Learning to Learn

Erik Erikson, a developmental psychologist, formulated a model for individual growth over the entire lifespan; unlike Freud, for whom development stopped with the discovery of genitally oriented sex! Erikson believed that the final development stage, which he termed 'Ego Integrity versus Despair', came around retirement age as we slowed down our productivity and contemplated the accomplishments of our lifetime. From this enquiry, we develop integrity if we see ourselves leading a successful life. However if we believe that our life is unproductive or feel unresolved guilt about our past, or that we did not achieve our life goals, we can become dissatisfied with life and develop despair and hopelessness. Successful resolution of this developmental stage leads to the virtue of wisdom, enabling us to look back on our life with a sense of closure and completeness, and to be able to accept death without fear.

Bridge spanning the gulf of Patras.

Megan and I had to travel to Athens last week. Megan had developed 'trigger finger' and an inflamed ganglion in her right hand and required some minor surgery to correct the problem. We think that this problem was exacerbated by Megan's enthusiastic winching during our last season, one of the hazards of being the only crew on Pavlov!

So, long periods of idle sitting in post-op waiting rooms led me to consider Erikson's final life stage and my contribution to it. I started pondering just what my life might have been about. I can't provide the easy and traditional response of naming my career, as I've had several. I've done stints as an acupuncturist, cognitive research scientist, mental health worker, juvenile justice supervisor, data analyst and computing officer, radio technical producer, gliding flight instructor, yoga teacher, secondary school mathematics teacher, university tutor, railway roustabout and several other jobs less salubrious. Career-wise, I've been a jack of all trades but master of none.

Megan resplendent in her hospital gowns.

However, I do feel that I've focused my life around one major goal: I've learned how to learn. I can remember making a pact with myself when I was a young adult, to never work in a job unless I was learning something. My life really has been about learning; not only have I completed eight or nine formal degree's, but I have mastered multiple new jobs and diverse skills sets. I'm a competent teacher, an okay seamstress, woodworker and boat repairer. I can work with fibreglass and metal, can construct electronic projects, build radio-controlled model aircraft, operate a metal lathe and mill. I can play guitar reasonably well, can program a computer and understand advanced engineering and mathematical topics. I'm not trying to inflate my ego by displaying a diverse skill set,  but to illustrate the point that the one thing that I've been good at in my life is learning how to do new things.

Post Op Salute from the Patras ferry.

Megan recovered from her surgery, and after 3 days, we drove home from Athens. We were shocked at the 14 Euro toll just to cross one bridge spanning the Gulf of Patras, so on the return journey, we detoured and crossed via ferry that cost us only 6 Euro.

A major learning opportunity came by late in my working live. At 50 years of age, I gave up a senior psychology position to retrain as a secondary school teacher. I completed a 2 year graduate diploma of teaching qualification, began teaching mathematics at a rural high school, and put myself through a  master's degree in education while completing a major sequence of study in Pure Mathematics. That was a new experience; for the first year of teaching, I felt like a bunny rabbit caught in the headlights of a Mack truck!

Boat harbour in Messalongi

We took a break from driving and explored Messalongi, a small town on the Gulf of Corinth that we had always wanted to sail to,  but hadn't found the opportunity.


So, I feel that I've been very successful at learning how to learn. I've mastered a skill set that makes the acquisition of new skills relatively easy. Its allowed me to excel at university study, winning a university medal, first class honours and several research scholarships. Its interesting how this theme of learning has played out: my PhD thesis was on learning (specifically the computer modelling of the acquisition of multi-column arithmetic skills in young children). Even more so, our boat (which we did not name) is called Pavlov, after the Russian psychologist who was the first to systematically study learning.

Messalongi  bay

So even though I may not have excelled in any one particular area, I feel as if I've obtained some meta-skills about learning at allows me to feel a sense of integrity (in the Eriksonian sense) about achieving my life goals. Its interesting that I'm now attempting to pass on some of those meta-skills. I'm teaching a guitar theory and blues class for expatriates at the local marina. Observing this class, I desperately want to pass on some idea's about how to learn. Here's a short list:

* Don't practice mistakes - you only learn to play the wrong thing better.

* Break down big things into little things - learn achievable sub-skills then put them together.

* Use your practice time strategically - play the bits you're bad at, not the good bits.

* Learn to listen - both to instructions and yourself.

* Separate practice from playing - and make sure you enjoy yourself and just play when playing.

* Play with others, share skills, and teach what you know.

* Have fun.

Megan in Messalongi main street

Whew, thank some higher entity that I passed Erikon's last stage, achieved Ego Integrity and can bask in my newly acquired wisdom! I was worried there for a bit.

We are back on the boat, and Megan is recuperating well. Winter has been wet, windy and cold, and we are starting to look forward to the frantic activity of the sailing season. Albania, here we come.