I want it all but not all at once: learning is hard

“I want it all, and I want it now!”

This lyric is from one of my favourite songs, “I Want it All” by Queen. Released in 1989, the song defiantly represents something aspirational, which is a good thing. It is good to have goals and aspirations. What are we without the capacity to dream? What is a dream without curiosity? And what is curiosity without learning?

We live in a world of instant gratification. If I want a new book or to order a particular type of green tea, I no longer need to search quirky stores all over Sydney. I can order from Amazon, and it will be delivered to my door by the next day. For decades, if I wanted to know a piece of information, I would Google it. Now, I can ask AI for a precise and personalised answer. Never have knowledge and information been so accessible and egalitarian. Like all forms of progress, there is a cost-benefit tension at its heart, and this is reflected in the way we learn.

Educational theorist John Nottingham coined the term “the learning pit”, which celebrates the difficulty that comes with learning. Learning is hard. It should be hard. Previously, I have written about memory retrieval and the concept of “desirable difficulties”. It is predicated on the idea that to truly extend thinking and consolidate learning, students must shift out of their comfort zones. It requires hard work and is uncomfortable at times, which is at odds with our desire for instant gratification.

I played basketball in primary school and was desperate to hit a three-point shot like Michael Jordan or Andrew Gaze, but for a time it was just too far for my little arms. Over time I practised. Soon enough I could make the height and the distance, but not the direction. Eventually, after endless practice over several months, I was able to hit a three-pointer. This is only one example and could be replaced by one about learning to read, to play a musical instrument, learning a new language, or even conquering a video game. If we master these things at the first attempt, there is no true growth. Mastery takes time and often involves moments of feeling lost.

Curiosity is in the DNA of PLC Sydney. We strive to provide the conditions to enable girls to fulfil their potential and become the best versions of themselves. This involves struggle and I encourage your daughter to embrace that struggle. It is OK if she does not understand a complex concept in fifty-three minutes or at the first time of asking. Trust our teachers who have a deep understanding of the road ahead. Enjoy the journey and the obstacles along the way. Embrace not knowing everything, all at once.

This can play out each night at the dinner table. Asking your daughter what she learned that day at school is a very powerful tool because it forces her into a state of memory retrieval. But it is completely normal if she is unsure or uncertain. She may be confused about something complex introduced into a subject for the first time. Sometimes a teacher will explain something, or answer a question appropriately, but without eliminating the immediate confusion. Experts in the science of learning understand that the time it takes to consolidate this information, which usually occurs outside of the classroom is more important. This is the learning pit. There is no pressure to understand everything at once, and leaving a classroom with questions and uncertainty can be a good thing, even if our instincts say otherwise.

Encourage your daughter to seek out her teacher. A ten-minute conversation between student and teacher in a free period, at recess or lunch can be more powerful than a long, written explanation or chain of emails. We are a school of conversations, because that’s how we learn. In those moments of uncertainty, embrace the learning pit. Take comfort in it and know that students will always climb out the other side.