The importance of Curiosity

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.“ ~Clay P. Bedford

The important thing is not to stop questioning… Never lose a holy curiosity. Albert Einstein

Curiosity is an important trait of a genius. I don’t think you can find an intellectual giant who is not a curious person. Thomas Edison, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, they are all curious characters. Richard Feynman was especially known for his adventures which came from his curiosity.

But why is curiosity so important? Here are four reasons:

1. It makes your mind active instead of passiveCurious people always ask questions and search for answers in their minds. Their minds are always active. Since the mind is like a muscle which becomes stronger through continual exercise, the mental exercise caused by curiosity makes your mind stronger and stronger.
2. It makes your mind observant of new ideas
   When you are curious about something, your mind expects and anticipates new ideas related to it. When the ideas come they will soon be recognized. Without curiosity, the ideas may pass right in front of you and yet you miss them because your mind is not prepared to recognize them. Just think, how many great ideas may have lost due to lack of curiosity?
3. It opens up new worlds and possibilitiesBy being curious you will be able to see new worlds and possibilities which are normally not visible. They are hidden behind the surface of normal life, and it takes a curious mind to look beneath the surface and discover these new worlds and possibilities.
4. It brings excitement into your life
   The life of curious people is far from boring. It’s neither dull nor routine. There are always new things that attract their attention, there are always new ‘toys’ to play with. Instead of being bored, curious people have an adventurous life.

Now, knowing the importance of curiosity, here are some tips to develop it:

1. Keep an open mind

This is essential if you are to have a curious mind. Be open to learn, unlearn, and relearn. Some things you know and believe might be wrong, and you should be prepared to accept this possibility and change your mind.

2. Don’t take things as granted

If you just accept the world as it is without trying to dig deeper, you will certainly lose the ‘holy curiosity’. Never take things as granted. Try to dig deeper beneath the surface of what is around you.

3. Ask questions relentlessly

A sure way to dig deeper beneath the surface is asking questions: What is that? Why is it made that way? When was it made?Who invented it? Where does it come from? How does it work? What, why, when, who, where, and how are the best friends of curious people.

4. Don’t label something as boring

Whenever you label something as boring, you close one more door of possibilities. Curious people are unlikely to call something as boring. Instead, they always see it as a door to an exciting new world. Even if they don’t yet have time to explore it, they will leave the door open to be visited another time.

5. See learning as something fun

If you see learning as a burden, there’s no way you will want to dig deeper into anything. That will just make the burden heavier. But if you think of learning as something fun, you will naturally want to dig deeper. So look at life through the glasses of fun and excitement and enjoy the learning process..

6. Read diverse kinds of reading

Don’t spend too much time on just one world; take a look at another worlds. It will introduce you to the possibilities and excitement of the other worlds which may spark your interest to explore them further. One easy way to do this is through reading diverse kinds of reading. Try to pick a book or magazine on a new subject and let it feed your mind with the excitement of a new world.

Keep those questions coming...it's an amazing thing!

I'm ready to learn...are you?

                              Team 16- What's your learning style?  How are you ready to learn?

Cartoons to make you think...

"I hear and I forget.  I see and I remember.  I do and I understand." ~ Confucious

This quote is so powerful.  As educators, we really need to discover how each child in our class learns best each year.  Then we need to modify our teaching style accordingly.   Here are some cartoons that show how important learning styles are:

How do you learn best?

Smile Team 16

 

The sign on Thomas Edison's office wall

"There is a better way to do it; find it."

simple, short, and to the point...

Each year, as educators, our job is to "find it."  We need to find out how to meet our new students needs and interests.

I look forward to the challenging of "finding it" with Team 16 this September!

4th Grade here I come...

I am extremely excited and looking forward to teaching 4th grade this year.  I am always looking for ways to challenge myself and learn innovative ways to educate children.  Learning a new curriculum  inspires me to research the latest trends in order to teach most effectively for EVERY child.  I have a passion for the brain.  For the past several years, I have researched all aspects of the brain in order to truly understand how children learn.  The brain is fascinating and truly amazing.  In educating myself about the brain, my teaching style is continuously changing due to the diverse learning styles of the children in my classroom each year.  I focus on getting to know each child from the inside out.  Last year, in particular, I felt like I could "see" inside some of my students and see how they learned best and why they had certain behaviors.  I am transforming professionally, as well as personally daily.  (Yes, I read or talk about the brain everyday.)

4the grade, here I come!  I am looking forward to getting to know my new students from the inside out.  What is your learning style?  How do you learn best?  Think about it...