WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.080 In today's episode, I'm exploring six reasons why I believe curiosity is 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:06.300 waning and what we can do about it. 00:00:06.810 --> 00:00:11.520 Before I kick off today's episode, I want to acknowledge Dori 2 5 0 9 for your 00:00:11.520 --> 00:00:15.810 five-star review and recommending Blooming Curious as a top-notch show for homeschool 00:00:15.810 --> 00:00:17.580 parents and early learning teachers. 00:00:17.970 --> 00:00:18.780 Thanks Dori! 00:00:19.190 --> 00:00:22.680 It's comments like this that keep us podcasters going because without 00:00:22.680 --> 00:00:26.760 reviews, we have no idea if what we're doing is actually being well received. 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:27.930 So thank you. 00:00:28.170 --> 00:00:31.770 I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. 00:00:32.610 --> 00:00:35.550 Today, I'm kicking off our inquiry and curiosity series. 00:00:35.820 --> 00:00:40.260 For the next few months we're going to dive deeply into the 00:00:40.260 --> 00:00:42.390 strategies that keep kids curious. 00:00:42.810 --> 00:00:46.680 And how to implement them into your classroom or homeschool space. 00:00:48.150 --> 00:00:54.090 Each one of us is born curious with an innate drive to explore and discover 00:00:54.330 --> 00:00:56.130 and understand the world around us. 00:00:56.610 --> 00:00:59.700 And the way we discover the world is through our senses. 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:04.259 This is why babies and young children touch everything put their fingers 00:01:04.259 --> 00:01:09.150 in their mouth, turn towards voices and sounds and discover how they 00:01:09.150 --> 00:01:10.500 influence their surroundings. 00:01:10.979 --> 00:01:12.660 When they pull the cat's tail 00:01:12.740 --> 00:01:16.410 there's a loud meow, when they push a ball it rolls away from them. 00:01:16.860 --> 00:01:20.550 When they play with a rubber duck in the bath that pops up each 00:01:20.550 --> 00:01:21.990 time they push it under the water. 00:01:22.710 --> 00:01:25.440 Every experience is learning experience. 00:01:25.740 --> 00:01:28.560 And with every experience they build, schema. 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.180 Which is the type of information web in their brains 00:01:32.360 --> 00:01:36.740 that's becoming more detailed with every minute and with every interaction. 00:01:37.610 --> 00:01:38.630 In early childhood. 00:01:39.140 --> 00:01:44.840 That drive to explore and question and play is curiosity. 00:01:45.370 --> 00:01:49.880 Curiosity forms the cornerstone of all learning and discovery. 00:01:50.570 --> 00:01:56.690 And that initial interest and curiosity naturally leads to inquiry. 00:01:56.960 --> 00:01:58.760 It's a perfect natural transition. 00:01:59.330 --> 00:02:04.760 And it's inquiry that we facilitate all those, that cognitive development, 00:02:04.760 --> 00:02:08.720 the skills like questioning and finding out and experimenting and testing, 00:02:09.110 --> 00:02:14.000 and furthermore, it's our curiosity then that drives us to ask more 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:17.780 questions and make new connections and try and solve problems. 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:22.430 So if curiosity is so innate in all of us, Why are we losing it? 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:26.480 Well, there are a number of factors that influence an extinguish curiosity. 00:02:27.320 --> 00:02:31.406 So I've been having a read and a lot of thinking, and these are the reasons 00:02:31.436 --> 00:02:36.016 that I think are some of the main drivers of a lack of curiosity, or just that 00:02:36.016 --> 00:02:38.356 curiosity is no longer being nurtured. 00:02:39.386 --> 00:02:42.196 Number one is poverty, family and malnutrition. 