Taking a class, like so many other things in life, is fraught with the potential for failure.
Sounds weird doesn’t it?
Well, it is that way for many people. And it is sad that it is this way. And of course it is this way because of our terrible current way of educating. The grades (passing or failing, the consequences of failing, the tedium, the useless classes and topics, etc.)
It shouldn’t be this way learning should be fun. It should be considered fun.
Recently a class I am teaching was delayed because some of the students did not want to travel to the location. The class location was 15 minutes away from where they worked.The class was free to those students and promised to be an entry-level computer class for them to increase their skills. I don’t believe that travel was really the problem.
Sure there may have been one or 2 that did not want to learn, but inevitably, most people are interested in learning to use computers better.
I have noticed, students are always nervous in the beginning of my computer classes but soon find that they enjoy them immensely (well that second part is because I am a pretty darn good teacher). But is this initial nervousness, this initial trepidation is what actually stops people from taking classes or learning new things or taking a chance on a new opportunity.
A good education system does not create these type of students. A good education system creates people eager to enter a classroom, who love to learn new things, who relish a challenge and don’t take failure personally. I am sad for those who have had to suffer through terrible schooling.