Inspiring Teachers Human Excellence

Sept 2013 Page 1 of 4VOL. # 7 ISSUE #9

From the editor…..

'When the student (pupil) is ready, the teacher (master)

appears' is an old saying. For a long time I used to apply

this only to spiritual gurus and was looking forward to

finding 'my guru' some day when I was ready.

But now I know that this doesn't mean that some 'guru'

will accept me; it means that when someone is ready to

learn then everything around him or her is a source of

learning. I have experienced this and it is true for both

academic education and spiritual growth. This readiness

is the ability to observe, to think, to ask and to reflect.

And also the willingness to put in the effort and take the

risk of moving out of the comfort zone (the comfort zone

is actually uncomfortable or even painful!).

I am not sure if this 'readiness' is a character trait or it

can be induced. Since all children are eager learners, I

feel that somewhere in the process of life one loses this

readiness. Does this readiness appear again through

some huge challenge or by a stroke of luck or can it be

systematically created? Does it depend on the capability

of the person? I have no answers. But as teachers or

trainers we have this challenge.

In my experience, very few people can make a person

ready for learning. Most of us can work only with eager

learners and feel happy with the outcome. On others, we

can try many alternate forms of motivation, cater to their

personality styles, or use persuasion but finally the choice

to learn or not lies with the learner. Coercion and

discipline can make them sit in class but all teachers

know that just because someone is sitting in your class

he or she is not automatically ready to learn.

I am referring to real learning vs. passing an exam

through rote learning. But I do know that very often

even to make someone do rote learning can also be

very challenging.

Whenever I have some new insight to tell someone, or

when I am trying to train teachers on new forms of

learning, I noticed that when they are not ready, I am

not sure how to approach the situation beyond the

above few methods. Its not that these people rebel or

refuse explicitly. In fact, some of them appear very

enthusiastic. But they just continue doing things in the

old way. At some point I realize, this person is either

incapable or unwilling to even try. Capability does play

an important role in adopting new things but there is

no effort to try, which is what readiness is all about.

Though I talk about motivation to teachers, I must

confess that I didn't succeed in making anyone ready

to learn new skills or accept new ways of looking at

life. If I was doing this only as a passion, as a service,

probably things would be different. But I wanted to

make a living out of this!

At this point in life, on this Teacher's Day, I am

wondering aloud: I have some skills and knowledge

that I want to share. Are they irrelevant for others? Or

Am I supposed to look for 'ready' learners? If yes,

how? or am I supposed to learn the skill of making

someone 'ready'? or do something else that is more

Contact us: info@theprofessor.in,

In this issue:

Faculty of the month LIFE ………….……… 2

Must Read Links ……………………………….. 3

Activity for learning from life …………… 4

Learning Inquiry For Ever

Tips on how to learn from life

Life is the biggest teacher everyone says. Most of us may

also feel the same when we are mature and experienced.

We not only learn skills and knowledge in specific disciplines

but also about relationships, about people, about priorities

and so on.

Often we complain about some life situation or difficulty we

are having and then after the phase has passed we say ‘we

learnt a lot’ from that situation. But is there a structured and

systematic way to learn from our experiences? From our

relationships with people around us?

Q: That’s quite a long journey already! So how is learning as

a child different from learning as an adult?

A: As a child, the people around you, especially your parents

or your care takers are your world. Even God is understood

through the views of these people around you. So if you are

cared for, assured that you are worthy of people’s attention

and love, then you grow up to be a human being who

believes that the world is a safe and loving place. If you did

not get attention unless you made a big noise, you will have

that as the model of your world and as an adult you may be

still throwing tantrums!

So essentially by the time you are into school, you have a

model or map of the world and you view everything as per

this model. If you believed people were trustworthy, that’s

what you will see around you. But if you believed that the

world was an unsafe place, you will probably have more

such experiences.

Q: So essentially you are saying that our beliefs that formed

during early childhood will decide the type of life we have.

So then how can we learn anything new from life?

A: You are correct that your initial map or model determines

your life experiences. But the whole purpose of your life is

to validate this model again and again, and change it if

necessary. This is what is learning from life or what you call

‘growing up’. People who don’t integrate new experiences

into their life and change their behaviors will not be able to

cope with life.

When you were a small child, you saw your parents as ‘large’

and ‘powerful’ people and saw the world through their eyes.

As you grow up, you change this model and view them as

people with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Sept 2013 Page 2 of 4 VOL. #7 ISSUE #9

Before caption a goes here

Q: When did you start your journey?

A: Born on the same day as you, but probably started the

journey a few months before being born. There is a

concept of a personal life as well as LIFE as a general word

denoting all life forms on this earth from times immemorial.

So I really can’t answer your question.

Q: At what point of time did you decide to become a

teacher?

A: I have always been a teacher as well as a learner.

