Curiosity propels youngsters in pursuit of knowledge and truth
Print Edition
“CURIOSITY is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous mind.” — Samuel Johnson (1751)
As educators we know that curiosity is the engine of intellectual achievement — it’s what drives us to keep learning, to keep trying and to keep pushing forward to fill the gaps in our knowledge.
Parents can have a big influence in awakening and cultivating curiosity in children and the best way to encourage children’s curiosity is to stay curious ourselves. As we get older, we tend to fall back on what we know, but curiosity is like a muscle: it atrophies without use. To keep it strong, we need to adopt the perspective of young children, and remain intensely conscious of what we don’t know. We need to be good role models for our children.
Young children constantly ask questions and we often rush to give the answers. However, it is the question that stimulates curiosity; being told an answer quells curiosity before it can even get going. So we need to devote more time to asking genuinely interesting questions — ones that open information gap and feed curious minds. More asking — less telling.
We’re not curious about something we know absolutely nothing about but as soon as we know even a little bit, our curiosity is piqued. This is why we need to help develop a growth mindset by actively planning for new experiences that challenge and move children out of their familiar comfort zones and require them to stretch their skills and knowledge to the limit. By repeatedly being curious, children become more open to new experiences, more comfortable dealing with tension and anxiety, and more resilient.
Children need to be encouraged to be open-minded and flexible thinkers. Through our actions and words we need to remind them that there is always more than one perspective. We need to encourage them to learn about and from others, rather than falling prey to stereotypes. We need them to work collaboratively and develop personal and intellectual confidence to challenge and be challenged.
Our children can’t feel good all the time but they can almost always be open-minded, and curious. With this mindset, they are liable to “catch” happiness and feel more fulfilled in their school and personal lives.
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