Six Ways To Learn

During two weekends in August 2015, six Marists from across Australia came together in Melbourne to undertake a course in Marist Educational Leadership. It became clear, as we proceeded, that there are six ways we Marists like to learn.

1.  Readings Good quality readings constitute an important element of our learning process. Such reading nourishes and broadens our thinking.  While most of the readings we use in such courses have been written recently, there are some we would claim to be more ‘classic’ or 'timeless', ones to which we continually refer back.

2.  Scripture  Marists, in their learning, feel an attraction to focusing on Scripture. Exegesis of texts can form a valuable part of Marist study and help us appreciate Marcellin Champagnat’s love for the Word of God.  Many excellent exegetical texts have been written since the Church reaffirmed the importance of the study of Scripture at the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965.

3.  Discernment  Inspired by the example of Mary, the mother of Jesus, learning for Marists also includes periods of prayer and discernment.  Sometimes these periods emerge at the beginning of a session. At other times they occur spontaneously, depending on the topic under discussion and the needs being felt.

4.  Experience  Discussion of peoples' experience forms a valuable part of the Marist learning process. Such discussion proves even more valuable when participants know each other and have similar experiences to share.  These discussions can lead to helpful analysis of texts as well as the swapping of ideas and resources.

5.  Presentations  More formal presentations can add to participants’ understanding of the context of the study, particularly the historical background, the ideas being presented and can eventually lead to the development of a conceptual framework to enable further understanding and ongoing development of the topic.

6.  Marist Ministry  Participants who have worked in a Marist ministry, or experienced people in the Marist network, seem to connect more quickly when it comes to the learning process. In particular, people who currently work in the same ministry seem to share special insights when studying a Marist course together.

We are blessed to have learning opportunities together.  Our Marist Tertiary Education Website provides further information for those who may wish to undertake ongoing research and study.  Your suggestions for further courses and topics for study are always welcome.

You may also be interested in the following posts: The Art of Presenting, Growing Leaders and Onlne Marist Resources

John McMahon