Socrates one of history's greatest teachers said, "One could not find a better helper for human nature than love". So why aren't we teaching about love?

Why learn about love? Don't people know what they need to know naturally? Isn't understanding love, a kind of sixth sense that humans are born with?

It is possible that some of us learn what we need to know about love very early on in our lives. There is also a good bit of current research that implies human biochemistry opens us naturally to experiencing many of the emotions associated with love.

But, for most of us our early experiences with love are traumatic rollercoaster rides of confusing feelings and emotions. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons the lessons of love can be very difficult. We often can get caught in the same cycle of misunderstanding, pain and confusion for years. We can make the same mistakes in our romantic relationships over and over again, never quite learning the lesson being taught. Eventually, with a little luck, wisdom and age win out and we begin to understand what love and a healthy romantic relationship can be.

Humans learn everything including what they come to understand about love by trial and error. Try and fail, apply what is learned and try again eventually this sequence leads to understanding. It doesn't matter whether it is phonics, math, shooting baskets or love the sequence is the same. The only real variable is the length of the sequence. How many times does it take to learn the lesson?

This is where the value of education and teaching play into the equation. A good teacher and properly applied educational strategies can make the time and effort required to learn shorter and dramatically easier. Love is at the core of our most important and desired emotional experiences. But, there are no schools or formal classes one can enroll in to learn about love. We leave learning about the most important human experience love, to chance and put up with the confusion, frustration, pain and difficulties that result.

Imagine the benefit of even an introductory course about love. Education is about providing appropriately organized information and setting up the circumstances for students to effectively move through a sequence of trial and error to arrive at new understanding.

Just a basic course providing an understanding of the history and physiology of love could help clarify the notion of love and perhaps save years of mistake and heartache. What could be learned from an introductory course on love could be important in every decision and relationship people will make during the rest of their life.

Why not learn about love the personal, social, and cultural benefit accrued by every student contributes immeasurably to everyone's future.