"The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul" - Robert Wyland
Learning is an ocean. As the waves and movement of water in the ocean is fluid, so should be our lessons. I believe in a holistic learning experience where subjects are interconnected and diverse, allowing students to draw from multiple areas to gain insight and understanding. Much like the way tides meet and currents pull in all directions, learning should be something that flows naturally and freely, not subjects boxed into separate spaces unable to interact with one another. By structuring lessons and activities that allow students to be interdisciplinary. it allows for their understanding to deepen and their interests and strengths to shine through. Another aspect of the ocean is it's vastness. Learning is not something that is ever finished, much like the oceans that span this earth. Knowledge is everywhere and the idea of lifelong learning implies that there is always more to know, to see, to experience. The amount of learning one can achieve in a lifetime is infinite and incomprehensible, much like staring out into open ocean with no visible end in sight and no clue how deep it goes.
Finally, all learners are ocean-life in this sea of knowledge. The diversity seen in the inhabitants of the ocean is replicated both in and outside the classroom with the types of students and learners that exist. The students that make up our classes, much like the creatures of the ocean, create a unique ecosystem or community where each individual has their own needs and environments where they thrive.
Wyland says that the ocean can stir the heart, inspire the imagination, and bring eternal joy to the soul. I believe that learning can inspire the same feelings in learners of all ages and it is the responsibility of the educator to find ways that bring them out.