About Me
Hi! My name is Thomas Cook. I grew up and live in the South Bay. I have a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from UC Irvine. And I’ve been studying education since 2007.
My interest in (and around) education began in college at a career fair. A veteran engineer happened to ask me a question that struck me as odd: “Do you enjoy your classes?” No one had asked me this before, nor had my experience taught me that it was particularly relevant. Yet upon reflection, I realized that, yeah, in the real world of work (and life), it’s probably important (to you and those you work with) that you actually enjoy what you’re doing (most of the time)—that you have the kind of motivation that comes from genuine interest, that you aren’t merely passing the hours, indifferent.
This prompted some further reflection. I realized that a lot of energy was dedicated to getting me into college, and little to what I would do once I got there. I recalled that the first time I was really confronted with the choice of a college major was when filling out college applications (that this didn’t seem negligent at the time was also striking to me). Similarly, much consideration went into the price of my college tuition, but little into whether I was prepared to derive justifiable value from it.
I wondered about the educational circumstances that brought this about. I started reading. And what I learned revealed much about myself, the educational needs of individuals and society, and how well (or poorly) these needs are met. Not only did I find the content of what I studied eminently valuable, I also became familiar with the methods of self-directed learning which I think are equally critical (for a proper lifelong education and all of its benefits).
This website addresses many of the educational needs I found most pressing and most under-served. It’s the achievement I am most proud of; and, I hope, a product of autonomous learning that might inspire students. No AI was used in its making; I’ve hand-curated each quote in the Discussion Materials, and all the other writings are solely my own.
Since I began learning about education I have yet to stop, nor do imagine I will; the subject is too vast, and too desperately (and perpetually) relevant. I’m grateful to have found this object of study, which has given me an important measure of purpose and fulfillment. I hope I can, through this course, help students find their own “guiding center” that will give them direction and meaning—that will bring them closer to themselves and the world. I hope that when asked, students can say they enjoy whatever they chose to study (this course included). And I hope my enjoyment of what I’ve learned, and the intellectual life in general, comes through in all that I do.