Sparking Curiosity
Sparking Curiosity In observing our youngest students, I’m amazed--and frankly overwhelmed--with their questions. With a constant stream of “why” questions, they seek understanding by being curious. For a variety of reasons, student curiosity and engagement wane as they get older. Reflecting on my own teaching, far too often my classroom routine was too predictable with repeated stimuli (1. Review, 2. Direct Instruction, 3. Group work, 4. Individual work), thus lowering the brain’s interest and student learning with little opportunity for inquiry. How can we spark wonderment and curiosity? Novelty Starting class with an unusual learning experience primes the brain for learning and piques curiosity. When stress is low and learning experiences are relevant to students, cognition is greater. Similarly, when learning is pleasurable, the brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates memory and promotes the release of acetlycholinem, which...