Being a parent of two small children has its challenges. In between the tantrums and sleepless nights, however, there is a host of wonderful benefits. And there is one quality that both my children possess that brightens up every day without fail: their endless curiosity.
They have questions about everything, questions that come from a genuine energy and fascination that never seems to be quenched. My favourite so far this month: “Daddy, what makes the sky blue?”
As the weekend’s seemingly endless quiz drifts to a close, and I stand in front of a classroom of teenagers again on a Monday morning, I have my own internal question guiding my teaching: how can I inspire some of that curiosity in the young people I teach?
It is a question that I feel is vital in any learning environment. A pause for a moment to consider some of the antonyms of curiosity helps to justify this claim: apathy, disinterest, indifference, disregard. In life itself, such an attitude would appear to be a recipe for depression; in the classroom, a complete breakdown in learning.
So, what practical steps might encourage more curiosity in the classroom? While there is no magic solution, I have been experimenting with the following three methods:
1. Hooks
I am lucky enough to spend Tuesdays to Fridays working with student teachers on the PGDE postgraduate course at Edinburgh Napier University.
In my conversations with PGDE English students, I am forever talking about creativity and providing some kind of hook for learners. In the secondary setting, young people are on a conveyer belt of lessons every day, so the opening of the lesson is particularly vital in setting an inquisitive tone and capturing their interest.
For me, there are many ways you can generate some kind of awe and interest. Is there a fascinating image, quotation or object that might relate to the lesson? Is there some way to build up suspense about what might be coming in the lesson rather than going straight into objectives for the lesson?
Asking young people to make predictions about their learning, to draw connections between previous learning, to debate a particularly controversial area, all help sow seeds of curiosity for the whole lesson.
2. Questions
Questioning is so ubiquitous in schools that there is the danger it becomes predictable and repetitive for both teachers and young people. The quality of any thinking (indeed, any conversation), however, stems from the quality of questioning.
Putting questions to a class can become a brilliant way to generate curiosity and real depth of thinking. Two phrases can help:
“I’m really interested to hear your thoughts on this fascinating question…”
“There are so many potential answers to this question, what are your thoughts?”
We can, therefore, use language to both reassure and inspire our students. This requires us to role-model a genuine enthusiasm, passion and indeed curiosity for whatever we are teaching. That in itself is infectious for young people, and is often the best resource and “hook” that we can provide.
Giving space and time for students to wrestle with questions is also important in building their interest levels - as is embracing the power of leaving silent reflection time in lessons.
3. Stories
As an English teacher I have an innate bias, but there is no denying just how much stories can enrich our curriculums. Something magnificent happens in a classroom when a teacher starts to tell a story: there is a hush, an anticipation, genuine interest. We are tapping directly into the natural curiosity of young people.
Not only does it help to inspire understanding for young people but it also helps them to retain the information. Aesop’s fable, The Tortoise and the Hare, to take one example, is a story that I always think of when I feel myself moving and behaving with too much speed.
The curious teacher
This focus on curiosity doesn’t just improve our classroom teaching - the very best teachers I have worked with have had curiosity as the bedrock of their own philosophy of being a teacher.
They are endlessly reflective about their own teaching practice: how can they grow and improve in their craft? What will help to make them more effective for their learners?
They also apply that curiosity to themselves, as they recognise that real deep self-awareness is at the heart of wellbeing. We cannot, after all, manage our stress levels effectively unless we are reflective about what are own unique trigger points are.
At the PGDE at Edinburgh Napier University, we are passionate about our own contribution to inspiring curiosity in teachers. On Saturday 30 September we are holding our first “Curious Teacher Conference”, with educational experts - classroom teachers, headteachers and academics - from across Scotland and the UK running workshops for teachers.
There are three different strands to the programme: classroom pedagogy, teacher wellbeing and inclusive teaching. We are very aware of how time-pressed teachers are, so hope the programme will not only inspire attendees but provide lots of practical tools to implement in your classrooms.
If you would like to reconnect with the curiosity of your inner five-year-old, we would love you to join us.
Jamie Thom is a lecturer in education at Edinburgh Napier University and host of Beyond Survival: The New Teacher Podcast. His latest book is Talking To Teenagers: A Guide to Skilful Classroom Communication. He tweets @teachgratitude1
