Linear growth or learning can generally be thought to be, kind of, mechanical.
The word linear comes from line, and implies straight line. That is, our growth is like a straight line on a graph – going up all the time.
It is predictable and steady, step-by-step growth. Our mainstream schooling system makes an attempt to be linear, going step-by-step from Junior Infants to Leaving Cert.
Non-linear, on the other hand, is uncertain and largely unpredictable. It can be two-steps-forward and three-steps-back! Or it can be one-step-forward, leading to two, then four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four, and so on; what is known as exponential growth. An example of this type of growth was given in this post.
Anyone who has had the privilege to have parented teenagers will have noticed that while their learning in school, apprenticeships or employment is linear, their emotional growth is generally non-linear.
Just to explain, they appear to regress to a younger age regularly throughout their teenage years – much to the frustration and annoyance of us, their parents.
But this is perfectly normal – in fact it is healthy – they are experimenting around with adult behaviours. This uses up a lot of energy so they regress to the more familiar childish behaviours to, as it were, take a break. They may also, of course, display a sudden – almost exponential – spurt of growth and surprise everyone with their wisdom! (All this, of course, is happening unconsciously).
In humans, non-linear growth depends more on internal motivation, how interested we are, how our interest changes over time, how we are feeling, what we like and want to do, etc. than it does on external influences like forthcoming exams and tests, curricula and suchlike.
It means that learning and growth, in addition to having highs and upswings, has many dips and troughs. While keen observers might see a pattern in the non-linearity, there is considerable unpredictably and uncertainty too.
When supporting very hurt and distressed people, this kind of growth can be very challenging for formally educated practitioners who have been educated in the (generally) linear mainstream education system.
But if we aim for experiential learning, it is worth it in the long run……