Lifelong Learners

Recently I was teaching a literature class and one of the assignments was about a TedTalk video. Whether you are an ESL student or an English student, TedTalks will cross your way quite often, mostly because they are filled with outstanding, awe-striking stories about any subject you can think of. I use them in my lessons and I suggest you do too.

Going back on track, the central question of the course was “What does it mean to be a Lifelong Learner” It actually made me think about how a lifelong learner is the perfect description of an educator. We are constantly seeking more knowledge not just to be better than our students, but also because I do not know a single educator who is not curious by nature, most of us, bookworms for sure, but also polyglots, researchers, and entrepreneurs. We are a dangerous breed for modern educational systems in which the governments ought to keep you in line with the needs of society, thinkers are revolts, and revolts bring change. Wow, I guess I have watched Matilda the Musical way too many times, by the way, I’m talking about it in my next post.

In this way, the speaker states, "Education is not about filling buckets; it is lighting fires." To paraphrase the quote, education is about more than cramming facts into students' heads; it's about igniting a passion for knowledge. Hence, the questions you should ask when trying to find a tutor are:

• I encouraged to LEARN?
• Am I having fun while learning?
• Has my sparkle for curiosity ignited?

Anyhow, here’s the Ted Talk, take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq0_zGzSc8g&ab_channel=TED

ESL LEARNers' Word Challenge:

• Bumbling around → Comportarse de forma despistada y desorganizada, cometiendo errores y, por lo general, sin conseguir nada.
• Bumping into → encontrarse por casualidad o inesperadamente
• Figure out → resolver un problema o descubrir la respuesta a una pregunta.
• Reliable → de confianza
• Farting around → perder el tiempo: pasar el tiempo haciendo actividades que no tienen ningún propósito serio.
• Exhilarating → Emocionante
• Collect data and facts → (false cognate) esta palabra es fácilmente confundida con coleccionar, pero en realidad significa recopilar o recoger.
• excel at → ser superior de alguna forma; superar en logros o resultados.