How the learning happens? A reflection about learning and soul imprints

HOW LEARNING HAPPENS

MY REFLECTIONS ON LEARNING, TEACHING, AND AN IMPRINT

with a touch of inspiration from Adele's teacher. 

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As homeschooling parents or teachers involved in children’s education, some questions that we often have in mind are, is my child really learning? How much is learning? Will they be able to remember what they have learned and put it into action when needed? What will they remember? Will they remember the right stuff? (The important stuff, I mean).

In this article, I want to explore with you how learning happens, from my point of view and experience after having been teaching children for over 12 years.

Since I teach only children and families, I want to focus on the children here.

Let’s start from the beginning.

What’s learning?

As I see it, learning is something that happens through the life experiences of the children and leaves an imprint in the children’s minds, souls, energy, and bodies.

With that idea in mind, my direction as a teacher is actually not to create learning or teach anything but to create a favorable environment where an imprint on the soul of a child can happen.

And what is that imprint I am talking about? Am I not trying to teach them Spanish?

Don’t worry parents, your money is well used, I do try to teach them Spanish, and many of the things I teach are remembered even a year after (that is my experience in my classes) but my imprint will not necessarily be the words, concepts or sentences I am trying to teach them.

Well, teachers, as much as parents, especially homeschooling parents, can imprint many things in a children’s soul. From love to learn and eagerness to try new things to totally the opposite.

Important note to parents: No, it is not all your fault dear homeschooling parent if your child is having trouble learning, and does not find interest in learning at a certain time or about a certain topic. Let’s make sure guilt will not climb here and destroy your day. Be gentle with yourself. You are doing great.

I want to give you a live example of what it means to imprint on a child something good, something that can move them forward. That is my real job as a teacher.

In an ITV concert that Adele was giving, she was surprised by a question from Emma Thompson.

“When you were younger was there someone who kind of supported you, inspired you, or sort of, you know, protected you from all the trials and tribulations of life and inspired you to go on?”

Adele responded, “Yeah, I had a teacher at Chestnut Grove who taught me English. That was Miss McDonald. It was just one year but she got me really into Literature. I've always been obsessed with English. Well, now I write lyrics.”

“She really made us care and we knew that she cared about us.”

“She was so bloody cool so engaging. She was so relatable and likable that I was always looking forward to my English class.”

This interaction I transcribed does not cover the whole conversation but you can get it to watch it here:

How did she do it?

She just did her best for her students to have a good time while learning. She created a favorable atmosphere.

She showed that she cared.

She was funny, she danced with them, she spent time with them…

It did not take her that long, just a year, to create a very significant imprint in Adele’s soul. An imprint that moved her forward.

Let's then take our funny side out, do things in a different way, learn while being outside, on the floor, on the carpet, dance while you recite a poem, make it into a song, and include funny (even gross stuff) in it, color it, cut it, make a collage... 

The imprint in their souls through this will shine strongly through life.