Curiosity

Do you remember that perpetual sense of wonder we all carried with us as children? We were constantly asking questions and probing for answers to one after another of life's many mysteries. Why is the sky blue? What keeps airplanes up in the sky Are fire-breathing dragons real? Can I grow up to be Batman? This month, as we explore the idea of who we are as learners, we have to also take a dive into the corresponding disposition of curiosity.

Curiosity is something we all have - it's innate. The depth and breadth of our curiosity depend in part on our willingness as learners to embrace our childlike wonder as adults. With life's responsibilities, it can sometimes seem impossible to do, but if we know that learning is enhanced by curiosity and that both of these build our resilience, how can we not remind ourselves to ask all the questions!

Explore the resources below to help build up your curiosity muscles.

Explore Chapter 9, pages 243-244, of Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators for more detailed support for this month's disposition of curiosity.

Consider including some of these as the topic of conversation during your weekly mentor/mentee meeting.

Building a Case for Curiosity

Just in case your adult-self needs a bit more of a nudge in the direction of wonder and awe, here are a few more points for your consideration. Curiosity IS good for you! And education isn't the only profession to recognize this fact.

Atul Gawande: Curiosity and What Equality Really MeansRegarding people as having lives of equal worth means recognizing each as having a common core of humanity. To see this humanity requires a willingness to ask people what it’s like to be in their shoes.

Approaching Life with Beginner's Mind - zen habitsBy Leo Babauta A lot of our troubles could be solved by one simple practice. A lot of joy could be found with the same practice. And it is simple: practice seeing life with a beginner’s mind. I’m stealing this of course from Zen Buddhism’s shoshin and Shunryu Suzuki’s Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind, and I’ve […]

Disposition: Curiosity...What’s Our Role in Cultivating It in Others - OnwardWe can learn so much from Jane Goodall's mom! Watch this clip and take notes:)

Beautiful Moments - OnwardCuriosity and compassion can help us make the world more beautiful...one moment at a time!

The Business Case for CuriosityResearch shows that it leads to higher-performing, more-adaptable firms.

The Many Ways to Foster Curiosity

Asking questions, doing research and investigation, exploring new ideas-these are just some of the many ways that we can foster and strengthen our individual and collective senses of curiosity.

“If you ask a child a question, they will generally learn for at least one day. If you teach a child to question, they will learn for a lifetime."

Questions: The Gateway to Learning - OnwardIn my research around the monthly habits and dispositions shared in Onward, I often find videos that have been viewed a million or more...

A Meditation for Curiosity - OnwardThe disposition that we are exploring in February is curiosity. It is a disposition that makes us want to investigate, listen, ask questions, and...

What Makes a Good Question - OnwardAs you spend this month focusing in on the habit of being a learner and the disposition of curiosity, this is a must watch...

Stop asking children these seven questions (and ask these instead) - Ozan VarolA kindergarten teacher was walking around the room to check each child’s work as they drew pictures. “What are you drawing?” he asked one student. The girl said, “I’m drawing God.” The teacher, expecting to hear butterflies and rainbows, was shocked at this deviation from the standard curriculum: “But no ...