Seek the right teacher for you, because in time a student (you) can become similar to your teacher, sometimes absorbing good and bad traits alike.
“Learn to earn”
One must learn something and understand it effectively before teaching it to another. It is usually quite difficult to teach another what you yourself are not proficient with. Learn to understand – earn to have purpose and meaning. Jack of all trades, master of none – think about it, do you know something well enough to help another rather that hurting them with what you do or do not know? Not everyone who carries the title of teacher, is indeed a good teacher.
The Teacher/student relationship
In the teaching and learning environment, there has to be an even exchange of energy. The teacher shares their knowledge while the student listens, watches, absorbs and hopefully learns and applies. Gratitude is a reciprocating relationship between student and teacher, because if there is no teacher, there is no student. If there is no student, there is no teacher. Yin and yang in all things. Teachers too, benefit from this relationship. Teachers, first responders, armed forces members, public service workers and others don’t help others just for others to benefit. These types of individuals often find purpose and meaning through their service to others. At the very root of these endeavors is indeed a self-serving motivation that needs to be kept in check. Helping and teaching others to have purpose is one thing; indulging a god complex is another. A god complex is when an individual truly believes they have a greater power, influence, ability, etc., and see themselves as superior to others. A god complex behavior is often associated with having a narcissistic personality disorder. We all have much to offer and learn from one another, regardless of fame, wealth or social status.
A wise and experienced teacher realizes that not everyone learns the same way and adjusts accordingly. Some teachers are better at this than others as not all teachers are the same. Various students are better at grasping concepts through graphic or visual presentations, while others gravitate towards the sounds of words. Some may visualize the words in their mind’s eye. While still others learn best through touch and movement, where they need to be physically engaged in order to mentally comprehend concepts.
Embrace the “beginner’s mind.”
Students and teachers alike can benefit from understanding that they cannot fill a full cup, without first emptying what they already have. Once a student’s ego lets go of what one thinks they already know, they can then be open to learn something new or see something from a different perspective. Teachers can often learn much from their students if they are open to it and not let their own ego get in the way of their own learning from a student.
Learning ability/environment later in life
It is never too late to learn something new. Those who were once a teacher, can be a student once again. We are only limited by our own boundaries. However, learning ability does change as we move through the various phases of life. Short term memory becomes just that, shorter. We may remember complex details from our youth but fail to remember someone’s name that we were just introduced to seconds prior. Memory is indeed a muscle that needs to be exercised continuously in order to keep it working effectively. Sitting in a classroom or behind a computer screen can have a toll on the physical body, so plan accordingly and find the format that works best for your circumstances.
Fees for instruction
Fees and/or tuition are almost always necessary, in order for the teacher/student relationship to flourish. Time, effort and monetary compensation are all forms or conduits of energy. Sometimes labor (physical as well as mental) in return for knowledge is a viable commodity and can offer many opportunities for personal growth. No fee, cost or sacrifice on some level = NO VALUE. No skin in the game most often leads to no commitment or investment of one’s time and effort. Give a young adult an automobile and often they don’t care about maintenance, dings or scratches. The spoiled or entitled individual sooner or later learns a whole different set of life lessons. The person that saves and buys their own vehicle, often takes more pride and care of their assets, as they realize and value the time, effort and sacrifice that they put on the line for their own personal gain. Most people know this in spite of looking for the best deal or “free any things”. We usually pay for what we get, good or bad quality. Teachers need to earn living and be rightfully compensated for their time, effort and sharing of their earned knowledge.
___________________
I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, stress management, qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage, and Daoyin (yoga).
I look forward to further sharing more of my message by partnering with hospitals, wellness centers, VA centers, schools on all levels, businesses and individuals that see the value in building a stronger nation through building a healthier population. I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises
www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan
Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo
Jim Moltzan
407-234-0119