PURSUE THE PROCESS: SELF-DIRECTED LEARNER

A question that I am often asked- how does a mason put the pieces together? The answer lies within. Contemplation is what the learner brings. Find reliable source material. Studying will produce questions. Write them down. That is a first step to self-directed learning.  It seems impossible to find someone who can tie it all together for us better than our own process. You will learn quickly who has understanding.  It is wise to find someone who offers a chance to question and who shows his understanding of your learning curve. Well Hiram let me set your mind at ease. You aren't alone and you are not wrong. You are in fact stumbling into a form of learning that itself requires a level of awareness. The uniformity you expected is not where you expected.  The brotherhood lies beneath the surface of a club like atmosphere. Your discovery of Aristotelian ideas will set you apart from brethren not inclined to decipher ancient landmarks and symbols. Your learning path is solitary. Your observations are the way of a learner.  And being able to recognize this is not as easy as it might seem.  You are in an open university- where earnest people gather, where your motives are revealed.  Study and you will find  this apprenticeship is a lifetime learning process. It is  validation that understanding is part of a good life. Finding compatible atmospheres and inspiration is only as hard as you make it. Tackling projects bigger than what you feel capable of understanding is actually part of the process. How does a philosopher break down the lofty, ubiquitous elements?  Daunting questions require our patience.  If a student cannot relate to the subject does that mean it lacks purpose? The liberating moment for one, can be fraught for the next. How does a learner trust himself enough to suspend disbelief?