What drives me

To boil it down to a few short paragraphs is tricky. On one level, I could say that I enjoying teaching - it’s a social activity that keeps you on your toes, while there some subjects that I have a good understanding of, and that I like sharing and exploring with others. But to give some idea of the deeper drivers, one question my Grandfather asked has stuck with me -

‘Why do we never learn?’

It seems evident to me that by and large we can all learn certain technical things if we really want to: whether that’s maths, a new language, how to drive a car, or many other things, all of which have their value. But when it comes to living together on this planet, to what extent are we really learning? How can perspectives be so different and yet so firm?

When teaching, you face such challenges as trying to teach division to someone who turns off / needs the toilet / gets hungry / falls asleep at the mere mention of the word. But will they see that trigger themselves?

In kids, some of the mind’s complexities are less well hidden. The extent to which being aware of such blocks can help to move beyond them is another question, and one of the questions I’m exploring.

So there are some things that I feel able to pass on. But the bigger picture for me is around how to learn, how to teach, and enjoying time with others.