Why I Teach: From Kindergarten to College-Level Education

 
Here's an Enduring Question that every professional teacher needs to ask: 

What fuels a lifelong passion for teaching across different educational stages?

In my 20+ years of teaching, whether it’s kindergarteners in South Korea or university students, my passion has remained the same: guiding learners on a journey of growth and discovery. 

Teaching isn't just about transferring knowledge—it's about sparking curiosity and unlocking potential. 

As a teacher, my role is to help students realize their own abilities, whether they're taking their first steps toward literacy or mastering academic English at the college level.

A Blast from My Past Life in Korea

Flashback to when I was teaching kindergarteners at a hagwon (private school) in South Korea. 

One of my favorite projects was called "Our School," a book-making activity where my students explored different parts of the school and learned about the people who made it run. 

For them, it was about practicing penmanship, discovering English, and understanding their world. 

For me, it was an incredible experience of seeing these young learners ignite their passion for reading and writing.

It’s never too early to start loving literacy. 

Watching my students light up when they wrote their names or told their own stories was a reminder of why I teach. 

Unlocking the potential inside every young mind is what drives me, and it’s something I carry with me no matter the age group I’m working with.

As Ryan Holiday wrote in The Obstacle is the Way: “The obstacle in the path becomes the path.” 

This quote, if you haven't noticed by know is practically my motto.... because it has literally taken me around the world to find amazing personal adventures and professional success.

My role as a teacher is to help my students turn challenges into opportunities, whether that’s learning the alphabet or crafting a complex research paper.

Project-Centered Learning: A Philosophy That Spans All Ages

This kindergarten project was just one example of project-based learning that connects academic skills with real-world applications. 

Over the years, I’ve found that when students of any age see the relevance of what they’re learning, they become more engaged. 

The best learning happens when students take ownership of their work and see it as more than just an assignment.

Another favorite and inspiring celebrity I follow is Jordan B. Peterson.  

He often emphasizes that the goal of education is to guide individuals from where they are to where they could be. In my teaching journey, whether with young children or postgraduates, this holds true: learning should be personalized, engaging, and transformative.

Project-centered learning helps bridge the gap between academia and life. 

For my university students, this might look like applying research theories to real-world problems, while for my kindergarteners, it meant connecting their daily experiences with reading and writing.

Teaching Both Ends of the Educational Spectrum

It often surprises people that I’ve taught both kindergarteners and university students, but what they don’t realize is that the common thread is helping learners see the possibilities of where education can take them. 

Young children need to be shown the joy of discovery, and older students need to be reminded that learning is a lifelong journey.

One of my favorite quotes from Jordan B. Peterson is, "Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world." 

It resonates with how I approach teaching: 

I believe in helping students get their internal "houses" in order—whether it’s focusing on foundational literacy skills or mastering academic writing. 

That said, teachers absolutely must get their own houses as perfectly as possible over time because of the high stakes of having the futures of other people (or their children's) in their hands.

Understand: Learning is not limited by age or subject, but by how we engage with it.

Teaching kindergarteners helped me rediscover the joy of learning for its own sake, something that I emphasize with my university students as well. 

Whether it’s a five-year-old learning to write their first sentence or a 22-year-old tackling a research thesis, the love of learning should be nurtured at every stage.

At the heart of everything, my calling in life is to transform myself in order to be transforming for others...

...to become a lifelong learner so that I can be a model for others.

It all starts with me.

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Conclusion: Why I Teach

What inspires me most about teaching is seeing the process of learning unfold. 

Whether it’s helping a child write their first book or guiding a college student through a complex essay, the act of learning is deeply personal and transformative. 

My role is to help learners unlock their potential and guide them from where they are to where they want to go. 

As Marcus Aurelius said, “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” 

Again, this is an essential understanding I have to every personal and professional challenge I have met here in the U.S., as well as in South Korea and China.

Education is about overcoming obstacles and using them as stepping stones to growth.

Are you—or your child—ready to embark on this educational journey with me?

Whether you're at the beginning stages of learning or ready to tackle the challenges of higher education, let’s work together to reach your full potential. 

📧 Email me at endgameacademics@gmail.com for a free consultation and let’s start building your path to success.

Or you can also contact me through Facebook and LinkedIn profile pages and messengers.

Brandon

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 Thanks for stopping by. 

 I empower university students to reach their true potential by mastering their mindset and academic English communication skills while learning to navigate the culture of American academia. 

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