Newsletter in learning and development

1. Sept 2013 Page 1 of 4VOL. # 7 ISSUE #9
Inspiring Teachers
Human Excellence
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

2. Sept 2013 Page 2 of 4 VOL. #7 ISSUE #9
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.
Before caption a goes here
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!
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/

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

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