When Learning Feels Like Wonder

When Learning Feels Like Wonder

By Danica Choo

The poster of ‘The BFG’ lingers in my mind – not just as an invitation to a performance, but as a reminder of what learning can feel like. In a darkened theatre, children sit forward, eyes wide, caught in moments of wonder… those quiet “ooohs” and spontaneous “aaahs” that signal something has truly reached them.

That is the classroom I envision.

As a teacher, I know the syllabus is a given. It is the script we are handed. But my students’ learning experiences can be shaped by me. I want my lessons to feel less like a checklist and more like a performance worth remembering. Not every lesson can be spectacular, but even with constraints, there is space to create moments that spark curiosity, invite imagination, and linger beyond the bell.

I want my students to leave not just having completed a task, but carrying something with them – an idea to share, a question to ponder, a line they cannot quite forget.

Because when learning feels alive, language is no longer just a subject; it becomes a tool for connection and expression.

And perhaps, in small but meaningful ways, those moments of wonder will prepare them not just for the next exam, but for a future where they are ready to read, write, speak, and think beyond the classroom.