Hmmmmm...02-11-13

Hmmmmm…02/11/13

“The secret of education lies in respecting the pupil.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here’s a list of some historically prominent self-taught students.  Do any of these names ring a bell? 

Leonardo da Vinci, Abe Lincoln, Malcolm X, Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin, the Wright Brothers, Herman Melville, Ernest Hemingway, Ray Bradbury, and Thomas Edison are all considered autodidacts, those who are either partially or completely self-taught.  Many of them overcame incredibly overwhelming odds to do this.  Odds are they were able to achieve great things by believing in their own abilities.

Keith Moon is widely considered one of the greatest drummers of all time.  He had just three lessons.  Jimi Hendrix is considered one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of music. He learned to play by ear.  David Bowie had only a few singing lessons and taught himself to play five instruments.  Rap superstar Eminem dropped out of high school at age 17.  His love of words comes from a love of reading, and he has even read the dictionary front to back several times.  Steven Spielberg dropped out of film school—twice—and never graduated.

In the School of Thought, you are both teacher and student.  It’s time to test your mettle, but don’t worry.  Acing this test is simple.  It all starts with self-respect.  Don’t stop believin’…

Hold on to that feelin’,

Gina J