Four Funky Learning Courses for Adults* at the Tea Tree House in Chiang Mai
Get your 2024 off to an educational, enjoyable and inspiring start at a beautiful location. Be radical and treat yourself!
Storytelling | Listening and Reading Skills | Writing Skills |
Spiritual Explorations with Philip Keay
*Especially useful for parents, educators, leaders, entrepreneurs, lovers of learning & world-helpers
Courses begin week commencing 8 January 2024; max 8 students per group; 5 weekly sessions of 3 hours each.
Fee (including meals): 7000 baht each course. Enrol at the bottom of the page.
Testimonials for Philip’s teaching at the bottom of the page too.
“When you are ready to learn, a teacher will appear.”
~Lao Tzu, ancient China
Learning that is fun and motivating, and that brings about beneficial outcomes into our life, is one of the great human joys.
When did you last invest in your own joy and self-development?
Would you like to master the skills of telling and listening to stories, tales and anecdotes? (Did you know that sharing stories is our favourite kind of conversation?)
or… Would you love to master the skills of learning through listening and reading? (People love compassionate attentive listeners!)
or… Would you love to enjoy the fruits of being a confident, skilled writer? Would you like to write your own ebook and life story? (It’s an excellent way of getting to know and understand yourself better.)
or… Are you interested in practical spiritual living, self-growth, and exploring the nature of life and the human condition?
Would you like to develop your learning, communication and self-awareness skills with new, like-minded friends in a fun and relaxed, yet self-empowering, learning environment?
The Tea Tree House in San Patong, is on two rai of land in Chiang Mai’s bucolic backwaters (yet just half an hour’s drive south of Nimmanhaemin Road), and is your heart-happy classroom.
Ajarn Philip will be your teacher, and he is reputed among teachers and students in Thailand university settings for delivering a super motivating, engaging and dynamic learning experience. This includes 12 years at Payap University in Chiang Mai, training and developing the skillset of language teachers in motivational learning, communication, teaching and leadership skills.
Student testimonials are near the bottom of the page, and you can learn more about Philip and his teaching experience and philosophy of education here (opens in a separate window).
A New Year, a New Skillset, a New Mindset?
Greetings Friend, and many thanks for your interest in these unique, funky and engaging learning courses.
All courses start in the second week of January, with weekly 3-hour lessons for five weeks, giving you 15 hours of learning time in total. A home-cooked Thai meal comes after study time!
You get to practise and develop your level of
learning and communication skills
understanding of yourself and our planet
self-confidence and self-belief
in just one month…!
There will be a maximum of 8 students in each course.
All of the courses are designed to enable adults to experience the joy and transformational nature of heart-centred task-based learning, and to get your new year off to a spontaneous, fulfilling and feel-good start.
Please note: this learning experience will be nothing like what you remember from your schooling.
Sign up for one of these courses (or two!) and make 2024 your best ever New Year’s resolution by taking action to invest in YOURSELF: in your own education, and in your self, and in your self-growth.
I am Philip, a rare learner-centred educator who trains adults to master their learning and communication skills by using a heart-centred task-based approach to my teaching and your learning.
I began teaching in Thailand late 1991, and have been a teacher trainer since 2004. I love this job because I love seeing my students discover the joy and myriad benefits of true learning. Testimonials at the bottom of the page.
I’ll share a little more about me later, but let’s get to the important stuff, namely what you can expect to experience if you sign up for any of the courses.
Common Features of all 4 Courses
All the courses I’m offering here are designed to:
get your 2024 off to a positive, motivating and life-enhancing start
boost your learning, communication and social skills
boost your self-confidence, self-esteem and self-belief
increase your self-awareness and self-knowledge
In addition you can be sure of meeting new friends who are like-minded and like-hearted.
Group size is limited to 8 students for each course.
You will enjoy your learning experience in the beautiful indoor and outdoor space of the Tea Tree House in San Patong, located in rural Chiang Mai, yet just half an hour’s drive down the Canal Road from Nimmanhaemin Road. It’s almost the perfect classroom! (picture just below)
The fee for each course is 7000 baht, and this includes a home-cooked Thai meal after each lesson. I anticipate these courses costing quite a bit more than this when I teach them online later in the year. As you will be part of the pioneering groups, and I love working with the Chiang Mai community, I want to offer you excellent value for being one of the risk-taking pioneers!
