(BLOG 31) Curiosity
What’s the #1 Job in the world for keeping CURIOSITY alive in children? The answer is teaching.
If curiosity is kept alive in students, learning happens. Students that have had their curiosity destroyed over time stop learning, they disengage.
Every college and university in the world should simplify their objectives in their education programs and make the goal to give every ounce of energy to keeping curiosity alive in students. These colleges and universities will develop the best teachers in the world and will have immediate job placement and retention for their graduates.
Recall all of the brain research that’s available about how the brain works when learning. It takes moments of excitement for learning to occur. It takes piquing of interest and moments of curiosity for learning to actually happen in the brain.
Think about it:
– if you can keep curiosity alive in students, students learn.
– if you can keep curiosity alive in students, assessments reflect learning.
– if you can keep curiosity alive in students, scores rise.
– if you can keep curiosity alive in students, students engage and stay engaged.
– if you can keep curiosity alive in students, students stay in love with learning.
The problem in education is that we are not spotlighting the problem. Schools across the county state low test scores, disengaged students, lack of relevancy in curriculum, etc. as major problems in education. They’re right. The problem is no one is putting the focus where it needs to be. Curiosity needs to be the focus. Students come to school FULL of curiosity,…at least until we whittle it out of them.
Students show up to preschool FULL of curiosity. They’re curious about colors. Curious about the taste of glue. Curious about where rain comes from. Curious about the depth of puddles. Curious about the odd things in the aquarium. The list goes on. Then they move on to kindergarten. They’re still FULL of curiosity, but something happens in the years that follow. It’s different for each student, but for the vast, vast majority of students, they become less curious. I don’t blame them. Teachers stop engaging. Teaching is hard. Piquing curiosity takes deliberate, mindful planning,…planning and reacting and knowing your students. By the time the majority of students get to middle school and high school, sadly school has become boring. Their curiosity is dead.
Teacher: instead of spinning your wheels, yelling at students, spending countless dollars on new curriculum,…give some thought to whether you are keeping curiosity alive in students or whether you are damaging it. It’s not too late. Keep it alive!
Let me leave you with one final thought to chew on for the week that pertains to curiosity. In all situations, lead with curiosity. In times of conflict, when problems arise, when you don’t know what to do or how to move forward, lead with curiosity. See where it takes you!
Check out a quick video regarding this topic: https://vimeo.com/166621175
Contact us to hear how we can open up this topic further with your faculty/staff, students, coaches, or business: info@top20training.com
