The Struggle to Learn: My Journey from Failure to Success
I wasn’t always a strong student. In fact, during my early years in secondary school, I was at the bottom of every class. I sat in the lowest groups, struggled to keep up with lessons, and constantly received bad reports. No matter how hard I tried, traditional learning methods didn’t work for me.
By the time I reached Year 9, my father had had enough. After another round of poor grades and teacher complaints, he sat me down and delivered an ultimatum—either I started paying attention and improving my grades, or I would face serious consequences. At the time, I didn’t even know how to explain why I couldn’t focus. I wasn’t lazy. I wasn’t unintelligent. I just couldn’t absorb information the way the school system expected me to.
That night, I broke down in tears, and for the first time, my father saw through the veil. He realized that my struggle wasn’t about disobedience—it was about my learning style.
Instead of punishing me, he took a different approach. He sat down with me and taught me how to learn. He introduced me to highlighters, showing me how to mark keywords in my textbooks. He encouraged me to journal my findings, writing things down in my own words to reinforce understanding. And most importantly, he taught me how to draw images and symbols that triggered my memory. Suddenly, learning wasn’t just about staring at a page or listening to a lecture—it became something I could interact with.
By the following year, I had moved up in all my classes. I went from struggling at the bottom to sitting in the top groups. The difference? I had finally discovered how my brain worked. Years later, as an adult, I learned that I was neurodivergent—my brain wasn’t built for traditional learning methods, and I had needed a more practical, hands-on approach to education.
But my story isn’t unique. The truth is, every person learns differently. And right now, the education system is failing an entire generation because it still assumes everyone learns the same way.
The Four Major Learning Styles
Education is not one-size-fits-all. People absorb information in different ways, and when we force students into rigid learning models, we set them up for failure. A 360 approach to education recognizes these differences and integrates multiple methods to ensure no one is left behind.
Here are the four major learning styles and why they matter:
1. Visual Learners (Seeing & Imagery-Based Learning)
Visual learners process information best through images, diagrams, colors, and charts. They often struggle with long lectures but can retain details quickly when they see them represented visually.
Examples: Mind maps, infographics, videos, flashcards, and color-coded notes.
Solution: Schools should incorporate interactive visuals, including animations, illustrated storytelling, and digital whiteboards, to cater to this group.
My Story: My father’s highlighting method and drawing symbols next to key ideas changed everything for me. It gave my brain something to latch onto, making learning more engaging and visually memorable.
2. Auditory Learners (Listening & Sound-Based Learning)
Auditory learners absorb information best through listening and verbal discussions. They prefer lectures, podcasts, and reading aloud rather than silent reading or written notes.
Examples: Podcasts, debates, verbal storytelling, group discussions, and spoken-word exercises.
Solution: Schools should embrace edutainment, incorporating music, voice-over storytelling, and interactive discussions into curriculums.
My Story: I struggled with traditional lectures because just hearing information wasn’t enough—I needed to see it or engage with it. That’s why repeating information aloud and having my father explain things verbally made a difference.
3. Kinesthetic Learners (Hands-On & Movement-Based Learning)
Kinesthetic learners understand concepts best through movement, touch, and real-world application. They struggle with passive learning but thrive in experiments, role-playing, and hands-on activities.
Examples: Practical projects, workshops, hands-on experiments, physical demonstrations, and real-world problem-solving.
Solution: Education must shift towards interactive and immersive learning. Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and hands-on projects should replace outdated textbook memorization.
My Story: I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was a kinesthetic learner—I needed to interact with information to fully understand it. My father’s journaling method and writing things in my own words helped me engage with learning actively rather than passively.
4. Reading/Writing Learners (Text-Based Learning)
This group prefers written words—they learn best through reading, writing, and structured notes. They enjoy books, essays, and written instructions.
Examples: Journaling, essay writing, detailed notes, and structured outlines.
Solution: Schools should encourage creative writing, digital journaling, and self-paced reading exercises to engage these learners.
My Story: Once I started journaling my findings, I realized how powerful writing was in reinforcing what I learned. Even though I wasn’t a natural reader, this method helped me process information in a way that made sense to me.
The Digital Drug: How Social Media is Destroying Learning
The biggest challenge in modern education is not just outdated teaching methods—but digital addiction.
Social media companies treat their businesses like mind-control experiments, engineering apps and platforms to be as addictive as possible. Algorithms prioritize short, dopamine-spiking content—quick edits, fast transitions, and instant gratification. As a result, an entire generation has been rewired to crave quick bursts of information, making long-form learning feel painful.
The result?
Shorter attention spans – Studies show that attention spans have dropped drastically due to social media conditioning.
Less patience for deep learning – Students are struggling to focus for extended periods.
Inability to process complex ideas – The rise of “scroll culture” is making deep learning feel obsolete.
Teachers are struggling. They are competing against algorithms designed to hijack young minds. The education system is failing to adapt, leaving students disconnected and disengaged.
The Future of Learning: Edutainment & 360 Learning
The only way forward is to embrace the reality of modern learning—we need a 360 approach that blends education with entertainment (edutainment).
What 360 Learning Should Look Like:
. Multi-Sensory Learning: Combining video, sound, movement, and interactive storytelling to engage different learning styles.
. Short-Form, High-Impact Content: Education must adapt to modern attention spans while still delivering depth.
. AI-Powered Personalized Learning: AI will revolutionize education, allowing for customized learning experiences based on individual needs.
Gamification & Interactive Learning: Learning should feel like an adventure, not a chore.
. Cultural & Industry Integration: Lessons should be culturally relevant, preparing students for the real-world economy.
The Inevitable Future: Carbon-Digital Hybrids
Like it or not, humanity is evolving. AI, virtual reality, and digital ecosystems are transforming the way we think, work, and learn. The education system is stuck in the stone age, while the world is rapidly moving towards a carbon-digital hybrid reality.
The challenge?
If we do not adapt now, we risk raising a generation that is completely unprepared for the future.
The old education system is dying, but 360 learning is the future. We must build a new framework—one that understands modern brains, embraces digital reality, and prepares students for the real world.
The question is: Are we ready to evolve?
