Happy to learn VS Learn to be happy

Learning is a crucial part of our life. As no one is born to know everything, there is always things that one has yet to learn at any stage of our life. Hence, adopting the right attitude towards learning and keeping the learning spirit going has surely become essential skills for everyone.

To learn effectively, the learning process has to be spontaneous. Learning cannot be 'forced' or done with an ulterior motive in mind against one's own free will. Should learning take place just to fulfil a pre-set objective (e.g. to pass examinations, to please our parents), it will lose its original meaning especially if the 'learner' subsequently 'unlearn' the information and have it 'erased' from his memory after his ''set objectives'' are achieved. Hence, learning must be done in the correct perspective when the learner is in the right mindset, happy mood and adopts the correct attitude in order to achieve the best results.

How then can we deal with an unhappy person who wants to learn how to find happiness? Some critics may raise this controversial issue - Can being happy be learned? If so, how? Try this - Close your eyes, relax and imagine yourself to be a soul free to do anything you want, no responsibilities to shoulder, no worries for the next meal and no boss to answer to.........you feel yourself flying up to heaven! - Happiness in its purest sense.

Learning to relax and to let go of worldly wants and unrealistic dreams and aspirations can be a trying process but it has to be done with a sincere heart and genuinely good intentions such as giving without expecting anything in return. Once a person can achieve this stage, he would have found happiness for himself. While this is not an easy process for anyone to achieve at short notice, it is definitely a possible and achievable one.

I personally believe that once a person succeeded in learning to find happiness for himself, his other learning journeys would all be a breeze to him!  And only when a person achieve this stage can he visualise the true meaning of learning and start to learn willingly and spontaneously to add value to his life!

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Effects of examinations on learning

Are examinations effective tools to measure learning? Well, Yes and No. Ideally, learning should be spontaneous. However, there has to be a proper system to assess the effectiveness of the youngsters' learning in school and hence examinations are introduced.

A very common debate among parents and educational specialists often revolve around whether examinations are the cause of learning or merely a platform to check on learning progress. Would learning become less stressful and more enjoyable if there were no examinations to take and hence no grading to compare with our peers? On the other hand, some critics have raised their concern that if learning can be done casually with no examinations, would the young learners then take it seriously?

 
Examinations have been a crucial part of the formal education system for many years although the way they are conducted has been revised many times, ranging from the paper and pen assessment to project-based and even mentoring and tutoring! Most of us have came to accept that it is a valid accreditation process to witness that the learning process has indeed taken place.

However, the flip side of the examination system has also created a group of ''exam-smart'' students who ''specialised'' in tackling examination questions and strived to be an expert in these techniques but gradually ''forget'' the facts that are studied or learned in the process as it is deemed to have achieved its objectives after they have passed the examinations.

Perhaps, the crux of the issue lies on the level of emphasis placed on the learning process itself and the examination results that follows. Unless the level of participation in the learning process and the ability to apply the knowledge gained to solve actual live problems are given greater emphasis than the examination results, the learning process may not reach its ultimate objective.

Conversely, it is sad to note that on the other side of the spectrum, there are also people who develop examination phobia or dislike learning due to the stress brought about by school examinations! As such, it all boils down to the proper acceptance and enforcement of examinations as well as the correct attitude towards learning. Last but not least, one cannot deny that carefully crafted examination formats can certainly be a good gauge of one's learning!

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Rote Learning VS Situational Learning

  Learning can be done in many ways. At home, many of our young children learn by circumstance, they learn from the mistakes they make and the way people around them which include adults and other children handled various situations happening around them. These outside classroom learning is sometimes called 'Situational Learning' where no books or formal records are referred and people learn via the circumstance and outcome of each event that happened around them.

When children undergo formal education in schools, a larger portion of their learning will be conducted through recorded materials printed in textbooks. These books are then used as a point of reference for them when the teachers in schools need to assess how well the learning goes down with their students. If the classroom learning is not done in an active manner, these students are likely to turn to 'Rote Learning' from their textbooks and teachers' notes in order to pass their school assessments and examinations.



In my opinion, the main difference between 'Rote Learning' and 'Situational Learning' is the level of participation and spontaneity of the learners in the learning process. With active participation in the process, the learner is made to think, analyse and grasp the ''concept'' of the learning and apply it to other similar situations in future. 'Rote Learning', on the other hand, often does not involve active participation as the student may well just commit the knowledge to memory and regurgitate it out during their examinations. In other words, critical thinking may not be employed in 'Rote Learning'.