00:02:42.976 --> 00:02:45.376 And this takes me back to Maslow's hierarchy. 00:02:45.406 --> 00:02:48.856 I wrote about it in a post entitled Maslow's hierarchy of needs: 00:02:49.136 --> 00:02:50.666 nurturing curiosity in kids. 00:02:51.476 --> 00:02:53.186 I'll link to it in the show notes. 00:02:54.056 --> 00:02:58.466 And it speaks for itself., Children that are raised in homes where there 00:02:58.466 --> 00:03:03.626 is significant poverty, perhaps abuse, addiction, homelessness, mental health 00:03:03.626 --> 00:03:08.096 issues in the family, and of course a lack of proper nutrition are not going to have 00:03:08.096 --> 00:03:10.556 as many experiences to grow that schema. 00:03:10.916 --> 00:03:14.276 They will have few opportunities for language development and expression. 00:03:14.816 --> 00:03:18.776 They may have difficulties with learning memory and concentration. 00:03:19.226 --> 00:03:23.126 They'll have reduced opportunities and experiences to interact with 00:03:23.126 --> 00:03:26.786 books, educational toys, and outings. 00:03:27.516 --> 00:03:32.406 As a side note, I must add that there are many beautiful stories of children who 00:03:32.406 --> 00:03:36.636 have been raised in these environments and have gone on to do incredible things. 00:03:37.056 --> 00:03:41.756 So, although these factors certainly don't give children a great start, there 00:03:41.846 --> 00:03:45.866 are individuals who have not let their upbringing define their future, and 00:03:45.866 --> 00:03:52.216 despite the limitations, have indeed defied the odds stacked against them. 00:03:52.576 --> 00:03:55.096 But sadly, we don't hear enough of these stories. 00:03:55.136 --> 00:03:59.786 I also wanted to mention an article by Bruce D. Perry, where he talks about 00:03:59.786 --> 00:04:01.526 the reasons for curiosity fading. 00:04:02.036 --> 00:04:05.816 And he says there are three common ways that adults, which links to 00:04:05.816 --> 00:04:09.596 that whole thing of family crush curiosity and curious children. 00:04:10.556 --> 00:04:12.566 He says fear kills curiosity. 00:04:12.866 --> 00:04:15.056 And I think this is very obvious. 00:04:15.386 --> 00:04:18.656 If a child is fearful, they won't take risks to explore. 00:04:18.656 --> 00:04:21.716 He says that adult disapproval will crush curiosity. 00:04:22.376 --> 00:04:26.366 And when you react with disgust at that snail on the palm of their 00:04:26.366 --> 00:04:30.236 hands or the dirt on their knees, and you're always telling them, 00:04:30.236 --> 00:04:31.826 don't do this, don't do that. 00:04:32.186 --> 00:04:33.176 Don't hurt yourself. 00:04:33.206 --> 00:04:34.076 Don't climb. 00:04:34.556 --> 00:04:37.106 You're basically saying don't explore. 00:04:37.406 --> 00:04:40.526 So we're removing that innate desire to discover. 00:04:41.166 --> 00:04:44.536 Because children want approval, they'll put their own desire for 00:04:44.536 --> 00:04:48.406 exploration aside to seek the approval of the adults in their lives. 00:04:49.076 --> 00:04:50.756 An absent adult caregiver. 00:04:51.176 --> 00:04:55.706 Means the opportunity to share and get reinforcement about their discoveries 00:04:55.706 --> 00:04:58.406 is removed as is that sense of safety. 00:04:58.886 --> 00:05:03.266 When we look back at Maslow's hierarchy we clearly see when 00:05:03.266 --> 00:05:07.316 these things are not in place, very challenging for children to thrive. 00:05:08.496 --> 00:05:11.436 I believe that technology has a role to play in the waning 00:05:11.436 --> 00:05:13.026 of curiosity in our children. 00:05:13.536 --> 00:05:15.786 And I know they're going to be a lot of people who just throw up 00:05:15.786 --> 00:05:17.316 their hands and say what garbage. 00:05:17.706 --> 00:05:18.636 Let me explain. 00:05:19.176 --> 00:05:22.656 Technology is definitely a vehicle for curiosity. 