Respecting the Depth of a Child’s Open Mind

"It's often possible to make demands of a child that couldn't be made of an adult...A child will often understand scientific concepts that would baffle an adult. This is because he can understand with a leap of the imagination that is denied the grown-up who has acquired the little knowledge that is a dangerous thing," wrote Madeleine L’Engle in 1963. Considering philosophy and science, the author of A Wrinkle in Time noted, "the child will come to it with an open mind, whereas many adults come closed to an open book. This is one reason so many writers turn to fantasy (which children claim as their own) when they have something important and difficult to say."

In Really Seeing Children, Deb Curtis similarly highlights “children’s serious approaches to tasks and voracious quests to understand the world around them” when she writes, “children are more apt to be interested in intellectual pursuits rather than academic lessons. I think clarifying the difference between the two can help teachers see and appreciate children’s thinking, and in turn, offer meaningful experiences that engage their lively minds.”

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