How to Encourage Curiosity
Written by: Isabelle Saunders
Through all of history, one crucial characteristic has pushed humanity to wonder, try, and discover. Curiosity is what fuels a student’s enthusiasm to learn and grow, and a mind sparked with curiosity will always consume information more actively and receptively than one without.
Why is curiosity important?
Joylessly taking in information that doesn’t interest you will never be as effective as really wanting to learn. Therefore, it’s essential that children both retain their innate curiosity and have it instilled in them by educators and parents. Subjects students are fascinated with are far more likely to stick with them, and curiosity ensures that you guide a child through learning rather than dragging them.
Kindling curiosity in a child
Teachers
Always be open to and encourage questions. This is important. Questions are a manifestation of curiosity!
Include student involvement in lessons. Challenge yourself not to speak at your students through your whole class. Get them involved so that they’re able to be active in their education and pursuit of knowledge. A good idea is open discussion, or a harkness discussion- act as a mediator, asking only leading topical questions, and let the students address one another instead of you.
When teaching a subject, try to focus on “why?” Not just how things work, but why they work that way.
It doesn’t all have to be strictly factual. While solid facts are integral to most subjects, a great way to make your students listen more actively is to make these subjects personal. Ask them how they’d feel in a historical figure’s shoes, or what feelings a piece of art or music instills in them. When you create a connection between the students and the subject, you unlock a whole new level of understanding. This is a perfect way to harness curiosity and channel it into their grasp of the topic at hand.
Parents
Let your own enthusiasm show. This also applies to teachers- your joy of learning will reflect in your child and make it easier for them to get excited, too.
Just like teachers, reward and encourage the asking of questions. Answer those innocent, workings of the world questions to the best of your ability.
You can get in on the questions too. Ask them their opinions on things, or hypothetical imaginary questions. This is something younger kids especially love, but children of all ages enjoy talking about things such as, “if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?” Creativity goes hand-in-hand with curiosity, and these types of thought experiments will encourage them to speak out on their thoughts and interests.
Encourage your child to read! If they’re unable to read, you can always read to/with them. This is so important for building and indulging curiosity. It will prompt questions and discussions, and stimulate their imagination. If, due to Covid-19 restrictions, you are unable to access a library, try a digital one.
Follow their interests. From a young age, most children show fascination with certain things, like art or animals. Encourage them to talk and ask about these things. Take the kid who loves pretty rocks out to any rocky patch to look for them. Cater to what they’re curious about.
Curiosity is a beautiful and inquisitive force inherent not only to humans, but all living things. It’s of utmost importance that it’s not crushed early in a child, and that they walk through life with their eyes open and wondering.
“I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt
For more information, check out the sites below!
https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/224-tips-on-nurturing-your-child-s-curiosity
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-pathways-curiosity-hungry-mind-marilyn-price-mitchell