What My Students Have Taught Me
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Shadi
- Blog
I’ve spent years teaching IELTS — explaining grammar, dissecting Task 2 essays, and timing speaking answers down to the second. But what I didn’t expect when I started was how much my students would end up teaching me. Not about the test, but about people, resilience, and what it really means to learn.
Some lessons came quietly; in the pauses between mock tests, or in the way a student smiled after finally understanding something they’d struggled with for weeks. Others were louder, like the time a student failed, came back, and refused to give up until they got their band 7. Those moments remind me that teaching isn’t just about strategy and structure; it’s about empathy, patience, and sometimes just showing up.
IELTS has rules and marking criteria; my students have emotions, stories, and dreams. And it’s in the space between those two worlds, the technical and the human , that I’ve learned the most valuable lessons of all.
Lesson 1: Persistence Is Louder Than Talent
I’ve met students who spoke fluent English but lost motivation halfway through, and others whose grammar was shaky but who refused to quit. The second group almost always wins. IELTS rewards consistency more than perfection, and my students have shown me that persistence, showing up even when it feels pointless, changes everything. It’s the quiet power behind every Band 7 story.
Lesson 2: Confidence Comes After Action, Not Before
Many learners think they need to feel confident before they speak. What I’ve seen is the opposite. Confidence grows from trying, failing, and realising the world doesn’t end when you make a mistake. I’ve watched shy students turn into outspoken communicators just by deciding to talk; even when their sentences weren’t perfect. That’s a reminder I try to follow in my own life, too.
Lesson 3: Everyone Learns Differently (and That’s Beautiful)
There’s no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to language learning. Some students absorb ideas visually; others need to talk them out loud. Some like structure; others need freedom. Watching this has made me more flexible; both as a teacher and a person. I’ve learned that progress doesn’t always look linear. Sometimes it’s messy, unpredictable, and still absolutely valid.
Lesson 4: Kindness Teaches Faster Than Pressure
When a student is nervous, no grammar correction helps. A calm tone and a bit of empathy do. Over time, I’ve realised that people don’t learn well from fear; they learn when they feel safe to try. This truth has quietly reshaped how I teach, give feedback, and even how I talk to myself on difficult days.
💡Final Thought
IELTS teaches structure and scoring. My students teach patience, courage, and humanity; lessons I can’t find in any handbook. And that’s why, no matter how many exams we prepare for, I always end up learning right alongside them.
