Why I Learn
My face when Hazel Soan’s giving me her critique of my progress in Florence earlier this year, is priceless!
Q: Susan, why are you joining painting workshops and courses when you’re already a teacher yourself?
This article may leave you pondering about a fresh approach to learning. I will share my lifelong philosophy of learning. Prior to stepping into the role of a teacher around 2010, my journey revolved around fine art studies. Pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art was just the beginning; it led to a scholarship for a Master's in Fine Arts from a renowned institution—a detail I'll leave aside for now. There is value in having mentors and teachers holding space for my development as an artist, the crucial figure however is not them, but myself.
How I love being in school again in my early 30’s while the other students are all younger. How I love being in that university bubble where I can learn, I can mess up, I can try again, and feel held along the way. But I also remember how stressful it was because the final is always looming, the assessment time, the time where things has to be completed and installed. And then the judgement.
When I in turn become a teacher, I hear echos of, "I teach, therefore I learn," and I wholeheartedly align with this notion. Teaching allows me to solidify my own understanding of theories, and by verbalizing and explaining these theories, it gets cementing in my memory—it's a process of self-teaching. When I rewatch my own YouTube recordings of me teaching, I cringe at my own struggle to find words that helps clarify the techniques I am showing, but I also know that this is the best I’ve got at the moment. And as the years go by, and I watch myself grow, I was definitely an improved teacher now than I’ve ever been.
What continually blows my mind is how students transforms when the subject captivates their interest. The process of learning becomes so thrilling and they become for a lack of a better work obsessed. I love this saying "you either win, or you learn” because it is addressing the prevalent fear of failure as an opportunity for growth. This fear, ever-present in our global society, paradoxically serves as a catalyst for growth—we inherently understand that failures is a necessary pain for growth.
My year end nuggets of being a student are:
I learn from others because I enjoy the experience of learning, a good teacher leaves me feeling both awed and nourished.
It takes a long time to undo bad habits and to replace it with the new habit. But it’s totally worth the struggle.
Listening to teachers still finding their voice, can be an effort and frustration when the communication does not flow. But I prefer an imperfect teacher than one that’s so smooth talking without a single hair out of place. The best kinds of teachers are the ones who can show you that they’ve got challenges too.
Learning is participating intimately with the the wonders of human expression, teacher are warriors against ignorance, but if we’re not ready, not fully present, or not sure about the value of the lessons will end up wasting it.
Procrasti-learning is a popular occurrence. It’s when someone joins many workshops, classes, or courses out of a fear of never accumulating enough knowledge to apply it to their own efforts. This is a form of over-consumption. And I too have been guilty of this.
Conversations with my artist peers who also teach reaffirms my understanding of the work I do. Hearing their perspectives serves as validation and affirmation of the knowledge I have.