One of my favorite shows growing up was Curious George. I loved how George was so curious about the world around him. Be like GeorgeI have been reading Launch: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring out the Maker in Every Student written by John Spencer and AJ Juliani. There was a statement in this book that resonated with me. "Every child is born with natural curiosity. It is not something we have to teach, but it is something we must cultivate and nurture." (Juliani and Spencer 2016). Do the following really cultivate and nurture curiosity?
You might be able to argue that some of the items listed above do cultivate and nurture curiosity, but I would argue that the theme that emerges is one of teacher dictated experiences that promise to squash curiosity. George's curiosity is intrinsically driven and not forced by initiatives or standardized curriculum. His curiosity mirrors true learning in which the drive to understand the unknown leads to falling flat on one's face (failure). However, The Man in the Yellow Hat (teachers) is there to support George so he can learn and grow from those failures. Cultivating CuriosityI will put myself at the front of the pack for those needing to cultivate and nurture curiosity. My classroom is by no means exemplar---yet! Juliani and Spencer provide some tips for growing the curiosity in your classroom (Juliani and Spencer 2016):
What's NextMy goal from this post wasn't to point fingers. It was an attempt to promote conversations about the types of cultures we are creating/fostering within our classrooms, schools and districts.
You are the architect of the culture present in your current setting. Don't be a squasher. Be a catalyst for curiosity!
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Andrew FenstermakerInstructional Technology Coordinator | Innovation Coach | Google Certified Innovator | Presenter | Blogger | Adjunct @UiowaEducation | Owner @kids_f_i_r_s_t |