11 What Is True Learning?
/11 What Is True Learning?
*Haoran was a boy who was good at studying.
/*Haoran was a boy who was good at studying.
He always scored high on tests.
/He always scored high on tests.
His teachers praised him, and his friends often said, “You’re amazing.”
/His teachers praised him, and his friends often said, “You’re amazing.”
But deep inside, *Haoran always had a small question.
/But deep inside, *Haoran always had a small question.
“Is being good at studying really enough?”
/“Is being good at studying really enough?”
“Is learning just about getting good scores on tests?”
/“Is learning just about getting good scores on tests?”
One day, on his way home from school, *Haoran was walking along a path near the forest.
/One day, on his way home from school, *Haoran was walking along a path near the forest.
There, in front of an old hut, sat an old man with a white beard, quietly reading a book.
/There, in front of an old hut, sat an old man with a white beard, quietly reading a book.
*Haoran felt curious and spoke to him.
/*Haoran felt curious and spoke to him.
“Hello. What are you reading?”
/“Hello. What are you reading?”
The old man looked up and smiled.
/The old man looked up and smiled.
“Hello. This is a book written long ago about ‘true learning.’”
/“Hello. This is a book written long ago about ‘true learning.’”
“True learning…?”
/“True learning…?”
*Haoran asked without thinking.
/*Haoran asked without thinking.
The old man looked into *Haoran’s eyes and said,
/The old man looked into *Haoran’s eyes and said,
“Do you like learning?”
/“Do you like learning?”
“Yes. I’m happy when I get good scores on tests. But… I feel like there’s more to it.”
/“Yes. I’m happy when I get good scores on tests. But… I feel like there’s more to it.”
The old man nodded.
/The old man nodded.
“That’s right. Learning isn’t just about gaining knowledge. True learning is about enriching the present, filling your heart, and making that feeling last. It’s about making the learner truly rich inside.”
/“That’s right. Learning isn’t just about gaining knowledge. True learning is about enriching the present, filling your heart, and making that feeling last. It’s about making the learner truly rich inside.”
*Haoran thought for a moment and asked,
/*Haoran thought for a moment and asked,
“But how can I learn like that?”
/“But how can I learn like that?”
The old man raised one finger and said,
/The old man raised one finger and said,
“First, polish your heart. Be kind to others, and have a heart full of gratitude. Then, what you learn will take root deeply.”
/“First, polish your heart. Be kind to others, and have a heart full of gratitude. Then, what you learn will take root deeply.”
“Gratitude…?”
/“Gratitude…?”
“Yes. For example, being thankful for what teachers teach, what friends share, and how family supports you. That kind of heart deepens learning. Think about it—many things in this world come from the wisdom and efforts of those before us. Isn’t that something to be grateful for?”
/“Yes. For example, being thankful for what teachers teach, what friends share, and how family supports you. That kind of heart deepens learning. Think about it—many things in this world come from the wisdom and efforts of those before us. Isn’t that something to be grateful for?”
*Haoran nodded quietly.
/*Haoran nodded quietly.
“Maybe I’ve been too focused on test scores. True learning really does enrich the heart.”
/“Maybe I’ve been too focused on test scores. True learning really does enrich the heart.”
The old man shared one more idea.
/The old man shared one more idea.
“Learning is also about finding what you can do and working on it. Having a heart that wishes for others’ happiness and thinking about what you can do—that’s the power of learning.”
/“Learning is also about finding what you can do and working on it. Having a heart that wishes for others’ happiness and thinking about what you can do—that’s the power of learning.”
*Haoran’s eyes lit up.
/*Haoran’s eyes lit up.
“That means learning isn’t just about studying—it’s something we can do in everyday life too!”
/“That means learning isn’t just about studying—it’s something we can do in everyday life too!”
The old man laughed happily.
/The old man laughed happily.
“Exactly. Learning doesn’t only happen in the classroom. There are seeds of learning everywhere in daily life. Your job is to find them and help them grow.”
/“Exactly. Learning doesn’t only happen in the classroom. There are seeds of learning everywhere in daily life. Your job is to find them and help them grow.”
From that day on, *Haoran changed.
/From that day on, *Haoran changed.
In the morning, he started saying “thank you” to his family.
/In the morning, he started saying “thank you” to his family.
At school, he listened carefully to his friends.
/At school, he listened carefully to his friends.
When listening to his teacher, he began thinking, “What can I learn from this?”
/When listening to his teacher, he began thinking, “What can I learn from this?”
One day, when the teacher asked the class, “What do you think learning is?” *Haoran raised his hand and said:
/One day, when the teacher asked the class, “What do you think learning is?” *Haoran raised his hand and said:
“Learning is polishing your heart. It’s being kind, being thankful, and thinking about what you can do and acting on it.”
/“Learning is polishing your heart. It’s being kind, being thankful, and thinking about what you can do and acting on it.”
The teacher smiled and said,
/The teacher smiled and said,
“That’s a wonderful answer. That is true learning.”
/“That’s a wonderful answer. That is true learning.”
*Haoran felt a warm glow in his chest.
/*Haoran felt a warm glow in his chest.
“Learning is such a joyful thing.”
/“Learning is such a joyful thing.”
And *Haoran thought,
/*And *Haoran thought,
“From now on, I’ll keep polishing my heart and learning many things.”
/“From now on, I’ll keep polishing my heart and learning many things.”
Review Questions (Multiple Choice)
/Review Questions (Multiple Choice)
Q1. Where did *Haoran meet the old man?
/Q1. Where did *Haoran meet the old man?
A. In the school library
/A. In the school library
B. In a hut near the forest
/B. In a hut near the forest
C. On a park bench
/C. On a park bench
Q2. What did the old man say was important for “true learning”?
/Q2. What did the old man say was important for “true learning”?
A. Getting high scores on tests
/A. Getting high scores on tests
B. Competing with friends
/B. Competing with friends
C. Polishing your heart, being thankful, and thinking about what you can do
/C. Polishing your heart, being thankful, and thinking about what you can do
Let’s Think!
/Let’s Think!
① When do you feel like saying “thank you”? How do you think that feeling connects to learning?
/① When do you feel like saying “thank you”? How do you think that feeling connects to learning?
② What can you do right now? Is there something you can do for someone using that ability?
/② What can you do right now? Is there something you can do for someone using that ability?
