Hi Steph,
Two weeks ago I was
extraordinarily blessed to find myself in Europe. It was a trip full of many
wonderful experiences that I’m not likely to forget anytime soon. There were
two places in particular that literally made me take in a nerdy, overwhelmed
gasp. The first place was the Plantin-Moretus Press Museum. The museum is the
sixteenth-century home of Christophe Plantin, one of the earliest and most
important printers. The home would house the press and business for over two
and a half centuries. The home took me in with its beautiful Renaissance
architecture and embossed leather walls. But one room made me bring my hands to
my mouth and, yes, jump in excitement. It was the press room. Along the right
wall of this beautiful room stood five presses; the left half of the room held
type boxes full of type. As if this factory to knowledge wasn’t exciting enough
for this writer, the end of the room held the true treasure. There sat the two
oldest surviving presses in the world!
The second place that took my breath away was the Trinity Library. A two-story corridor full of 200,000 books. Better than the Beast's library. I stopped breathing for a few seconds.
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| Aren't they beautiful? |
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All of this hit me because books are magical to me. They are
the holders of our collective memory. They continue conversations started
centuries ago. Those 26 letters compiled in different orders somehow transform
into thoughts, ideas, knowledge. When I saw those presses, I saw a change in
human history that would allow more of us to enter a conversation and add upon
prior ideas. When I saw that library, I saw the compilation of words, powerful
words that could be read and enter our very being.
My coworkers and friends occasionally make fun of me for my
enthusiasm about education. I get a certain high off of learning new things. I
feel alive when a new concept has entered my head because it is in that moment
that I feel bigger than I was a moment before. I am no longer just a girl
breathing, eating, sleeping, moving. I am a girl with a bit more understanding,
a bit more perspective, and a bit more substance. I’m reminded that I am a
thinking creature with millions of brain cells ready to be filled with more
knowledge.
In that vein, I’d like to share the five educational
resources you aren’t taking advantage of—all in the hopes that you will feel
bigger too.
- You might have heard of TED before, but if you haven't, go there right now and listen to a talk. A couple of my favorites are this one about a researcher who filmed the entire life of his infant son and examined his language development, and this one about being vulnerable.
- Ever wondered if you could get through a course at Harvard? Well, now you can give it a try. The best part--no grades and no cost. Edx brings together courses from some of the best universities in the world, including Harvard, MIT, and Georgetown. You can take courses with titles like Autonomous Mobile Robots and History of Chinese Architecture and The Science of Everyday Thinking.
- Seriously one of the more interesting ways to learn online. Fun animation keeps it peppy, and you can't go wrong with teachers like John and Hank Green. Just pop up one of these videos while cleaning or lounging. I love the courses on chemistry and world history, but they're all pretty awesome.
- This phone app is a great way to learn the basics of a foreign language. Motivation comes from checking off skill sets. The app will even send you a message on your phone reminding you to practice. In my four days of using it, I've learned this phrase: Es ist gut! (See, proof that it is awesome.)
- Ok, I know the word "math" isn't a pleasant one for a lot of us, but I highly recommend giving Khan Academy a go. I hated math growing up, but Khan Academy is set up in a way that truly makes math fun. What can be more motivating that earning badges and watching your mission progress? Trust me. When you finish a group of practice questions and that assortment of pixels pops up saying that you won a badge for mastering simple addition (like 2 + 2), you'll be more happy than is warranted.
Well, I'm feeling all warm and giddy with the anticipation of learning. Are you? :)
Cheers,
Amanda
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