Co-learning. What else?

I am sorry, this is a rant.

If you don't like reading rants, don't read this.

I never cease to be amazed at the talents, at the diversity of the learners that I have the pleasure of learning with.


Hidden in the anonymous student ranks lie jugglers, chess-players, philosophers, bird-watchers, para-gliders, divers, poets, actors, musicians, scientists, computer experts, comics, olympic champions, survivors, inventors, barmen, lifeguards, brothers, sisters, refugees, mothers...

There are stories of adventure, abuse, youth, ageing, disability, illness, death, birth, farms, islands, cities, religion, disillusion, hope, faith, despair, ambition, apathy.

There are tears, laughter, sighs of boredom, cries of excitement, frowns of frustration, wide eyes of fear, signs of struggle.

So many memories, so many moments of life, so many stories, so much invention.

Often we have watched on as apparently inert students produce extraordinary surprises.

I am a master of inert, of distraction, of inappropriate yawns.

Have you ever seen yourself when you are looking around for an idea, when you are taking in a task?

Do we really know what learning looks like?

Where do you learn best?
When do you learn best?
With whom do you learn best?

How can one size fit all?

Isn't it obvious?

Do we all like to speak in front of a crowd?

Do we like to be given no choice  as to who we will be working with?

Do we all need to express ourselves with words?



Do we all need to be in a 'learning space' to learn?

Aren't all spaces learning spaces?

We find learned research which talks of learning, which talks of learners, of teachers.

All is reduced to object.
All is reduced to abstract.

Researchers who talk to researchers.

Why aren't teachers doing the research?
Why aren't the learners doing the research?
Why aren't we all doing the research?

Do I need a researcher to reduce me to an anonymous subject?  Shouldn't that be anonymous object?

Do I need a research study which will investigate how I feel report on how I felt months after I have forgotten how I felt?

Would it not be possible to be a little more reactive?

Qualitative Data
A) Shall we do something different? 
B) Yes! I am bored now.
A) You seemed so interested.
B) Perhaps but I am bored.
A) OK let's do something different.

Isn't co-learning what we do in relationships?

How can you become a parent, a dog-owner without co-learning?

How can you become a teacher without co-learning?

How can you become a learner without co-learning?

I know, I know, I can qualify all of this, I can justify research, I can justify teaching to tests, I can justify, I can justify.

That is not the point.

I am not being objective.

I am choosing not to be objective.

This is (only) a rant.

Sorry about that. 
I feel better now.