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The Future of Teaching: how to make learning truly Memorable
Most people don't forget because they are incapable of learning.
They forget because the learning experience was not memorable.
Over the past couple of years of teaching and leading workshops, I have started noticing a simple but powerful pattern.
People remember what they experience. They forget much of what they only hear.
I saw this very clearly during a lesson with 75 children in Africa.
That day was another powerful reminder of something I already knew: people remember what they truly experience.
They forget because the learning experience was not memorable.
Over the past couple of years of teaching and leading workshops, I have started noticing a simple but powerful pattern.
People remember what they experience. They forget much of what they only hear.
I saw this very clearly during a lesson with 75 children in Africa.
That day was another powerful reminder of something I already knew: people remember what they truly experience.
Title slide for the teaching presentation “Soil Is Alive”
The topic of the lesson was simple: “Soil Is Alive.”
But if I wanted the children to remember it, I knew it had to become more than just a class.
It had to become an experience.
Through teaching, running workshops, and also through my experience as a father, I have realised that memorable learning often follows a surprisingly simple pattern.
Attention → Emotion → Action → Repetition → Practice
Because:
• attention opens the door
• emotion strengthens memory
• action anchors knowledge
• repetition stabilises it
• practice makes it real
If a person only listens, information often slips away.
If a person experiences the lesson, it settles much deeper.
Two of the most powerful tools in memorable teaching are multi-sensory learning and meaningful surprise.
Multi-Sensory Teaching: The More Senses Are Involved, the Stronger the Memory
Multi-sensory teaching means deliberately engaging more than just hearing.
When people do not only listen, but also see, touch, move, smell, taste, or interact, the learning experience becomes much more memorable.
In practice, this can look like:
• Sight: images, real-life examples, demonstrations, simple diagrams
• Hearing: storytelling, tone of voice, questions, sounds of nature, background sound or music
• Touch: holding objects, comparing textures, exploring materials by hand
• Movement: standing up, walking somewhere, showing, acting, role play
• Smell and taste (where appropriate and safe): herbs, plants, soil, food products, or natural materials connected to the topic
The more meaningful sensory channels you activate, the more “hooks” the brain has to hold on to the learning.
In other words: the idea is no longer only understood — it is experienced.
The Surprise Effect: “Wow” Is Not Entertainment. It Is a Memory Trigger.
Surprise raises attention.
And attention is the gateway to memory.
That is why a meaningful “wow” moment can make learning much stronger. It does not need to be expensive, dramatic, or technically complicated. It simply needs to be intentional and connected to the message.
A strong surprise element helps learners pause, focus, and feel that something important is happening.
Examples can include:
• a change in the room atmosphere (for example, darkening the room)
• an unexpected object
• a short video clip
• an unusual comparison or analogy
• a role-play moment
• a story that immediately sparks curiosity
Used well, surprise is not there to distract from learning. It is there to open the door for deeper learning.
That is exactly what we tried to create with the children.
Together with local teachers, we turned the lesson into a small adventure!
But if I wanted the children to remember it, I knew it had to become more than just a class.
It had to become an experience.
Through teaching, running workshops, and also through my experience as a father, I have realised that memorable learning often follows a surprisingly simple pattern.
Attention → Emotion → Action → Repetition → Practice
Because:
• attention opens the door
• emotion strengthens memory
• action anchors knowledge
• repetition stabilises it
• practice makes it real
If a person only listens, information often slips away.
If a person experiences the lesson, it settles much deeper.
Two of the most powerful tools in memorable teaching are multi-sensory learning and meaningful surprise.
Multi-Sensory Teaching: The More Senses Are Involved, the Stronger the Memory
Multi-sensory teaching means deliberately engaging more than just hearing.
When people do not only listen, but also see, touch, move, smell, taste, or interact, the learning experience becomes much more memorable.
In practice, this can look like:
• Sight: images, real-life examples, demonstrations, simple diagrams
• Hearing: storytelling, tone of voice, questions, sounds of nature, background sound or music
• Touch: holding objects, comparing textures, exploring materials by hand
• Movement: standing up, walking somewhere, showing, acting, role play
• Smell and taste (where appropriate and safe): herbs, plants, soil, food products, or natural materials connected to the topic
The more meaningful sensory channels you activate, the more “hooks” the brain has to hold on to the learning.