00:05:23.106 --> 00:05:27.306 But when it comes to developing brain of a young child, which we know grows 00:05:27.306 --> 00:05:31.446 through the creation of schema, or this web of knowledge, Imagine for 00:05:31.446 --> 00:05:34.356 a moment, those models of molecules. 00:05:34.836 --> 00:05:38.616 With each experience a child has another one of those little nodes 00:05:38.616 --> 00:05:40.596 or balls in that web is formed. 00:05:40.956 --> 00:05:42.636 And another little connection is made. 00:05:42.996 --> 00:05:46.476 So that model, that web increases in size. 00:05:47.016 --> 00:05:52.626 Each one of those little balls or experiences are linked, and each time 00:05:52.626 --> 00:05:57.006 the child has a new experience it builds on all those previous experiences. 00:05:57.576 --> 00:06:03.186 With curiosity, each experience is a new learning and that includes failures. 00:06:03.576 --> 00:06:07.836 Because through failures and mistakes, the child learns what works and what doesn't. 00:06:08.226 --> 00:06:12.216 And if they want to carry water from one place to the sand pit to another, 00:06:12.606 --> 00:06:13.746 and there's a hole in the bucket. 00:06:14.076 --> 00:06:17.796 They learn very quickly that they need to make a plan to close the hole 00:06:17.796 --> 00:06:19.386 or somehow to find another bucket. 00:06:19.866 --> 00:06:24.156 This equates to problem solving to scientific testing and experimenting. 00:06:24.486 --> 00:06:27.036 This child is learning to shift their thinking. 00:06:27.696 --> 00:06:32.616 But imagine now when a child is on a device, Yes, there are interactive games 00:06:32.616 --> 00:06:34.626 that require thinking and problem solving. 00:06:35.046 --> 00:06:38.196 But these are one dimensional and not to mention addictive. 00:06:38.676 --> 00:06:42.306 When all of us on devices, we receive a dopamine hit. 00:06:43.026 --> 00:06:46.716 We're hooked on the likes and the follows kids are hooked on the 00:06:46.716 --> 00:06:51.276 coins that they may be earning in a game, getting to the next level. 00:06:51.636 --> 00:06:56.286 Not to mention what that flickering screen might be doing to a developing brain. 00:06:57.406 --> 00:06:58.996 Now I'm no scientist. 00:06:59.326 --> 00:07:02.296 And I haven't spent years conducting research about this. 00:07:03.076 --> 00:07:04.036 But I have read. 00:07:04.546 --> 00:07:09.286 And most importantly, I am a parent and an educator for over a decade. 00:07:09.616 --> 00:07:14.206 And in my time I have witnessed firsthand the change in children. 00:07:14.656 --> 00:07:18.376 With each year, since the introduction of technology, especially the one-to-one 00:07:18.376 --> 00:07:22.816 technology that we're seeing in schools now, children's behaviors have changed. 00:07:23.356 --> 00:07:27.106 As parents, I'm sure that you yourself have noticed how your children's 00:07:27.106 --> 00:07:30.286 behavior changes when they spend long periods of time on technology. 00:07:31.036 --> 00:07:35.326 When a child is receiving input, only from a device they are missing out 00:07:35.416 --> 00:07:40.006 on multi-sensory and multidimensional experiences that come from interacting 00:07:40.006 --> 00:07:42.136 with world and with people around them. 00:07:42.746 --> 00:07:47.756 Not even to mention this phenomenon, that myself and my colleagues around 00:07:47.756 --> 00:07:51.746 the world are noticing, and that is the children upon entering school 00:07:51.926 --> 00:07:53.786 have increasingly poor oral language. 00:07:54.316 --> 00:07:56.846 they increasingly struggle to express themselves, and they 00:07:56.846 --> 00:07:58.586 increasingly lack in vocabulary. 00:07:58.916 --> 00:08:03.116 And this comes from a lack of input to grow those little mind models that 00:08:03.116 --> 00:08:05.276 schema that I've been talking about. 