As such, I felt that 'hands-on learning' is a more effective way of learning and such learning avenues are often found in 'Situational Learning'. Although it is inevitable to avoid 'Rote Learning' entirely in a formal education system, a good mix of  'Rote Learning' and 'Situational Learning' would be ideal for our youngsters to maximise the benefits of their learning.

However, to me, unconscious learning through casual reading of books and materials that are of interest to us is by far the best way to learn. It is not only spontaneous but also voluntary which enables the learner to enjoy every minute of it with no stress as learning has combined with leisure and becomes part of a recreational activity done in an informal way.

Hence, it is very important to inculcate the spirit of learning in our young so that it can become a natural activity and happen at anytime, anywhere and under any circumstances. In short, make learning a way of life for our youngsters and they would have no worries in catching up with society and advancements in human civilisation or globalisation in the many years ahead of their lives!

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Learning via Parenting and Family Bonding

Love and bonding within the family is one of the simplest way to bring happiness into our lives! For most of us, our family forms the centre of our lives and everything we do revolves around our family.

When we first start our family and embark on the journey of parenthood, the little angels we bring to our families are the ones who brighten up our lives. As their learning journey begins, so do ours - We need to start to learn how to be parents!

To me, parenting is an ''exciting expedition'' in my life journey.  We need to first of all recognise that children and even babies too have emotions and moods. When they feel 'down' or 'moody', they can throw or display all types of tantrums via their instinctive modes such as crying and screaming. Hence, new parents often need to take some time to 'learn the ropes to recognise these signals' and devise ways to tackle or counteract them.

I first learn of ''respect'' from my parents and teachers in my childhood days. In those days, children were taught to respect our elders and obey them. However, in modern times, kids too requested for the respect of their parents. I was really taken aback when my son demanded that I 'respect' his privacy when I tried to search his school bag to check for any homework lest he forgot about them when he first started school!

Perhaps, with the exposure to the internet and early interaction with electronic and digital equipment, children nowadays are more well-informed than the kids of yesteryears. They can talk like adults and even command the same level of respect from us! When punishments are meted out, they can even 'quote the definition of abuse' to you and 'threaten' to report you to the police if they are canned or confined at home! As such, a lot of learning needs to be done before one can play the role of a competent parent nowadays!

I have to admit that my parenting role has added much stress to my already hectic work schedule but also enable me to grow at another emotional as well as intellectual level. In fact, part of the disciplinary and reward system I set up at home can actually be applied in the workplace as I believe everyone of us has a "child instinct'' buried within us. Hence, child tactics may be applied under certain circumstances.

As the saying goes, learning can happen anytime, anywhere and under any type of circumstances. As such, whether you are working, parenting, bonding in the family, mingling at social gatherings or participating in community activities with people of all ages and discipline, you have much to learn from all involved, including kids!

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Learning is most effective when done happily and willingly

Learning is spontaneous and is most effective when it is done willingly with a Happy Heart. To me, learning cannot be forced, it has to be done at your own free will to achieve the desired results!

When I chanced upon my son's facebook posts and What's App messages, I was very disturbed to realise that all this while, he had the misconception that he was being 'forced to learn for the sake of passing examinations in school'! This perception is definitely incorrect.

Learning is an essential and compulsory skill required for survival. Education is important as it moulds our character and offers us the skills which are applicable throughout our lives. Knowledge gained in Maths and Science can be applied in real life and an excellent command of languages enables us to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life. Hence, knowing that what is learned in school now will be useful to us for life is surely an important factor that can motivate one to learn happily and willingly not only in school but throughout his life.

In order to achieve the optimal results of effective learning, one must be made to realise or enjoy the benefits of learning from time to time. For example, if one starts to learn fishing, the first fish he caught will be his first achievement in this learning process. To make him further cherish this achievement, he can be given an opportunity to barbeque this 'first achievement' and then share it with his family and friends. This unique experience will definitely make the learner realise that for the effort he made to learn fishing which is a new skill to him, he will in turn gain a new experience (The experience of sampling his own catch). This new experience would have been non-existent if the learning of that new skill did not happen in the first place!


However, how then can we create an activity to allow students in our schools to realise the difference that their academic learning can make to them or their everyday lives to motivate them to continue learning? This portion can prove to be challenge to educators and parents alike.

To achieve this target, we can start a project in school for the brighter students to offer assistance to the weaker ones. When these students are given a chance to try out ''the teaching role'' on their peers, it not only reinforces what they have already learned but also enables them to take pride in themselves and boost their self confidence. At the same time, the weaker students can easily catch up with them in the learning process and continue with the learning journey together.

As different students are strong in different subjects, they can exchange their knowledge in their strong areas and brush up on their weaker areas from others. This system is typically a small replica of society at large. People who are strong in their sciences may become doctors and scientists who contribute to society in these areas while others who are skilful in art and craft can make contributions in other ways within their own niche areas.

