Become Your Own Teacher

Learning is about understanding a concept well enough to apply it to your own life..  Learning is about growth. It’s about deepening our understanding, owning what we learn and using it to make our lives more meaningful. We are our own teachers.  We choose the curriculum that takes us where we want to go. 

 

I would love to be home schooled today.  I would be free to explore whatever excites me. I would be free to develop my unique talents. I could spend as much time as I wanted delving into any subject that stirred my passion.  I could learn as much as I wanted to, or as little as I wanted to.  Someone, somewhere on the internet is teaching what you want to know.

 

There is usually a specific purpose in your search for knowledge.  You want to make some changes in your own life.  You want to learn a new skill. You want to create more value for your target community.  You want to find a way to become more involved in a cause you believe in.  When I learn a new skill, I often turn it into a book to share with others. My blog posts reflect my curiosity, my discoveries and my passion. Apply what you learn and share it with others.

 

All sorts of things spark my imagination. As I read the blog posts of others, I am often inspired to explore a topic more deeply.  I write my interpretation of the topic.  I explore my experiences with an idea.  I create a new approach to creating something that I then teach others. Knowledge is everywhere.  It is in the conversations we have, the idea we develop and the need to know more that is with us always.

 

Search for both motivational and practical learning opportunities.  Do I need to improve my writing skills or do I need to learn how to format an e book?  If I want to teach a telecourse, what do I want participants to learn and how do I want to deliver it? Do I have to learn the back end of a webinar software or do I need to focus on my delivery technique?  Build on what you already know and learn the skills and concepts that take you to the next level.

 

Divide your time into large three-month segments and set one major learning goal for each quarter.  Then outline what you want to learn every week and how you might go about doing that.  It may be that you need to learn sound editing software or how to publish your book on ereaders. It may be that you need to learn how to give a better talk or make your own videos. You can always improve a skill set.  It may be that you need to do more research on a topic you want to master. Whatever steps you need to take to complete your project, schedule them and learn what you need to create the result you want to achieve.

 

If you look, you will find it. There are tons of free telecourses on line. Sign up for those that teach you what you need to know next. Thoughtful bloggers supply insights on both practical and philosophical concepts.  Find a few bloggers and follow them. Spend a portion of your day reading more on your topic of interest from sources.

 

There are discouraging statistics about the number of people who don’t read books as adults and who don’t learn anything new after they leave school. You’re not one of those people because you are reading this article.  You are a life-long learner.  You are curious. You are an independent thinker. You are constantly exploring new concepts. You keep up with change even if it takes a bit of extra study.  Be curious.  Be aware.  Be thoughtful.

 

Learn what you need and want to know and then apply it. Apply it creatively. Apply it instinctively.  Apply it organically.  Teach others to use what you have learned and help them achieve their own unique results.

 

Go exploring. Let your intellectual travels open up new paths you’ve never been on before.  Take your own unique collection of knowledge and make something special to offer others.  Write your own curriculum.  Revel in what you learn and go out and share your excitement with others. You are your own teacher.  Be a good one.