In other words: the idea is no longer only understood — it is experienced.
The Surprise Effect: “Wow” Is Not Entertainment. It Is a Memory Trigger.
Surprise raises attention.
And attention is the gateway to memory.
That is why a meaningful “wow” moment can make learning much stronger. It does not need to be expensive, dramatic, or technically complicated. It simply needs to be intentional and connected to the message.
A strong surprise element helps learners pause, focus, and feel that something important is happening.
Examples can include:
• a change in the room atmosphere (for example, darkening the room)
• an unexpected object
• a short video clip
• an unusual comparison or analogy
• a role-play moment
• a story that immediately sparks curiosity
Used well, surprise is not there to distract from learning. It is there to open the door for deeper learning.
That is exactly what we tried to create with the children.
Together with local teachers, we turned the lesson into a small adventure!
Soil Is Alive — The Beginning of a Lesson in Africa
This video shows the opening moments of the “Soil Is Alive” lesson, delivered to primary school pupils in Africa (approximately 7–10 years old). The goal was simple: to help children understand that soil is alive — it is home to an enormous diversity of microorganisms that work together to keep the soil healthy and feed plants.
Thriveman Comes to Africa! A Gardening Superhero Story 🌱🦸♂️
In November 2025, gardening superhero Thriveman travelled to Africa to begin his mission.
Africa holds enormous potential — and Thriveman is here to help turn that potential into real, thriving life: healthier soil, stronger gardens, and a brighter future for every person who lives there.
Africa holds enormous potential — and Thriveman is here to help turn that potential into real, thriving life: healthier soil, stronger gardens, and a brighter future for every person who lives there.
What We Did in the Lesson
1. We darkened the room
Immediately the atmosphere changed.
The room felt mysterious, and the presentation became visually stronger.
Attention was fully there.
2. I entered the classroom dressed as Thriveman
Thriveman is the gardening superhero I created to inspire the younger generation to fall in love with gardening and build a deeper connection with nature.
From the very first seconds, the children understood: Today will be different!
3. We played fairy-tale style background music
The music created a sense of wonder.
Suddenly the classroom felt less like a lesson and more like stepping into a story.
And when curiosity wakes up, learning becomes much easier.
4. We put the fact into their hands
Each child held a teaspoon of soil while I explained how many microorganisms live inside it.
An abstract idea suddenly became something real.
They were literally holding a living world in their hands.
5. We used taste, humour, and analogy
To explain that dry leaves and grass are not “ready-made food” for plants, I gave the children dry maize kernels to bite.
They immediately realised: This is not ready to eat. It needs a cook.
Then we made the connection.
In soil, the “cooks” are microorganisms that transform organic matter into food for plants.
The children understood the idea instantly — and with laughter.
6. We added a wow moment
A local teacher asked me to play a short video where Thriveman flies from Latvia to Africa.
The children cheered, clapped, and immediately asked to see it again.
That moment of excitement locked the whole story into their memory.
7. We used peer responses
The children answered questions themselves.
They listened not only to me, but also to one another.
And very often, children understand ideas best when they hear them from their peers.
8. We moved straight into practice
After the lesson, we went outside and planted plants together in the garden.
This is where learning truly becomes real.
Knowledge moves from the head into the hands.
And that is where it often stays for life.
1. We darkened the room
Immediately the atmosphere changed.
The room felt mysterious, and the presentation became visually stronger.
Attention was fully there.
2. I entered the classroom dressed as Thriveman
Thriveman is the gardening superhero I created to inspire the younger generation to fall in love with gardening and build a deeper connection with nature.
From the very first seconds, the children understood: Today will be different!
3. We played fairy-tale style background music
The music created a sense of wonder.
Suddenly the classroom felt less like a lesson and more like stepping into a story.
And when curiosity wakes up, learning becomes much easier.
4. We put the fact into their hands
Each child held a teaspoon of soil while I explained how many microorganisms live inside it.
An abstract idea suddenly became something real.
They were literally holding a living world in their hands.
