The Ultimate Tribute to Teachers This Teacher’s Day? A Promise to Keep Learning
What’s the ultimate tribute you can give to all your teachers, coaches, and mentors this Teacher’s Day? Is it a fancy card with gold-embossed lettering?
Perhaps a heartfelt post on social media that gets a few dozen likes? While those are nice gestures, I’m thinking of something more enduring: a promise to keep learning.
Here’s how you can do it:
1. Prepare for the Tomorrow of Your Field
Remember when we all thought MySpace was the future? Yeah, that didn’t age well. Technology and methods are like fashion trends—what’s in today might be laughable tomorrow. The key is to stay ahead of the curve. Whether it’s learning the latest software, understanding new advancements, or just keeping up with the lingo, you CANNOT settle for being current in your field, you have to create a rhythm of learning that focuses on what next.
Here’s how you can do it:
1. Prepare for the Tomorrow of Your Field
Remember when we all thought MySpace was the future? Yeah, that didn’t age well. Technology and methods are like fashion trends—what’s in today might be laughable tomorrow. The key is to stay ahead of the curve. Whether it’s learning the latest software, understanding new advancements, or just keeping up with the lingo, you CANNOT settle for being current in your field, you have to create a rhythm of learning that focuses on what next.
Pro Tip: You don’t need to be a guru in every aspect of your field—just like not everyone in the office is a pivot table wizard in Excel (and that’s okay!). But you should know enough to be productive, effective, and not accidentally reply-all on the company-wide email thread. And the best part?
Most of the learning resources are free if you know where to look. Just remember, Wikipedia can be your friend – but use it wisely, lest you end up citing conspiracy theories in your next big presentation.
2. Move from Social Media to Social Learning
We all love a good meme scroll, but how about channelling some of that time into social learning? Engage with your community, learn from others’ mistakes (because who has the time to make them all yourself?), and soak in their successes. Attending conferences and fairs might sound as exciting as watching paint dry, but in reality, they’re a crash course in what could otherwise take you years to figure out on your own. Plus, there’s usually coffee and sometimes even free pens!
Most of the learning resources are free if you know where to look. Just remember, Wikipedia can be your friend – but use it wisely, lest you end up citing conspiracy theories in your next big presentation.
2. Move from Social Media to Social Learning
We all love a good meme scroll, but how about channelling some of that time into social learning? Engage with your community, learn from others’ mistakes (because who has the time to make them all yourself?), and soak in their successes. Attending conferences and fairs might sound as exciting as watching paint dry, but in reality, they’re a crash course in what could otherwise take you years to figure out on your own. Plus, there’s usually coffee and sometimes even free pens!
If you have the authority, why not create fireside chats, masterclass sessions, or even informal lunch-and-learns? Think of it as TED Talks meets your office kitchen, with slightly fewer viral videos and a bit more practical wisdom.
3. Play: Because All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Learner
Let’s be honest: engaging in a play-based activity that’s unconnected with your line of work might seem like a waste of time. But here’s the kicker—it’s actually where you can learn some of the most important skills. Whether it’s organizing a game of charades (and discovering who’s truly competitive) or getting involved in a completely unrelated hobby, these activities are multi-sensory, multi-player, and multi-beneficial. You’ll be learning core people and leadership skills without even realizing it—like how to handle that one person who always insists on bending the rules.
3. Play: Because All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Learner
Let’s be honest: engaging in a play-based activity that’s unconnected with your line of work might seem like a waste of time. But here’s the kicker—it’s actually where you can learn some of the most important skills. Whether it’s organizing a game of charades (and discovering who’s truly competitive) or getting involved in a completely unrelated hobby, these activities are multi-sensory, multi-player, and multi-beneficial. You’ll be learning core people and leadership skills without even realizing it—like how to handle that one person who always insists on bending the rules.
And hey, if you’re a leader, consider creating game-based learning sessions for your team. Think of it as Monopoly, but instead of bankrupting your colleagues, you’re teaching them collaboration and strategy. Just don’t forget to pass “Go” and collect that knowledge.
