There are some lessons that cannot be fully taught in a classroom. They are not written on the pages of textbooks, neither are they explained on a blackboard. They are lessons that life quietly places before us and waits for us to notice. For instance, learning ethical moral values and norms of a kind of people. We learn them by watching, by listening, by making mistakes, by trying again, and sometimes by simply experiencing situations for ourselves. This is the power of observation and experience.
From my own observation and experience, I have come to understand that observation is one of the most natural forms of learning. Long before I could explain why people behaved in certain ways, I was already watching them. I observed how adults spoke to one another, how teachers treated their students, how friends responded to one another, and how people behaved when things did not go according to plan. Without consciously knowing it, I was collecting lessons from these encounters.
One experience that particularly shaped my understanding of observation happened during my early years in secondary school. I had always thought that being knowledgeable was enough to make someone a good teacher. However, as I progressed through school, I began to notice that some teachers could know a great deal but still struggle to communicate effectively, while others could take a simple idea and make it understandable to almost everyone in the classroom. I began paying attention to their methods: the way they introduced a topic, the questions they asked, the examples they gave, and even the way they responded when a student gave a wrong answer. I discovered that teaching was not merely about possessing knowledge; it was also about understanding people.
It occurred to me later that observation became even more meaningful when I started taking teaching more seriously. Whenever I watched an experienced teacher handle a classroom, I noticed little things that a textbook might never mention. I saw how a teacher’s tone could determine whether pupils felt comfortable participating or not. I noticed how moving around the classroom could keep students attentive and how a simple example from everyday life could make a difficult concept memorable. These were not merely theories to me anymore. They were lessons I had seen in action.
Experience, however, has a different way of teaching. Observation allows us to learn from what happens to others, but experience makes the lesson personal.
I remember occasions when I was confident about doing something because I believed I understood it, only to discover through practice that understanding an idea and applying it were two different things. There were situations in which I made mistakes that I would probably have avoided if I had listened more carefully to someone’s advice. At the time, those mistakes were frustrating. Looking back, however, I realise that they taught me lessons that advice alone could not have given me.
One of the most important things experience has taught me is that failure is often informative. When something does not work, we are forced to ask questions: What went wrong? What could I have done differently? What did I overlook? Those questions can turn an unpleasant experience into an opportunity for growth. In this sense, experience becomes a teacher that does not simply give us answers; it makes us search for them; hence the saying: “Experience is the best teacher.”
I have also learned through observing people’s reactions to different situations. Sometimes, a person may say very little, yet their actions reveal much about them. I have watched people remain calm when others became angry, and I learned that maturity is not always demonstrated through having the loudest voice. I have seen people admit when they were wrong, and I learned that humility is not weakness. I have also watched people continue working quietly without receiving immediate recognition, which taught me that consistency often matters more than applause.
One interesting thing about observation is that it requires attention. It is possible to look at something without actually seeing it. A student can sit in a classroom for hours and remember almost nothing because the student’s mind was elsewhere. Similarly, we can interact with people every day without noticing the lessons their behaviour presents to us. True observation requires curiosity. It means asking ourselves, “Why did that happen?” “What can I learn from this?” and “What would I do differently?”
Experience also teaches us to appreciate lessons that we once ignored. Sometimes, advice sounds ordinary when we first hear it. Later, after encountering a similar situation ourselves, the same advice suddenly makes perfect sense. It is almost as though experience gives meaning to words that we previously heard without understanding.
This has made me realize that learning is not restricted to schools and universities. A classroom is only one environment in which learning takes place. We learn from conversations, friendships, responsibilities, mistakes, successes, disappointments, observation, and everyday encounters. Life itself is a classroom, although it rarely announces when an examination is about to begin.
However, learning from experience does not mean that we must make every mistake ourselves. One of the greatest advantages of observation is that it allows us to learn from the experiences of others. If I observe someone make a poor decision and understand the consequences, I can learn from that situation without necessarily repeating the same mistake. In the same way, watching someone succeed can reveal habits and principles worth adopting.
For me, the combination of observation and experience has gradually changed the way I approach life. I no longer see every situation simply as something to pass through. I try to ask what the situation is teaching me. When I encounter someone who possesses a quality I admire, I observe it. When I make a mistake, I examine it. When something succeeds, I try to understand why. When something fails, I try to discover what it can teach me.
Ultimately, observation opens our eyes, while experience deepens what our eyes have seen. Observation allows us to learn without necessarily participating, while experience gives us a personal understanding of what we have learned. Together, they shape our judgement, character, skills, and understanding of the world.
Some of the most valuable lessons I have learned were never formally taught to me. I discovered them by watching people, listening to their experiences, making my own mistakes, and reflecting on the situations I encountered. That is why I believe learning is not something that ends when a lesson is over. Sometimes, the most important lessons begin when the teacher stops speaking and life begins to demonstrate.
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