Day 078 — Speaking: Education & Learning（Part 1/2/3）

Honestly, it was a bit of a mixed bag. I really enjoyed some subjects like maths and science, but I struggled with subjects that required a lot of memorisation, like history. Looking back, I think I enjoyed school most when teachers made lessons interactive rather than just lecturing.

My favourite subject was definitely mathematics. I loved the logical structure of it — you could always find a definitive answer if you followed the right process. It also taught me how to approach problems systematically, which I still find useful in my work as an engineer.

I think experience tends to be more effective for me personally. There's something about doing something with your own hands that makes knowledge stick. That said, books provide the theoretical foundation, so ideally, you need both working together.

Yes, actually — I'm preparing for the IELTS exam, so I've been studying English quite intensively. I'm also trying to build my vocabulary through reading academic articles online. It's challenging but I can feel myself improving gradually.

I think the most important qualities are patience and the ability to explain things clearly. A good teacher can adapt their approach depending on who they're talking to — some students need visual examples, while others prefer step-by-step logical explanations. Beyond that, I think genuine enthusiasm for the subject makes a huge difference. Students can tell when a teacher is going through the motions versus when they truly love what they're teaching.

I do think technology will transform the role significantly, though I don't believe it will replace teachers entirely. AI and online platforms can deliver content efficiently, but the human element — mentoring, emotional support, motivating students who are struggling — is much harder to replicate. I'd say the role will shift from being a primary source of information to more of a facilitator and guide.

I partially agree that online learning can be effective, but I think it really depends on the individual and the subject. For self-motivated learners studying topics like programming or language learning, online platforms can be excellent. However, for younger students or subjects that benefit from collaboration — like the arts or laboratory sciences — face-to-face interaction is much harder to replicate. So rather than one being universally better, I'd argue that a blended approach tends to work best for most people.