In short, in order for everyone to embrace learning as a life-long skill from a young age, we have to realise the benefits of learning and do it happily and willingly to achieve the optimal results.

 

 

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Learning Enriches Lives

Learning starts the moment we are born and continues till the end of our lives. In fact, it has become an integral part of modern living and can definitely enrich our lives.


As a young new-born baby, one learns to eat, learns motor skills to move our limbs and body, learns to respond to the environment we live in and the people around us. These are essential skills that many of us learn through our five senses without even realising it!

The day-to-day interactions of these youngsters with their parents, family members and/or other care-givers also provides great opportunities for the young inquisitive minds to prosper to new heights. Family values such as love, care, courtesy, tolerance, passion and kindness are passed on through learning at this phase.

The next phase of learning in our lives takes place through childhood play.  Through the games and activities we have engaged in our childhood, we learn soft skills through our interactions with others and how to live harmoniously with people in the same community and later on in society at large.

When we enter the formal education system to start learning intellectually by acquiring knowledge from books and teachers in school, our learning takes off to a higher level. Here, our learning is further divided into the various subjects we take in school. These include languages, mathematics, science, art, history, geography and economics. Along with this broad-based learning, various certifications will be issued as évidence' of that learning to mark each milestone in the learning process.

A lot of people advocate that the awarding of a certificate from a formal learning institute marks the end of his learning journey as he can then rely on the knowledge acquired in school to carve a niche  in society for the rest of his life. To me, I felt that the knowledge we have learnt in school only forms the foundation for our later adult life. In fact, learning never stops whether there are examinations to pass or not. Society is also moving on and improving and new things are invented and discovered every single day. Hence, if one stops learning, one will be left 'standing' at the point where he left school and not able to move on. The quality of his life and his future will likewise come to a standstill.

As such, adopting a positive learning attitude at all times is very important. As new products, services and work procedures are introduced in the workplace, we have to learn them readily to catch up with the pace of society or be left behind.

With the entry into the digital era, I was initially fazed by the many electronic gadgets such as smart phones, PDAs in the market and the constant email updates people do nowadays via 3G,4G or Wi-Fi networks on the go. As I learn to pick up this new game ball, I am now fascinated and even 'addicted' to this new way of communication and information delivery. Life is ever more enriching now with the many different types of computer games available in the market.  I would not be able to imagine how dull my life will be if I have resisted the learning and usage of this new technology.

I believe more and more new products, services, innovative methods of working and fresh 'developments' will be coming up from time to time and people who wants to stay tuned and survive in this big global community have to keep on learning to enrich their lives!

 

 

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Life is a series of different examinations

We often heard of examinations as hurdles that our children face in school but many do not realise that we are taking examinations of different forms throughout our lives! After clearing the examinations in school to achieve the "graduate" status, we have a continuous string of different 'life examinations' to conquer.

Hence, it is crucial for schools to think about how they can be do less about preparing children for a life of tests and more about preparing them for the tests of life? In fact, it is not surprising that parents and educators are yearning for a new vision of education that is broader than academic accountability, that promotes the child’s development and wellbeing as a caring, happy and responsible adult with the skills necessary to solve the complex issues they will face later in life.”

As one steps into society, one will be continually tested at every stage of his/her life. Take for example social etiquettes such as dealing with different types of people you see everyday in the same neighbourhood, voicing out negative feedback or disapproval to other members in the community without offending them - something not officially tested in school but viewed as an expected social skill from every adult (an unprecedented 'test' to be learned and mastered as we advanced into other stages of our life). The act to skilfully mingle confidently and comfortably with people from all walks of life as we enter society assuming different roles as colleagues, friends, lover, spouse, parents and grandparents when we reach a different stage in our life cycle is an on-going examination for all of us.

In the corporate world, we have to withstand the tough tests and rigours of our chosen profession, be it doctors, lawyers or engineers. The numerous tests set by our employers, clients, service recipients and co-workers are never ending and we have to ''pass'' these hurdles to maintain the status quo.

To keep up with advancement in technological developments, we have to adopt life-long learning and together with it comes a continuous string of examinations that test the effects of our learning. Although there may not be any official ''examination body'' for these life skills, the results can be seen clearly in the way one apply these skills throughout one's life and the way society accords success to each individual!

As one gets married, one has to withstand the test of fulfilling the role of a partner and spouse. Learning how to accommodate one another as two people of different background, status and habits choose to move on with their lives together and the results of this ''examination'' will be the success of their marriage.

