Children are naturally curious when they ask about their surroundings and the rest of the world. Few children refuse to admire insects, even going to the extreme of picking them up, petting them, and often trying to sneak them into their mouths for a quick taste test. Children marvel at sparkling rainbows, gurgling streams, fluttering birds, and twinkling stars. Their curiosity grows as older siblings, friends, family, and parents inspire study and discovery. This curiosity is extinguished when this same group is too quick in the explanations, thus extinguishing the exploration, or with the discouragement at the time of finding answers through experimentation and wonder. Some of this tamping may be a necessity in a burgeoning classroom of students or with burdened and exhausted parents rushing to meet urgent needs, but it’s sad to see kids slip into “Just give me the answer” mode for the sake of a teaching. fast. And learning.
To retain and build curious and inquisitive minds, we need curious and inquisitive parents, instructors, and school leaders. While giving the correct answer is simple and quick, it does little to ignite the imagination of young minds, and therefore, over time, children develop their “go fast” way of thinking. Why show work in math when you can solve it mentally (or by copying from a friend)? Why delve into the cause and effect of an event when the aftermath is already visible? Why use hands-on experimentation when a brief glance at the internet will reveal the potential answer without any hassle or fuss? Why write an essay, letter, or jot down notes when new thoughts and ideas are not acclaimed or encouraged? Why bother thinking when instant data from multiple-choice tests produces numbers in abundance that are offered as proof or failure of concept achievement? Why hire and mentor highly trained teachers when a computer program can store huge amounts while streamlining a worry-free, thoughtless, assembly-line class of students?
Because, as you may already guess, an excellent instructor with extensive materials and tools can reach, teach, and change lives in personal ways that no secure program or acquired means can. We don’t need any more isolated children. We already have this in today’s kids enthralled by play, engrossed in finger tapping, and addicted to electronics. The next time you chat with a young person or teenager, see if they can make instant eye contact while starting a conversation. Many don’t, or worse still, can’t, because they are used to looking down at a device and not at a face. When the child’s eyes finally lock onto yours, the conversation is often difficult, as he is used to texting without speaking. Going to complete sentences is another challenge. When abbreviations like LOL reign, single word answers are sufficient as the answer of choice. And don’t even make me start writing. Between abbreviations, quick responses, spell checking, and misspelling, formal writing is fading with exorbitant speed.
As a teacher, it can be difficult at first, but over time it can bring children back to exploration and inquisitive and inquisitive thinking. “What if …?” “How …?” “Theorize and explain why …” are just three questions that should guide instruction and learning. Practice always trumps computer data generation; research and personal inquiry are always better than a simple answer. Parents, you have an even greater responsibility to step forward from birth with wondering questions, situations, and experiences. While sometimes the repetitive “Why?” As a child it can drive you crazy, focus on the wonder and surprise, the curiosity and the wonder you are creating. Leave the video games to the closet, the television to limited access, the computer to a more remote corner so you can re-engage and rekindle the wonder of life and life.