Feedback: Lacking the 'want'

Sometimes people don't want to learn, yet they learn successfully. One further question throws some light on this.

Think of something you learned successfully, but that you didn't want to learn at the time. Try to choose something that you're glad now that you did in fact learn. Write down a few words about what kept you at it.

Use the form below to send us your responses - just keywords please - or see some typical replies below.

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Previous Responses

Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2004 22:40:33 GMT
From: Fiona Walker <feeheb@vinrouge.fsnet.co.uk>

I lack the want to do my pending 4000 word assignment. I don't get the question and do not have a clue what to write.

Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 01:22:41 GMT
From: Maritza Valpais <seeking12344@aol.com>

My speech course is one course I hated taking because people made fun of me when I spoke. I had an accent and the professor was always making me repeat myself.  Now, I am glad and I thank him for having me repeat myself because now in days I am not afraid to speak in front of people. 

Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 21:49:30 +0100 (BST)
From: miss p <sarllin223@hotmail.com>

I've been studying Excel proficiency and had to give up doing the test until the autumn as I found certain calculations too difficult to complete as I spent only month studying the course. I'm really interested in the program and no matter what i'll push through.

Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 08:30:47 +0100 (BST)
From: Shona Paterson <shona@rottie2.freeserve.co.uk>

I learned how to teach card-making. I didn't know how to and didn't have much of a desire but I was asked to teach a succession of classes and I felt obliged to do it. I'm glad I did, it was a learning experience for me and the clients. I can now teach quite successfully after analying what works and what doesn't.

Date: Sun, 4 Jul 2004 10:10:53 +0100 (BST)
From: Steve Griffin <steve@dramanet.info>

Fear of failure in circumstances where options are limited (e.g. school), wanting to do well in exams, peer and parental pressure.  Knowing that this skill/knowledge was a key to something else that I wanted.

Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003
From: heldtrat@msn.com (Rachel Heldt)

I have never lacked the "want" to learn. Even when I was struggling with Algebra, I really wanted to get it. My teacher was not helpful and I couldn't keep up with the rest of the class. Fear of failure kept me trying but I never did really "get it". Learning is stimulating, brain-tickling, wonderful!

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 17:02:24 GMT
From: Florence Rozier (rozier@acsu.buffalo.edu)

I didn't want to learn how to parallel park, but I had to because I wanted to drive. My mother taught me to drive and she is an excellent driver. Her attitude about everything in life is if you are going to do something, do it well or not at all. I felt very pressured to get it right. I did learn how to drive, and especially how to back into all of my parking places. She taught me that this was important beause it is better to pull out of my parking places than to back out. This has been proven to be true so many times. I am an excellent driver and parker. I can get into places most people give up on. I kept at it because I did not want to let her down. I didn't want her to be dissapointed in me. I knew that if she believed I could do it, I could do it.

From: Maurice D. Ramos (mauriceramos@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000 17:44:48 GMT

That is the key!
Frankl, Viktor E. and Logotherapy

Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2000 12:10:09 GMT
From: Nicola Pilnick (10076905.99@edgehill.ac.uk)

I really didnt want to learn to drive and it took me a year of lessons to finally crack it, and I still can't belive I can do it.

Date: Mon, 6 Oct 1997
From: L.S.Myers@uel.ac.uk (Lea Myers)

I have learned things about myself that I haven't always wanted to face at the time.
I suppose that I have only been open to this type of learning because I do want to be the sort of person who can learn from mistakes and not someone who continues to act out damaging behaviour.

Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997
From: j.x.wilson@dundee.ac.uk (Jennifer Wilson)

I cannot think of a single thing that I have learned when I didn't want to, apart from subjects which I had to learn in order to gain access to a particular course I wanted to do. For example I studied mathematics to a higher level than I would have liked to in order to be able to study Chemistry at University.

Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996
From: greatle@infinet.com (valerie Libman)

There was always an element of "want" in whatever learning I undertook or accomplished. However, it certainly wasn't always internal "want" as very frequently the stimulus came from either my parents or peers (with whom I wished to stay on a par). I have students now who display a rather remarkable degree of "want" at school that has nothing to do with their formal education - rather their social involvement. I do not believe that they will absorb much, if anything, of what is taught in class if I cannot find a hook (either internal or external) to force them into the process. Oh, woe! Any ideas?