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Hello everyone!
This past weekend, my family and I went on our annual blueberry picking outing at a farm near our house.
We go every year, and it has become one of our small family traditions.
The nice thing about blueberry picking is that you have to look carefully. Some berries look ready, but they need a little more time. Some of the best berries are hiding under the leaves. If you slow down and pay attention, you can find more than you expected.
That made me think about learning.
Learning is often the same. Sometimes the most interesting things are not easy to see at first. But if we stay curious and keep looking, we can discover something new.
What I enjoyed learning in school
When I was a student, I enjoyed learning things that helped me understand people.
In school and university, I was especially interested in theater.
I liked studying stories, characters, emotions, and how people communicate. Theater was not only about acting on a stage. It was also about listening, observing, imagining, and trying to understand the world from another person’s point of view.
Looking back, I think that interest became very useful for teaching.
Good teaching also requires listening carefully. It requires noticing small changes in a student’s confidence, expression, or understanding. It also requires flexibility, creativity, and a little bit of performance too!
So in a way, what I studied as a student still helps me today.
I am still a student
But when I think about this topic, I do not only think about school or university.
I think I have always been a student.
Even now, I strongly believe in lifelong learning.
“Lifelong learning” means continuing to learn throughout your life. It does not stop after graduation. It does not stop when you get a job. It does not stop when you become an adult.
There is always something new to understand.
Sometimes we learn from books or classes. Sometimes we learn from travel, work, parenting, mistakes, hobbies, or conversations.
And often, we learn from other people.
My students teach me too
One of the best things about being a tutor is that I get to meet students from many different backgrounds.
My students have different jobs, hobbies, families, goals, and life experiences.
Because of them, I get to learn about many things.
I learn about their work.
I learn about their daily lives.
I learn about their favorite books, movies, sports, music, and travel experiences.
I learn about their challenges, dreams, and reasons for studying English.
Sometimes a student tells me about a job I did not know much about. Sometimes a student explains a hobby I have never tried. Sometimes a child shows me a toy, a drawing, or a school project, and I get to see the world through their eyes for a moment.
That is one of the quiet joys of teaching.
A lesson is not only the teacher giving knowledge to the student.
It can also be a conversation, a shared experience, and a chance for both people to learn something.
Curiosity makes learning easier
I think curiosity is one of the most important parts of learning.
If we are curious, learning becomes lighter.
It does not feel like a heavy responsibility.
It feels more like blueberry picking.
We look around.
We notice something.
We try again.
We find something interesting.
For English learners, curiosity can be very powerful.
You can ask...
- How do I say this in English?
- Why is this phrase useful?
- What does this word really mean?
- How can I explain my hobby?
- How can I talk about my daily life?
These questions can make English feel more personal and useful.
A small question for you
What did you enjoy learning as a student?
And what do you enjoy learning now?
Maybe your answer has changed over time.
Maybe it has stayed the same.
For me, I enjoyed learning about people, stories, and communication when I was younger. And I still enjoy learning those things today.
The classroom may look different now.
Sometimes it is a school.
Sometimes it is a theater.
Sometimes it is a blueberry farm.
Sometimes it is my small online teaching space at home.
But wherever I am, I want to stay curious.
Thanks for reading!
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