"Stay curious. Stay joyful."

Boy, has it been a crazy ride.

These past four weeks consisted of confusion, intellectual challenges, personal struggles, and questions- lots and lots of questions. But more than anything, this past month has inspired me.

https://plus.google.com/+SudhansuGangdeb/posts/DuMCw1czSAn

Sometimes, life throws things at you and you don't always understand why they happen. Sometimes your beliefs and values will be challenged, even changed. You'll be presented with conflict and forced out of your comfort zone. It may be scary and "messy" at times. And that's okay. Because through it all, no matter what happens, you never stop learning. And that's ultimately what it's all about.

What I learned from everyone I've met in this course is that that is education. Education is about learning about experiences and from experiences. Education is about learning for learning's sake. Education is so much more than just absorbing and regurgitating information and test scores.

http://www.pinterest.com/careerinnovate/career-quotes/

Sometimes you have to do something "out of the box"- even innovative- to enhance your learning. Sometimes what helps you learn isn't what's best for others, and that's okay. Because your education is your education- however you do it, wherever you do it, why you do it. It's your choice. Innovation is yours to make it whatever you want it to be. Your education shouldn't be structured, nothing is set in stone. Use innovation as your pencil- create, erase, and re-create (as many times as you want) the world you want to live in. Only you know what's best for you, only you know what you truly want in life. In an educational sense, innovation is for you and is about creating your own future.

Whether you're a government official, a community member, a principal, a teacher, or a student- that's what education is about.


Of course, when you look into it, things are little more complicated than that. But from what I learned this block, the messiness of education isn't going to change anytime soon. So why stress about it? In this field, you have no other choice but to remain hopeful, or else you won't make it out alive (or so I've been told). So believe in what you want to believe in, stay true to who you are, and run with it. Never compromise who you are, never lose sight of the end goal, and never give up hope.

That's exactly what I plan on doing. Sure, I may not be ready to take on the system just yet, but I am ready to continue learning- however that may happen and in whatever that context that takes place. I know that I care about the future of our nation and I care about the future of the education system as a whole. I'm not sure what my role is in the future of either of those, but I know I'll figure it out. If I can't find my place, I may just have to pave my own way. Either way, I am confident in my beliefs and values, and plan on using them as the backbone for driving whatever impact I have on this world.

I am uncertain about a lot still. From the education system to my future. Regardless, I promise to stay curious and I promise to stay joyful. I encourage you to do the same! Nothing defines success better than being educated and happy- whatever that means to you. :)



Until next time,
Acelynn.