A teacher is always a student

Teaching as Learning: A Practice in Belonging

For me, being a teacher has never just been about delivering content or standing at the front of a room. It’s always been about learning—about listening, evolving, and showing up with curiosity. The idea that “a teacher is a learner first” has stuck with me for years. Teaching, at its best, is a shared experience. It’s not a top-down transfer of knowledge—it’s a relationship. One that grows when we stop pretending we know everything, and instead make space for questions, difference, deliberation and surprise.

Learning from Discomfort

I didn’t grow up thinking classrooms were places for me. In fact, from my very first day of school, I remember coming home and saying: “There’s nothing there for me.” It wasn’t arrogance—it was disconnection. The systems weren’t designed for how I liked to learn or the thing I thought about or valued, and I felt that deeply. That early experience—of not quite fitting—has shaped almost everything I do now. It’s why I care so much about inclusion. It’s why I work to create spaces where students don’t have to twist themselves into something else just to belong. It is why I have never valued performance over progress, curiosity, or the courage it takes to keep trying.

Reimagining Education for All

In my work building inclusive learning communities and educational programme, I’m constantly reminded that equity in education isn’t a checklist—it’s a mindset. It’s about designing learning environments that celebrate difference, not ones that seek to erase it or 'standardize' our ways of being. Whether through curriculum design, communities of practice, or inclusive policy design, my goal is to keep asking: “Who is this space for—and who still feels like it’s not for them?” That question keeps me honest. It keeps me learning.

The Ongoing Work of Becoming

None of us ever arrive. The world is changing, our students are changing, and so must we. Every student, teacher or leader I meet, every conversation I have, every story I hear—adds another layer to how I understand this work. That’s why I hold onto the belief that being an educator means always staying open. We don’t serve students well by standing above them—we serve them by stepping into the learning with them. Side by side, we question, reflect, and challenge what needs to change. That’s how we build empathy, deepen understanding, and find common ground that can include everyone.

Finding Common Ground

That’s also why I decided to start writing about my experiences, and about the people I’ve learned with and from over the years. My platform, Common Ground, is a space for telling stories, reflecting, and connecting. It’s rooted in the belief that there is power in shared experience—and that when we gather our stories, we make space for community, understanding, and change. I hope to build a community of like-minded people who care deeply about education, equity, and what it means to belong.

Because when we commit to learning—not just about content, but about people—we start to transform education into something more significant. More just. More joyful. And that’s the kind of learning I believe we can all be part of.