My experiences of Learners and Learning

Essay by Richard.AUniversity, Bachelor'sA, February 2004

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Introduction

Rushen Infants, Rushen Junior and Castle Rushen. Three very small state run schools in the same village tucked away in a secluded part of the Isle of Man. Nothing memorable, nothing expensive, no competition from any other local schools and no new or innovative styles of teaching the otherwise mundane curriculum.

The teachers had themselves been schooled quite possibly in the very same building during the 1940's and 1950's. They now were seeking to impart their discipline to children from a different generation, a different decade, with totally different views and values. For me this was all heading one way (even if it did take me 20 years to realise it) usually to the head masters office!

Coming from a broken home in the 1970's had many disadvantages, the main one I can recall was having no father as a role model to guide and teach me.

This paper will concentrate on my learning experiences and observations from my school days, through to my military education.

I will discuss key areas of learning and will endeavour to identify and critique any events that have had specific impact on me as a learner.

Rushen Junior

By the sheer fact that I have few memories of pre school and primary education suggests that early school was neither stimulating nor memorable. However, I do recall playing and drawing at some stage. Vygotsky (1978) suggests that drawing and playing should be preparatory stages in the development of children's written language.

It now appears that I was inadvertently being prepared for future learning and was developing the foundation for my future education.

On a recent return visit to my primary school I was taken around by the headmistress. I was shown accommodation that had well heated classrooms and modern tables and chairs. There was...