The Curious Teacher

03/28/2022

We make all sorts of assumptions because we don’t have the courage to ask questions.
Don Miguel Ruiz, Author

“I’ve come to see myself as a teacher-researcher. These two words, teacher researcher, reciprocate and inspire one another and shape my practice. An effective teacher-researcher comes into situations much like any other scientist: we have something to observe closely, data to collect, information to synthesize, and, we hope, an opportunity to act on what we learn. A teacher-researcher comes in ready to be curious, rather than ready to manage; intending to facilitate and scaffold rather than fix. A teacher-researcher comes more prepared to play and learn than to teach,” writes Nick Terrones in Can of Worms: Fearless Conversations with Toddlers.

A 2014 study by neuroscientist Charan Ranganath at University of California, Davis, suggests that when we feel curious, brain activity increases, releasing more of the neurotransmitter dopamine which is associated with reward and pleasure. The brain becomes primed for learning, and not only about the thing that sparked our curiosity, and this in turn supports the work of the teacher-researcher. Focusing on curiosity over management as Terrones suggests, neurologically prepares us for observing and noticing.

An article shared by Walden University suggests four ways to spark curiosity in children:
• Encourage questions
• Make room for the unstructured
• Read! Read! Read!
• Be enthusiastic
• Create time to consider and reflect

Perhaps these strategies apply to adults as well! Share how you spark curiosity in your children, your families, your colleagues and yourself in the comments below.

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