If ‘Love of Learning’ Is A Character Strength try these…

Love of learning: Love of learning involves enthusiastically studying new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge.

People with this strength enjoy the cognitive engagement of acquiring new skills or satisfying their curiosity, even when the material benefits of learning may not be immediately available. Love of learning allows people to persist in the face of frustrations and obstacles that arise during the course of education, both formal and informal.

Too much: “know it All”-ism
Too little: complacency, smugness

Try these Films:

The Great Debaters (2007) – Based on the true story of Professor Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas. In 1935, who inspires his students to form the school’s first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship.

Akeelah and the Bee (2006) – Having but no choice, Akeelah, an African-American adolescent, reluctantly participates in a spelling competition to avert detention. As she succeeds, her passion to learn, spellings from Dr. Larbee, grows and she wins the National Spelling Bee. Based on the real story that took place in 1999.

A Beautiful Mind (2001) – This movie details the rise, fall, and professional resurrection of John Nash, a Nobel laureate and one of the most brilliant modern mathematicians. His life begins to deteriorate as schizophrenia blurs his reality with delusions, but he throws himself into the task of self-discovery as earnestly as he did his professional studies. Nash’s passion for knowledge and understanding is inspirational, and the fact that the movie is based on true events makes it all the more compelling.

Billy Elliot (2000) – Billy Elliot is eleven and lives with his father in a mining town in northern England. He attends boxing lessons at school for a time, but tires of the brutality and instead takes up ballet. Despite the opposition of his family and the ridicule of his friends, Billy persists in his dance studies. When his hard work earns him an audition at the Royal Ballet School, however, he must open up to his community despite their traditional mindset.

Suggested Actions

Attend seminars, workshops, and conferences in your area of interest. Make contacts with other people who share your interests and follow up with them later.

Travel to new places and blend education with leisure. While you are there, take a tour or visit a local museum to learn more about the local culture and history.

Deliberately learn five new words, including their meaning and usage, at least twice a week. Use a dictionary, website, or word-a-day email list to generate new words.

Visit a new museum every month and write about new things you learned. Bring a friend or family member and listen to their impressions of the trip.

Read a non-fiction book monthly on a topic you find absorbing and engaging. Find others who share your interest and swap books after finishing.

Read and research about a topic by visiting the library at least once a week. Write one page of pragmatic ideas that can advance that field and discuss them with someone who shares your interest.

Converse with someone on a topic of mutual interest. Plan regular meetings for lunch or to work on projects.

Follow an ongoing global event through newspapers, TV or internet. Observe the differences in reporting between various sources and evaluate each critically.

Join a local book club. Your local library may have information on one, and if they don’t, they can help you start one.

Attend new gallery/exhibition openings in your area. These can be a good opportunity to meet artists and exhibitors face-to-face.

Read aloud with your loved ones. Take turns picking the reading material in order to share your interests with others.

Arrange a teach-learn date with a friend, learn a skill, and teach what you are best at. Try to find a friend with very different interests so that you are exposed to something totally new.

Identify topics about which you can share your knowledge with your peers. Share information in a humble, conversational manner.