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C for Classroom, C for Curiosity!
Kids are packed with curiosity up to the brim. Curiosity in the classroom makes up for the biggest part of the learning spectrum. Even though learning never ends, and we keep learning new things throughout our lives, the most we learn is during our growing age. The urge to know certain things, the urge to ask questions, the urge to know how everything works, this particular itch to dig deep is what is known as a curiosity. Simply asking how and why not only makes a person more knowledgeable but also builds confidence. Nobody has to intently put curiosity in a kids mind, kids are born with it. All that the schools and parents at home have to do is encourage curiosity. This is one of the most significant steps that can be taken by a school to lay a strong foundation for a great learning process for the kids.
However, no matter how modern this era has become, parents still emphasize more on the traditional ways of learning and while curiosity is a major factor of success, it is often controlled at a very young age. Kids are often made to think that certain career options are less risky and have more chances of success, and that kills the dream of a curious learner to choose something else for their career option. However, the building blocks of their future is built in the classroom and the classroom should definitely motivate the kids to be inquisitive at all times.
Coming to the point that schools should motivate curious learners, we have encountered this many times when a teacher says to ask all the questions at the end of the class and generally there is no time at any of the sessions and all the questions go unanswered. While this seems to be a normal incident at school, it makes a difference and impacts the curious nature of a student. Next time when the same thing will repeat, any kid would refrain from asking further questions and that's how the curious nature of a kid is controlled.
So, what can a school do to encourage it? How can a teacher welcome this C in the classroom? We have curated a to-do list for the teachers. Have a look.
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Keep the lecture conversational- When a teacher comes into the classroom, picks up a book, starts reading and then leaves, there is a high possibility that a kid will not be interested in the session. It is known as a passive lecture. Instead, a teacher could make a lecture conversational, the tone of the lecture should be active, a teacher could ask certain questions and awaken the inquisitiveness of a kid, a teacher should also welcome questions in between to make it evenly conversational. So, maintaining two-way communication is the way to go.
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Maintain a positive body language- A friendly body language looks more welcoming to kids than a strict one. This also seems welcoming when it comes to asking doubts. If a teacher himself seems interested, a kid would be too.
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Be an active listener- If a kid is active and responding overwhelmingly, instead of controlling it, if a teacher becomes an active listener, it helps a student to become a curious learner.
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You start with the questions- It is not always mandatory to make students ask questions to make them curious learners. In fact, if a teacher starts asking questions first, it taps on the thinking capacity of the kids and helps them to think deeply about the topic being taught.
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Make boring topics fun- Not all the topics are fun and some might be so boring that the kid's attention will drift as soon as the teacher starts teaching. So, for such topics incorporating fun activities, making the topic relatable and teaching the topic with lots of examples will make the kids curious to learn it even if it is boring.
These were some of the tips for educators that will help them motivate every kid to be a curious learner. Kids are developing their personality and identity, pushing them to be curious will help them learn better and be a confident and knowledgeable individual as a grown-up. So, let a child explore its curiosity within the walls of the classroom so that he can apply it outside the walls of the classroom and make this world a better place.
If you reside in Hyderabad, then you might be thinking about whether there are such schools/colleges that provide the best education structure for such curious learners.