When One Teaches, Two Learn

I am starting this blog post by taking you back in time. Do you remember how we had “slam” books or “scrap” books during our school days? These were books where our friends and classmates would write about themselves and us.

Most of the slam books had certain questions already printed on each page which would serve as prompts for the person to write. Beyond the basic details such as name, address, and phone number, there was also one recurring question: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Childhood versions of all of us had a vivid imagination. Our dreams were larger than life but there was some truth and sincerity in whatever we spoke or wrote.

When I wrote in these slam books, my ambitions would change faster than a blink of an eye. I remember having written about wanting to become an aeronautical engineer or even for that matter, an astronaut!

Of course, I haven’t become either. There was one more ambition that I had since childhood. And that was to become a teacher.

I adored my school teachers and remember looking up to them. And respect for teachers has always been on top.

The burning desire to become one of them somehow never went away.

When I moved ahead in my CA journey and realised that I was closer to achieving the qualification, I could only think of becoming a teacher and helping young minds learn and enjoy the process of learning.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that the day would come so soon? Earlier this year, I got the opportunity to start teaching a bunch of enthusiastic and budding Chartered Accountants and Company Secretaries.

I could not contain my excitement and joy in finally being able to live this childhood dream of mine!

I was quite nervous and doubtful whether I would do a good job. But my worries were put to rest soon enough. I realised that this was a pure and raw passion that I had towards becoming an educator. There hasn’t been a single day where I had doubts about choosing to take up this side hustle.

In the process of teaching, I have re-lived my student days. When I see the sparkle in the eyes of these students when they understand a concept that I explained, when I see their enthusiasm in wanting to learn and grow ahead, I just know that I am at the right place.

And above all, teaching has taught me a lot about myself as well. There is a popular saying, “When one teaches, two learn.”

Some of the lessons that I have learnt from teaching:

1. You will learn how much you don’t know. While I teach just one subject, I have understood and still am understanding it way better than when I studied on my own while preparing for my examinations.
2. Not every student is the same. While it is fundamental to treat all of them on par, it is equally important to understand that each of them has their unique qualities and abilities.
3. Small progress is still progress. It does not matter how much time is taken to understand something you’re trying to learn. What matters is the sincerity with which you attempt to learn the same.
4. Mistakes happen, and it is okay. There have been a lot of instances where I have wrongly explained something. And yes, I have felt extremely guilty for doing so. But then I realised that I am very much human too. It is okay to make these mistakes and learn from them.
5. Embrace the art of listening. When you teach, there will be a lot of questions and concerns that students will address. Listen to what they have to say and gain a fresh perspective towards the subject and also towards life, in general.
6. Gain a better perspective by stepping into another person’s shoes. This was something that particularly helped me in teaching to the best of my abilities. Having been a CA student until a few months ago, it was easier for me to gauge what the students were thinking. And that helped me understand them better and thus provide a more effective platform for them to learn better.
7. Add a sprinkle of humour because there is nothing gained from being serious all the time!
8. Last but the most important, learning never ends.

There is no certainty about what the future holds for me in terms of being an educator, but all I do know is that living a childhood dream is one of the best experiences a person could have.

Until next time, stay blessed!

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