Embrace new perspectives .Be a lifelong learner as a teacher

 

Always a Life-Long Learner By Maia Reed-TEDx (Lakeland University)

Life-long learning is a must-have for teachers. It is a special gift one can give to him or herself. Let us get that straight. Being comfortable at the level you began your teaching journey is not a great decision. As soon as you make lifelong learning a primary factor in your life, you will soar.

This type of learning is beyond school, it is a conscious effort by one to improve. To stop learning is destructive to personal growth and development. As teachers, we cannot thrive in the profession without constantly learning.

Being a lifelong learner indicates that you love the profession and that you are ready to equip yourself for authentic teaching. Not being a lifelong learner can be disadvantageous to yourself and the learners you are handling. Therefore, make a conscious effort to become one. It is voluntary but, it is a necessity if you want to remain relevant in any profession, not just teaching. Find a positive way to foster continuous growth and development in your life. Do not be rigid, get out of your comfort zone.

Yes, we are busy, no doubt about that. Personal, family, work, all of those, but then special attention should be paid to personal growth and development through lifelong learning. It will be woefully inadequate to live a life devoid of learning as a teacher because, under the standard of teaching and learning, your skill will be inadequate when set against the demands of effective teaching.

Let us even look at the meaning of lifelong learning

According to Dictionary .com, lifelong learning is the 'provision or use of both formal and informal learning opportunities throughout people's lives in order to foster the continuous development and improvement of the knowledge and skills needed for employment and personal fulfillment'

Albert Einstein sees lifelong learning as life, no wonder he said in his quote,

"Once you stop learning, you start dying." This quote reflects the pressing need for lifelong learning in today's world. It goes beyond having degrees in formal school, it involves a personal decision to improve even outside the parameters of formal education

We are in the digital age, everything is changing and we have to build the skills and awareness that are required to adapt properly. That can only be achieved if we continue to learn and not quit.

Lifelong learning is a process that should continue throughout a lifetime. It does not have an expiry date as long as you are alive.

Remember, ''The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.'’-----Alvin Toffler

Thinking about the benefits of being a lifelong learner, here are some tips

Life-long learning helps to address your learning needs

It enables a teacher to be ready to meet the needs of the changing world.

It helps you to improve the quality of your life and self-worth.

Lifelong learning offers you the opportunity to explore, learn, and grow (it helps you to keep abreast).How do you feel when you know that you know? Confident right

With life-long learning, you acquire skills that will help you to adapt to the changing technology in your workplace. You can learn a skill or improve on the existing ones

It increases your employability and earns you more money

Wondering how to be a lifelong learner, check out the tips

This is a busy world, so we try to balance personal, work, family, social life and so on:

·    Know what works for you- Identify your learning style, and know the best time to study.

·    Create an workable time management table

·    Self-taught learning- whether reading from the book (print or e-books), listening to audio, video, and so on

·    Attend workshops, seminars, and trainings. Do not be a resistor

·    Collaborate with your colleagues, Do not be an island

·    Ask questions, it is amazing the kind of knowledge we gain when we ask questions

·    Visit credible sites and blog posts

·    Sign up for newsletters from credible educational institutions and sites

·    Belong to subject-based associations. For example, a biology teacher who belongs to the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT). Most of these organisations organise incredible workshops and professional development conferences that will add immensely to your growth

·    Get a Coach, Mentor, or Accountability partner

·    Go back to school if you need to

Any disadvantage of refusing to be a lifelong learner as a teacher? I only know a big  one, you will be obsolete with time and your services will no longer be needed.

Take ownership of your personal growth and development. Be determined . Do not waste time because the world is changing, and technology is advancing.

Additional resources

What is lifelong learning?

How to build lifelong learning skills for the 21st Century workplace