The Learning Experience across all courses
As mentioned above, task-based and heart-centred learning, which I facilitate, is nothing like the school kind of learning. Here is a small sample of the myriad benefits and experiences you can anticipate:
a whole range of learning, communication and self-leadership skills cultivated and practised using my uniquely-developed version of Task-Based Learning methodology
collaborative learning in pair work, small group work, whole group work, meaning tonnes of speaking and listening practice
an emotionally supportive and cognitively expanding learning environment
an engaging, empowering and energy-giving student-centred learning experience
classes take place in the beautiful rural nature of Chiang Mai’s bucolic backwaters
we mix socially not just in class, but also for a meal after our learning time together
there will be interactive homework tasks each week.
Funky Course #1
Storytelling
Main themes
travel, life’s lessons, relationships, cultivating wisdom
suitable for
All curious human beings! Some groups especially: parents with grown-up children , home-educating parents, teachers, young adults, grandparents, travellers, anybody who has tales to tell about their own life!
Main skills practised and developed
listening, speaking, writing, storytelling (individual and collaborative), reading, self-awareness, and reflective thinking
A typical lesson
We will share our personal and life stories mainly through speaking, but some writing too.
We will develop our imagination by creating and telling collaborative group stories.
We will engage in all kinds of learning, listening and speaking strategies and techniques which promote maximum attention, motivation and collaboration.
We will spend time at the end of each lesson reflecting upon the content and learning experience, to give you ‘meta-awareness’ of the learning and relationship skills.
Course objectives and outcomes
to enjoy a noticeable increase in one’s self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-belief
to enjoy expressing yourself, and sharing your own stories from your own life
to become skilled in storytelling, listening to stories of others, and sharing in camaraderie
to explore and understand the interconnected nature of life on our planet
suitable for
All curious human beings! Some groups especially: parents with grown-up children , home-educating parents, teachers, young adults, grandparents, travellers, anybody who has tales to tell about their own life!
Course dates
Class time is on Thursday mornings at 9-12 pm, followed by lunch.
Dates: January 11, 18, 25, February 1, 8.
Funky Course #2
Mastering your Listening and Reading Skills
Main themes
holistic health, self-growth, self-knowledge, energetics (for example through learning about Ayurveda and epigenetics)
Main skills practised and developed
learning, attentive listening, critical reading, researching, discussing and debating, articulating your understandings and expressing yourself, and… how you can teach listening and reading skills!
A typical lesson
One main listening activity using video with a series of tasks for developing your listening skills and strategies.
One main written text with a series of tasks for developing your reading skills and strategies.
Discussion on the topic input.
Reflection time at the end of each lesson.
Course objectives and outcomes
to learn how effective, motivating learning works, by doing it yourself
to be skilled in attentive listening
to be skilled in critical reading
to develop research skills
to be able to train others in listening and reading skills
to confidently articulate your understandings and express your views
Course dates
Class time is Saturday mornings at 9-12 pm, followed by lunch.
Dates: January 13, 20, 27, February 3, 10.
Funky Course #3
Developing your Writing Skills
Main themes
writing the outline to your life story, how to write an ebook, product and process writing, writing genres, writing strategies and techniques, journaling, and using writing as the #1 reflective tool for self-growth
Main skills practised and developed
brainstorming, planning, writing, revising, editing, speaking, critical reading, reflective thinking and learning
Course objectives and outcomes
to be a confident, motivated and strategic writer
to be skilled in reflective thinking and learning
to be confident in writing ebooks
to have the outline, framework and content of your life story for an ebook
In the first session we will choose some topics all of us are interested in as the basis for our writing practice. My suggestion will be exploring ecosystems (internal as well as external).
Course dates
Class time is Friday afternoons at 4-7 pm, followed by dinner.
Dates: January 12, 19, 26, February 2, 9.
Funky Course #4
Spiritual Development
Main themes
heart and mind matters, web of life, karmic law and the nature of reality, living with purpose and joy, serving the greater good
Main skills practised and developed
self-awareness, observation, question-asking, reflective thinking, speaking, listening,
Course objectives and outcomes
to raise awareness of the human condition, human behaviour and human potential
to be curious and creative in our approach to life
to embrace lifelong learning skills
to develop understanding in how to prevent and solve problems
Course dates
Class time is Sunday mornings at 9-12 pm, followed by lunch
Dates: January 14, 21, 28, February 4, 11.