5. We used taste, humour, and analogy
To explain that dry leaves and grass are not “ready-made food” for plants, I gave the children dry maize kernels to bite.
They immediately realised: This is not ready to eat. It needs a cook.
Then we made the connection.
In soil, the “cooks” are microorganisms that transform organic matter into food for plants.
The children understood the idea instantly — and with laughter.
6. We added a wow moment
A local teacher asked me to play a short video where Thriveman flies from Latvia to Africa.
The children cheered, clapped, and immediately asked to see it again.
That moment of excitement locked the whole story into their memory.
7. We used peer responses
The children answered questions themselves.
They listened not only to me, but also to one another.
And very often, children understand ideas best when they hear them from their peers.
8. We moved straight into practice
After the lesson, we went outside and planted plants together in the garden.
This is where learning truly becomes real.
Knowledge moves from the head into the hands.
And that is where it often stays for life.
A Short Excerpt from a Lesson in Africa
A Simple Structure You Can Use in Your Next Lesson
For teachers, trainers, leaders, and parents, here is a simple structure you can try in your next session.
1. Start with WHY
Why does this matter today?
2. Add intrigue
A question, a surprising object, a sound, or a shift in the room.
3. Teach through multiple senses
Let people see, touch, move, smell, or interact.
4. Reinforce through questions
Short answers help knowledge settle.
5. Move into practice immediately
Turn the idea into action while the energy is still there.
6. Create a memory anchor
A phrase, gesture, object, or image people can remember.
In this lesson the anchor was simple: “Microorganisms = cooks.”
7. End with one small next step
Something people can do within the next 48 hours.
Small action turns inspiration into habit.
The Core Insight
My core insight is simple. When a person listens + feels + acts + experiences, they remember far more.
Memorable teaching is not about being louder, more complex, or more academic.
It is about being more alive.
And perhaps that is the kind of teaching our future needs most.
Teaching that brings knowledge to life.
For teachers, trainers, leaders, and parents, here is a simple structure you can try in your next session.
1. Start with WHY
Why does this matter today?
2. Add intrigue
A question, a surprising object, a sound, or a shift in the room.
3. Teach through multiple senses
Let people see, touch, move, smell, or interact.
4. Reinforce through questions
Short answers help knowledge settle.
5. Move into practice immediately
Turn the idea into action while the energy is still there.
6. Create a memory anchor
A phrase, gesture, object, or image people can remember.
In this lesson the anchor was simple: “Microorganisms = cooks.”
7. End with one small next step
Something people can do within the next 48 hours.
Small action turns inspiration into habit.
The Core Insight
My core insight is simple. When a person listens + feels + acts + experiences, they remember far more.
Memorable teaching is not about being louder, more complex, or more academic.
It is about being more alive.
And perhaps that is the kind of teaching our future needs most.
Teaching that brings knowledge to life.
The photo was taken in a restaurant in the city of Mzuzu, Malawi.
If You Would Like to Work Together
If this approach to learning resonates with you, I would be happy to help bring it into your environment.
I can:
• lead engaging gardening or soil-education lessons for schools and organisations
• run workshops that combine science, storytelling, and hands-on learning
• help design impactful learning experiences for teams, schools, and educational programmes
• consult on how to turn traditional teaching into memorable learning experiences
These methods can be applied not only in gardening and ecology, but also in many other fields where learning needs to become engaging, practical, and memorable.
If you would like to explore this further, feel free to contact me through the contact section of this website.
Let’s create learning experiences that people remember — and that help both people and the planet thrive!
Kaspars “Thriveman” Parfenovics
If this approach to learning resonates with you, I would be happy to help bring it into your environment.
I can:
• lead engaging gardening or soil-education lessons for schools and organisations
• run workshops that combine science, storytelling, and hands-on learning
• help design impactful learning experiences for teams, schools, and educational programmes
• consult on how to turn traditional teaching into memorable learning experiences
These methods can be applied not only in gardening and ecology, but also in many other fields where learning needs to become engaging, practical, and memorable.
If you would like to explore this further, feel free to contact me through the contact section of this website.
Let’s create learning experiences that people remember — and that help both people and the planet thrive!
Kaspars “Thriveman” Parfenovics
