“I have no special talents, I’m just curious.” - Albert Einstein
God made us in His likeness. He created the world starting from an idea. Children are born eager to learn. Curious by nature, they need to explore to try to comprehend their environment. Everything is a wonder for them.
Children’s curiosity is first focused on the parents. As Karen Stephens mentions in her article “Curiosity and Wonder,” parents become a miracle to gaze upon, touch, and smell. Quite literally, parents are their children’s doorway into the world of love and learning. From warm, responsive interactions, children develop a love of learning, too.
When children start attending school, teachers join in the role of nurturing that curiosity. When a student is engaged and captivated by wonder, learning just happens. And a desire to learn leads to fascinating results.
A factor that is directly related to curiosity is discovery. When children are allowed to do things by themselves and experience the results, they are learning significantly and becoming more independent.
As Benjamin Franklin wisely said, "Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn."
Charlotte Mason also had a lot to say about this matter. She was a firm believer in the power of narration and storytelling in order to keep students’ curiosity alive. She would encourage educators to make sure to always provide books and stories that were interesting.
“Interest and curiosity are little pearls of great value.”
-Charlotte Mason
She also highlighted the importance of creating successful environments where students are challenged by an idea, but have the necessary tools to discover and learn by themselves. When a task is too hard, it can lead to discouragement.
As parents and teachers, we have a great opportunity to partner together to help our children grow through wonder by nurturing their curiosity through exploration and providing them with enriching experiences that will create a love for learning.
To learn more about Donum Dei Classical Academy, click the image below to listen to our webinar!
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