Tag: students

Learning Curve

Posted on September 16, 2011 by

Every day I’m in the business of learning.  It’s what I trained for, it’s what I get paid for, and it’s turned into one of my life’s passions.  The interesting thing is that over 20 years of teaching, I’ve spent more time teaching other people than spending time focusing on directly teaching myself a new skill.
I’m not a big fan of taking classes-wow, that’s funny for a teacher to say!  I’ve never been a jazzercise-boot camp-training team kind of exerciser.  I haven’t unleashed my inner artist in a clay studio or au-plein air painting group.  I can’t imagine making time to learn how to do all those household repairs that I pay someone else to do (although maybe I should!).  I love gardening but have never attended a rose pruning clinic or composting seminar.  Cooking, baking, writing – all things I love to do, but never have I registered for a class.  College doesn’t count-I’m talking about learning just for the sake of learning, no ultimate goal or ulterior motive.
Learning, for me, has become something done by osmosis…something that I often don’t even notice until it’s over.  And sometimes that’s a really good thing.  But sometimes I wonder if I’m missing out.  Maybe I should find a cello teacher.  Or go back to the yoga studio and really commit to learning the practice.  Perhaps I should take a writing retreat and consciously try to improve my craft.
Or maybe, just maybe, I should simply learn how to be present in the everyday.  To take in the lessons that are all around me~lessons from my husband, my students, my children.  Maybe if I really show up for this class, the teacher might just surprise me with her lesson plan.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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