Part 1: How Side Hustle Culture Is Redefining Learning in 2025 Gone are the days when learning only happened in classrooms or ended with a diploma. In 2025, people are learning everywhere—on YouTube, during a lunch break, and even on the bus to work. But what’s truly changing the game is how side hustle culture is becoming the new “learning lab” for millions around the world. Young people and adults alike are picking up new skills not just for fun, but to survive, earn, and thrive. Whether it’s learning how to design Canva templates , editing TikTok videos , baking for online orders , or selling vintage fashion on Instagram , the knowledge required to pull these off isn’t taught in traditional education. At Learning with AL-Mercy , we believe this is a revolution worth watching—and worth being part of. In this series, we’ll dive into: How ordinary people are learning extraordinary things to fuel their passions and pockets Where to find free and low-cost resources to learn practical sk...
In recent years, phonics has become the backbone of reading instruction in UK primary schools. Rooted in systematic decoding of sounds and letters, phonics has undeniably improved national test scores. But a growing wave of concern, recently amplified by a Guardian feature, questions whether this technical approach is extinguishing what matters most: the love of reading. The Problem with Phonics-Only Instruction Critics argue that the singular focus on phonics reduces reading to a mechanical skill—decoding words without diving into their meaning, emotion, or context. While students might pass phonics screening checks with flying colors, many are not becoming engaged, enthusiastic readers. This "teach to the test" culture, while helpful for benchmarks, overlooks the why behind reading. Reading is not just a skill; it's a window into worlds, experiences, and emotions. If we only teach children to decode, we risk creating proficient readers who don’t read for pleasure—...