4. A Hobby Is Not a Sport, But It’s Equally Important
Not every hobby involves a scoreboard or a sweatband, and that’s perfectly fine. Pursuing a hobby – whether it’s painting, gardening, or even knitting-teaches you internal disciplines like focus, concentration, and mindfulness.
4. A Hobby Is Not a Sport, But It’s Equally Important
Not every hobby involves a scoreboard or a sweatband, and that’s perfectly fine. Pursuing a hobby – whether it’s painting, gardening, or even knitting-teaches you internal disciplines like focus, concentration, and mindfulness.
Plus, it’s a great way to switch off, recharge, and avoid burnout. Remember, even superheroes need a break from saving the world, so it’s okay if you need a break from saving the company.
5. Change the Ways of Working
This one’s a bit of a game-changer: make every other meeting about learning. Yes, you heard me right-meetings don’t just have to be about progress reports and action items. They can be about sharing new insights, discussing industry trends, or even learning something completely unrelated but still valuable (like the correct pronunciation of “quinoa”).
5. Change the Ways of Working
This one’s a bit of a game-changer: make every other meeting about learning. Yes, you heard me right-meetings don’t just have to be about progress reports and action items. They can be about sharing new insights, discussing industry trends, or even learning something completely unrelated but still valuable (like the correct pronunciation of “quinoa”).
If you truly want to learn, listen to everyone—especially those you don’t agree with. They might just offer you a perspective you hadn’t considered before. And for the love of all that is good, allocate funds for learning and then actually use them. Think of it as a gym membership—you pay for it, so you might as well go.
6. Learn from Nature (And No, I Don’t Just Mean Mountains and Gurgling Streams)
Nature is the world’s most underrated teacher, and it doesn’t come with a hefty tuition fee. But I’m not just talking about the serene mountain views or the calming sound of a babbling brook. Take a moment to observe the simple things, like how your dog operates with such little baggage. Ever notice how they seem to live in the moment, with a mental cache that’s always clean? They’ve mastered the art of low memory storage, which might be something we all could use a little more of.
6. Learn from Nature (And No, I Don’t Just Mean Mountains and Gurgling Streams)
Nature is the world’s most underrated teacher, and it doesn’t come with a hefty tuition fee. But I’m not just talking about the serene mountain views or the calming sound of a babbling brook. Take a moment to observe the simple things, like how your dog operates with such little baggage. Ever notice how they seem to live in the moment, with a mental cache that’s always clean? They’ve mastered the art of low memory storage, which might be something we all could use a little more of.
Or consider the kids in the park who, without any preconceived notions or social walls, can make friends in seconds flat. They don’t worry about titles, resumes, or whether someone prefers pineapple on pizza—they just connect. Learning from your environment is not only free and powerful, but it’s also uniquely personal because it’s all about your lens on the world.
7. Learning Through Self-Examination
This might be the hardest lesson of all. Sitting in silence and doing nothing—just letting your mind wander-can feel like the most challenging thing in the world, especially in our hyper-connected age. But even a 15-minute effort to quiet your mind can yield immense results. Consider cab rides, airport waiting time. Put down that phone and just let yourself be.
7. Learning Through Self-Examination
This might be the hardest lesson of all. Sitting in silence and doing nothing—just letting your mind wander-can feel like the most challenging thing in the world, especially in our hyper-connected age. But even a 15-minute effort to quiet your mind can yield immense results. Consider cab rides, airport waiting time. Put down that phone and just let yourself be.
It’s like taking your brain to the gym for weight training. It sucks in the beginning, but you’ll learn to love it. I am in stage one, and I am heavily relying on my own analogy to come true for me :).
Jokes aside, this practice of self-reflection is something we owe to our own growth and fulfilment, especially as some of us gracefully (or not so gracefully) navigate the transitions in our life.
Keep experiencing, Keep Learning. Happy Teacher’s day everyone
#teachersday
BlueSky Learning
Keep experiencing, Keep Learning. Happy Teacher’s day everyone
#teachersday
BlueSky Learning