How to Enrol on the Courses
A 20% deposit of 1400 baht will reserve you one of the 8 spaces in your course of choice. The balance can be paid any time before the course starts.
Please note: the minimum number of students is 4 for each course. If you pay a deposit and we don’t get the class of 4, I’ll of course be refunding you.
If you have any questions or would like to clarify something in helping you to make a decision, do feel free to email me at philip@aspiritualrevolution.com, or you can message me in the Tea Tree House Facebook page.
Procedure and Pre-Course Activity:
Due to the nature of my business I like to offer you a personal service, so we can communicate by email directly with each other.
Please email me to say ‘Hello’ and which course/s you’d like to join. My email address philip@aspiritualrevolution.com
I’ll email you back with details of our Tea Tree House bank account.
Once the deposit is paid, you are in.
The remaining 5600 baht can be paid at any point before the course starts, or on the first day of learning.
I will then send you a couple of emails with further information, including a pre-course homework task… just to get you mentally ready and alert so that we maximise our time together!
If for some reason you then can’t make the course, email me as soon as possible. If I can fill the 8 places, I’ll refund your deposit.
Links and Further Reading
Here is a photo gallery of the Tea Tree House.
If you would like to check out some of my work, then I have already built up a bit of a library of content, with writing, photography and video >>>
You can read a large number of longer form articles on The Blog of my website, or shorter pieces of writing in the Witness page of my website, and on my YouTube Channel you can watch over 150 videos I have recorded. You can also navigate my website to learn more about my mission and venture. Just getting started on Instagram too, my channel is @learningisliberating.
What teachers say about learning with Philip
(at Payap University, Chiang Mai)
"Ajarn Philip is an exceptional teacher I had the fortune to have taken classes with."
Grace Dee, Myanmar
"I have come across many outstanding teachers, but Philip is an extraordinary teacher who is able to connect with his students of all ages."
Nang Ji, Myanmar
“He taught with passion… His classes were a source of joy to us, and we were always looking forward to each one of them.”
Bonny Toufic, USA
“I have grown as the professional I am today because of great teachers like Philip, who allowed me to be myself and encouraged me to follow my dreams.”
Tatiana Aline Mohler, Brazil
“Philip far exceeded any expectation I had of what a good teacher should be.”
Oliver Dilly, England
‘In Philip’s classroom, we didn’t just learn principles and ideas, we experienced them through his presence and actions.”
Dr Oliver S. Crocco, USA
“He knows how to teach. He showed me, not taught me, how I should behave in a second language classroom.”
Liz NIng, China
“I always looked forward to his classes as they were so interactive and infused with a strong sense of learner autonomy. For me he was always a mentor. My heartfelt gratitude to him for where I am today.”
Sudharani Subramanian, India
Philip’s Message and Mission
My main message is that we can all easily learn for ourselves how to solve and prevent problems.
Human beings everywhere, at the outset of the 21st century and 3rd millennium, are facing many emotional and psychological struggles, which in turn impact on our physical health. Problems abound, and solutions go unfound.
As an educator who has spent something like 15,000 hours in classrooms facilitating language students and language teachers to become skilled learners and communicators, for 25 years, and from 35+ countries, I have seen first-hand how school systems the world over fail to teach children the core essentials for them to be able to flourish and thrive during both childhood and adulthood:
they don’t teach us how to learn or communicate
nor how to think or reflect
they don’t teach us how our mind and body work
and curiosity, creativity and confidence are all but crushed in many.
I’ve heard similar stories from 100s or 1000s of children and adults alike.
Meanwhile I was trained in the teaching ways of motivating, facilitating and inspiring my students to become skilled learners and communicators for themselves. The learning experience is fully collaborative and communicative, while the objective is for them to become skilled independent learners, confident communicators, excellent listeners, reflective thinkers, and to be mentors for others.
~~~~~
My Mission
Having left Payap University after 12 years of developing—always refining and improving my craft—as a heart-centred teacher, my mission is to use the online platform to enable, encourage and engage adults to empower and educate themselves so that they can make transformational and enduring change to their life.
The goal is always the same: Learn our way out of problems affecting our emotional and psychological wellbeing: look for root causes and change one’s actions to make a solution.