When we enter parenthood, another series of live tests await us and this time the ''examiner'' is the little angel created and brought to the world by the combined efforts of the married couple. We learn to be parents, mentor, teacher, caregiver and set leading examples for the little ones. As such, our working professions in the corporate world are actually only subsets of the life models we set at home for our kids.

With the wealth of our learning experiences and the numerous techniques garnered over the years in tackling our life tests, parents can easily influence their children in their learning and emphasize to them the importance of retaining and continually applying the knowledge and wisdom they had accumulated throughout their lives from childhood to school days to adulthood and till the end of their life journey!

Hence, the correct attitude and approach we use to tackle our own life tests definitely will have a significant impact on our children and the way they handle the examinations that they are going through in school!

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A happy family life increases our level of happiness

The family is a basic unit of society. Hence, starting a family of your own not only makes your life cycle complete, it also helps in the building of a new society for the next generation. Undoubtedly, with the shift in mindset due to modern day affluence and the relatively faster pace of life, more and more people have chosen to remain single to enjoy freedom and the thrills and fruits of their economic independence. Well, it is a choice entitled to each individual. Similarly, happiness is also a choice and it has always been. As a matter of fact, different people can choose to find their own happiness in their own unique way and some are enjoying a happy life without starting their own family.

 

Studies have shown that a healthy family life is a contributing factor of the happiness index for many people. The warmth and support provided by our family can serve to cushion life's many setbacks and add strength to our will to live. The joy, laughter, sorrows and life obstacles encountered and shared among family members add meaning to our lives and make us cherish our loved ones and appreciate the beauty of life.

I always believe that in life, it is important for us to have aspirations and hopes to look forward to. Something or someone whom we cherished and hold dear to our hearts. For most people, these hopes and aspirations often revolve around their family, their loved ones for whom they work hard for and who give them the strength to carry on with their life.

After a hard day's work, I look forward to going home to see my loved ones and share the joys and sorrows of my day with them.  We share the fruits of our labour collectively by going for annual overseas trips together in the company of one another. Just as mentioned in our marriage vows, we go through thick and thin, in both good health and sickness together and are well aware that no matter how bad things can go, someone will always be there to back you up, support you and get through the ordeal with you. This un-forsaken feeling, in my opinion is in itself a contributing factor of happiness.

However, one can also easily find happiness if one chose to find his/her own passion and proceed to pursue it. Doing something one likes certainly can make one happy. Take for example, devoted social workers who attributed their entire lifetime to helping people in need and those who are less fortunate than themselves. These people have clearly found their happiness in the meaningful work they do, notwithstanding the fact that some of them never get married and hence have no immediate family of their own.

Hence, it cannot never be over-emphasized that happiness is a choice and can only be defined by the very person who is pursuing it just like beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

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Stress Management is key to achieving Happiness in Life

In modern day living, stress management has become part and parcel of our lives. Everyone of us experience some form of stress at certain point of our life and it is up to the individual to conquer  and control it before stress overcome and get the better out of us.

We all know that stress can give life some spice and excitement and positive stress can help one to cope with problems that might arise. On the other hand, living under very stressful conditions for long periods of time can harm your health, your relationship and your enjoyment of life.

Although many people complained about the stress level experienced in modern day living, a totally stress free life can be boring and un-motivational. Without a little stress to boost us to move forward, people can become lazy and modern civilization may not be so developed and advanced today.

Hence, an 'ádequate' dose of stress is good for a progressive and meaningful life, so to speak. The question now is how much is adequate or enough and should the stress level commensurate with our age, seniority or intellectual level?

In the Singapore context, a youngster would probably experience 'stress' as early as in their primary school days. The competitive environment in our schools, peer pressure, examination pressure and the over-emphasis on academic achievements in our education system all add on to the stress level.

As we enter the labour market, the competition for limited jobs with our fellowmen and 'foreign talents' further fuel the stress engine and add steam to the stress levels. The other life events like family building, career development and fulfilment of our social duties are also factors that contribute to stress.

As such, "stress management" becomes a very important component of our life if we want to lead a happy and fulfilling life. Knowing when to add, deduct and stop the fuelling of the stress engine can make a remarkable difference between success and failure for many of us.

Stress is an abstract component, it can neither be seen or heard but can only be felt through adverse events in our everyday lives. Only those with an excellent mental state of mind can conquer it and delay its effects.

Thus, I always believe that people who can successfully subdue the adverse effects of stress and manage it to their advantage are the ones who can control their own destiny and achieve happiness in their lives!

Let's all maintain a positive mindset, assess our own strengths and weaknesses regularly and arrest the entry of stress in our lives so that we can conquer and control it and make it a contributing factor to achieving happiness in our life!

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