“We’re Not in School — We’re in Real Life”: Why Comfort and Partnership Matter in Language Learning

Author’s Column by Tymur Levitin

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The Goal Is Not Control — The Goal Is Connection

I often tell my students one simple truth:
We’re not in school. We’re not in a university lecture hall.
I’m not here to grade you, correct you, or intimidate you.
I’m here to help you.

In my lessons, there’s no power dynamic of teacher vs. student.
We are partners. We are a team. And we’re building something real — together.

When You Feel Safe, Your Brain Works Better

If you’re uncomfortable, your brain is busy protecting you.
If you’re relaxed, your brain is free to explore.

This is why I encourage every student — from the very first lesson — to say what they feel, what they need, and what they want to change. The class is not a test.
It’s a living space for thinking, speaking, discovering.

You don’t learn by obeying rules.
You learn by playing with them — and making them your own.

The First Lesson Is Blind — Then We Build Together

Of course, during the first session, I don’t know who you are.
You don’t know me either.
We “try each other on,” so to speak.
We test the waters, adjust the rhythm, see what works and what doesn’t.

But then, as we go deeper, we open up, both you and I.
And the method changes — constantly. Because you change. Because language is never static.

Real Progress Happens When You Forget You’re in Class

I’ve had students who were quiet, hesitant, polite — and made little progress.
Until the moment they relaxed.
Until they let their personality show.
Some crack a joke. Others curse.
One even started vaping during the lesson. I don’t encourage that, of course.
But guess what?
That’s when his real speaking ability kicked in.

He stopped trying to be “correct” — and became real.
And real language is what we’re here for.

There’s a Method to the Madness

This is not chaos.
This is not lack of standards.
This is intelligent adaptation.
I’m not here to force grammar into you.
I’m here to build a space where you can experiment with it — safely.

This is a space where girls can be girls, boys can be boys, and adults can be human — tired, stressed, ironic, energetic, distracted.
Language happens in all those states.
And our job is to work with them, not against them.

Final Words: Language Happens When You Let Go

I’m not selling miracle shortcuts.
I’m not promising fluency in 30 days.
But what I do promise — and deliver — is a process that respects you, adapts to you, and helps you grow into your own voice in a new language.

Not as a copy of the textbook.
But as yourself — real, alive, and expressive.

About the Author

Author’s Column by Tymur Levitin — founder, director, and senior teacher at Levitin Language School (official name: Start Language School by Tymur Levitin).
Explore more:  https://levitinlanguageschool.com/ |https://languagelearnings.com

© Tymur Levitin

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