Curiosity in the Classroom

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear says, “Curiosity is the beginning of knowledge. Action is the beginning of change.” The first and simplest emotion we discover in the human mind is curiosity. Many of humanity’s adventures and explorations can be attributed to this unique quality. 

Curiosity led early humans to venture out in tiny boats, risking their lives to discover lands around the world. It led them to create new homes, discern poisonous plants from medicines, monitor animal behavior, innovate modern day technology, and explore outer space.

Today, artificial intelligence influences the world, and problem solving takes a fraction of a second with tools like ChatGPT and Amazon’s Alexa. All of our ideas seem to be documented and well-answered. Curiosity is dying a slow death, but it is the very thing that makes our minds active. Just as food gives our body energy, curiosity develops our minds and makes our mental muscles stronger. 

Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings to search things out.” God designed our minds to develop gradually with age, building layers atop layers like those of an onion. Curiosity needs to be kept alive for a holistic development of the mind.

Below are some ways to develop curiosity in the classroom:

1. Make learning a real experience. When teaching through example, an apple in the hand is far more real than an apple in a book.
2. Help students create a story. The “what,” “why,” “where,” “when,” and “how” details should be introduced to everyday learning in order to help children connect the dots. For example, when learning where drinking water comes from, students should learn how water cycles through the taps, tanks, ponds, rivers, glaciers, and clouds.
3. Reward students for asking questions. Basant Maheshwari, a top Indian investor who studied at an Adventist school in Calcutta, says that his knowledge came from relentlessly asking his grandfather questions. He was rewarded every time he came up with a new query. Curiosity is a leap into the unknown that generates ideas which drive our societies.
4. Shuffle seats in the classroom. This allows students to discuss their ideas with different groups in class. Even such a simple act can make a class more interactive. It fosters the exchange of ideas between students, encouraging them to develop skills from each other.
5. Explore different places. In the book Steal like an Artist, Austin Kleon encourages readers to leave the comfort of their homes and familiar routines in order to see the world in a new light and spark creativity in unexpected ways. Gardens, forests, beaches, mountains, caves, fields, and zoos are all places that can help ignite curiosity in young minds. Real ideas might not come from sitting in a classroom but rather out in nature, which is a true reflection of God’s creative mind.
6. Let students see things from different perspectives. Through the “five fingers technique,” students can relate each topic in class to a different perspective—each tied to a finger—including economics, society, environment, psychology, and spirituality.
7. Create a loop. As teachers, we must promote and reward diverse reading in our classrooms. Then, we can help students create a loop of ideas—similar to arranging colourful beads though which a golden thread passes. This is how new ideas can be generated.
8. Always dig deeper. Students should be encouraged to look at classroom topics as problems to be solved. Walt Disney once said, “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
9. Write things down. Julia Cameron, in her book Morning Pages, encourages everyone to write three pages of longhand first thing in the morning, documenting anything or everything that has crossed their mind. Encouraging the habit of writing one’s thoughts down can help students remain curious throughout both the day and their lives. 
10. Discourage perfectionism. Teachers should create a classroom culture where imperfection is  encouraged. Students can use paper, pens, and sketchbooks to boost creativity and curiosity rather than being confined to ideas only accessible through technological tools. 

Neil Armstrong said, “Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” We need to always keep an open mind, teaching our students to learn, unlearn, and relearn. Matthew 7, which states, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you,” suggests that God welcomes a heart full of curiosity and faith. And with God, all things are possible.

Author

Meena Lall

Assistant Professor at Roorkee Adventsit College. Has 28 years of service to the Seventh Day Adventsit Organization. Currently teaching Economics, Commerce and Management Courses at the High School, College and Post Graduate College. Is married to Anush Lall, who serves as the Business Manager of the College and has two children, an elder daughter completing her BS Psychology at Adeventist University of the Philippines and our younger son studying MD at Davao.