Learning Everywhere

When do humans learn?

I have always thought that humans learn everywhere, all the time. Humans learn the good and the bad - learning how to treat others and how to live life. Little humans learn to think about themselves and interact with children and adults. We adapt to societal norms and take caution in new surroundings.

And that is just mimicking behavior. Some of my biggest life lessons came not from books, but from experience. Not even "work" experience - just interacting with strangers, watching the news, looking at my children. If I think to my core, what I believe about life and society, I did not directly form those beliefs from "book learning."

And then studying to be a teacher, research reiterated the idea that students would learn indirectly from teachers (from your habits, your tone, your attitude, your organization, etc.).

I never realized that some people think what people do during their "down time" is not teaching something.

I wonder if humans learn all the time, aren't we learning a lesson by what we choose to spend spare time doing, and by what those activities directly teach us?

Our minds never shut off. Every opportunity presents itself to teach, or to learn. I'm not thinking algebra or phonics either - just a moment to reinforce that we are fair to all people, or that we treat others with respect.

Or am I wrong? Do people believe that teaching, not just book lessons but life lessons, starts and stops at a certain time?

Aren't we always learning?