I know it will help me in the future as well.

As I see the years go by, I can see how technology has advanced to the point where you can have artificial intelligence do your work for you. Still, I make sure I don’t get fazed by that and continue learning my way instead of depending on anything else. As this method of learning increased as I grew older, I realized learning new things regarding education was my new passion and I was passionate about learning new things without being lazy.

In conclusion, learning is something that can’t be given but something that must be achieved. We see daily how people are losing motivation when it comes to education and we believe giving up is the best option. It is now that people understand the value of hard work and apply it to their lives to reach greater heights. The education system is filled with opportunities to learn but it is only possible when one is determined to complete it all. After all, when would you pick up a notebook and a pencil if it isn’t right now?

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