Humans are meant to ‘learn’ and evolve from one life to

another. So in that sense I am also the taught!

http://www.theprofessor.in/

We are observing 5th Sept as Teachers’ Day in

India. This was the day Dr S Radhakrishnan was

born. He was one of India's most influential

scholars of comparative religion and philosophy and

showed how the philosophical systems of East and

West are each comprehensible within the terms of

the other. He held several prestigious teaching

positions in India and abroad from 1909 to 1948.

He said "teachers should be the best minds in the

country". After he became President of India when

some his students wanted to celebrate his birthday,

he seems to have said, "Instead of celebrating my

birthday, it would be my proud privilege if 5

September is observed as Teachers' Day."

On this occasion, this month’s interview is with the

biggest and greatest teacher in this universe. Guess

who? Life is the biggest teacher! So we have an

interview with LIFE as a teacher!

MUST READ LINKS

What’s happening in education

• Cloud is the answer to our faculty shortage

http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/cloud-could-fill-

the-gaps-in-india-education-

sector/1/197270.html?google_editors_picks=true

• Make interesting online presentations

http://prezi.com/the-basics/

• One more digital content provider

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-

and-economy/info-tech/iprof-launches-digi-

library-with-free-content/article3840307.ece

• Youtube starts live streaming for select

channels

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/youtube-live-streaming-

now-available-to-channels-with-over-100-

subscribers/411790-11.html

The attack of the MOOCs

http://www.economist.com/news/business/215

82001-army-new-online-courses-scaring-wits-

out-traditional-universities-can-they

A guide to online education

http://atlas.edupunksguide.org/

and the main site

http://www.edupunksguide.org/

World’s first elite university

http://www.minervaproject.com/

Audiobook conversion

http://www.acx.com/

Online courses on quality

http://www.qaielearning.com/

Beginning Linux Programming, Richard Stones, Neil

Matthew

https://copy.com/JOhvokDkJzSi

Yourself Linux in 24 Hours, Bill Ball

https://copy.com/6m2QyExzOzTX

The Linux Command Line, William E. Shotts

https://copy.com/P9kQtpkjpHoQ

Q: You have said that our belief systems have to

change, how does one go about doing this?

A: There are many techniques to do this. It is not

possible to explain the details. These techniques need

some guidance. Neuro-Linguistic Programming,

Regression, Emotional Freedom Technique, Louise

Hay’s mirror work, Wayne Dyer’s Erroneous Zones are

good starting points. You can read these books or visit

their websites and download their videos from the

internet.

Sept 2013 Page 3 of 4 VOL. # 7 ISSUE #9

Even your interactions with other people like extended

family, friends and in later life your colleagues is many a

time dictated by this early childhood image without your

own awareness. This is what is called subconscious. So if

you were discouraged as a child whenever you tried to

ask questions, then you may become a shy person or be

afraid to question authority in adult life too.

Psychological learning is to understand your adult

behavior and to see if any subconscious beliefs are

causing you problems. This can be easily seen in

repetitive ‘patterns’ of behavior or relationships.

Activity for Learning

There are some interesting ways of looking at life that will enable you to learn. One exercise is the following.

1. Think about 3 or 4 most important people in your life - either someone with whom you interact most or someone

who influences your success or failure in work

2. Select one person from this list

3. Bring an image of this person

4. Become aware of your feelings, thoughts, memories etc – without any analysis or judgment

5. Write five words that best describe your impression of this person

6. In what way are you similar?

7. In what way are you different?

8. Do this for each person that you initially thought of.

We project ourselves on the world around us or in other words, our world mirrors us. People in your life are reflecting

aspects of yourself. So if you hated this person, see what aspects of that person you hate. Do a very honest analysis and

see where you have that quality or qualities that you hate in this person. Probably, it is a signal for you to change that aspect in you. Or may be you need to develop that quality? For example you hate someone’s guts, how they take risks and

succeed. It is possible that you are playing too safe and this anger is telling you that you should also come out of your

comfort zone and take some risks. Or if you are already a ‘risk taker’ then this anger at another is telling you that may be you should reduce your risks. If you loved this person, then the qualities are those that you appreciate in yourself.

So when you analyze repetitive or strong influences in your life, you can learn something. The key point here is to integrate the learning into your situation. Once you get this, it can be fun!

www.theprofessor.in

Q: Is there any other way we can work on ourselves and become better?

A: Simple Meditation is a great way to energize yourself. Using Chakras, sounds and colors

will enhance meditation benefits. Meditation is a great enabler. It starts giving you new

insights into situations. You become open to new ideas and your capacity for discipline and

thinking will improve. In fact, once you get accustomed to meditation practice, whenever you

have a difficult or challenging situation, you can just relax and ask yourself – ‘What is this

situation trying to teach me. What can I learn? How can I handle this?’ and the thoughts or

ideas that come to you may be your answers.

So with meditation, you can start having conversations with your subconscious which is the

seat of your wisdom that is connected to the source of life. You don’t need any other guru!

LIFE is nothing but Living In Fruitful Enquiry. Or Life Is Fantastic Experience!

June 2013 Page 4 of 4 VOL. #7 ISSUE #6