00:08:05.796 --> 00:08:09.036 One of the reasons I became interested in nature and inquiry based learning 00:08:09.036 --> 00:08:12.336 all those years ago, was because I got really frustrated with the lack of 00:08:12.336 --> 00:08:16.806 curiosity in the children that I was teaching and increasingly they were 00:08:16.836 --> 00:08:20.976 kids who already lacked that spark that twinkle in the eye when it comes 00:08:20.976 --> 00:08:23.886 to curiosity, and excitement to learn. 00:08:24.336 --> 00:08:27.246 Besides the fact that having curiosity makes learning richer, 00:08:27.696 --> 00:08:29.076 it also has another benefit. 00:08:29.376 --> 00:08:33.396 And that is that it has the power to intrinsically motivate us. 00:08:34.456 --> 00:08:37.366 When you're not curious, you have no interest in learning. 00:08:37.636 --> 00:08:40.096 You have no interest in trying to solve your own problems. 00:08:40.336 --> 00:08:42.076 You have no interest in new information. 00:08:42.616 --> 00:08:45.976 So many times I've had conversations with parents and they're telling me 00:08:45.976 --> 00:08:47.656 my child's not interested in anything. 00:08:48.166 --> 00:08:50.806 The only thing they're interested in is playing games on the iPad. 00:08:51.766 --> 00:08:54.226 But on the other hand, how many times have we encountered 00:08:54.256 --> 00:08:56.026 children who don't want to think. 00:08:56.326 --> 00:08:58.726 They don't want to explore the limits of their own thinking. 00:08:59.206 --> 00:09:03.286 They are happy for us to just give them information so that they can regurgitate 00:09:03.286 --> 00:09:05.656 it onto a worksheet or in an assessment. 00:09:06.226 --> 00:09:07.126 And as humans. 00:09:07.396 --> 00:09:08.746 We're prone to laziness. 00:09:09.046 --> 00:09:11.926 We want someone else to solve our problems for us. 00:09:12.226 --> 00:09:15.646 We don't want to put in the hard yards, we want a pill to 00:09:15.676 --> 00:09:17.806 solve our problems or a device. 00:09:18.316 --> 00:09:19.156 Like right now. 00:09:19.216 --> 00:09:23.296 I'm trying to learn Italian and I just want someone to open my brain, put all 00:09:23.296 --> 00:09:24.916 that stuff in so that I can just know it. 00:09:24.946 --> 00:09:26.266 Cause it's just so damn hard. 00:09:26.266 --> 00:09:31.756 So children, and even us adults need to understand that they need to do the 00:09:31.756 --> 00:09:35.506 hard yards, they need to stop and they need to think at times to use their 00:09:35.506 --> 00:09:40.726 brains, to figure out how to solve a problem, and how to be self aware of our 00:09:40.726 --> 00:09:42.946 emotions and what's going on around us. 00:09:43.396 --> 00:09:47.356 I believe this lack of curiosity in ourselves opens the door 00:09:47.356 --> 00:09:48.886 for others to exploit us. 00:09:49.276 --> 00:09:53.116 Think about advertising, fast food, junk toys, the desire to keep buying. 00:09:53.536 --> 00:09:57.046 This comes from a lack of self-awareness the inability to 00:09:57.046 --> 00:09:58.786 stop and reflect and question. 00:09:59.356 --> 00:10:03.706 In recent times, nothing made this clearer to me than the handling of COVID. 00:10:04.456 --> 00:10:07.966 Those that dared to question and examine and think were labelled conspiracy 00:10:07.996 --> 00:10:12.256 theorists and even arrested just for asking questions, irrespective of 00:10:12.256 --> 00:10:17.116 whether what they were asking was true or not, we weren't allowed to think. 00:10:17.266 --> 00:10:20.866 Some people just weren't allowed to question and have an opinion. 00:10:21.766 --> 00:10:25.426 There's so many more examples in society right now where we're 00:10:25.456 --> 00:10:29.056 being fed information and expected to just believe it to be true. 00:10:29.056 --> 00:10:34.306 You know, the late great Ken Robinson said that schools kill creativity, well, 00:10:34.306 --> 00:10:38.476 I'd add that governments and the media fueled the destruction of curiosity. 00:10:39.136 --> 00:10:42.556 They rely on us being passive consumers of information. 00:10:43.396 --> 00:10:47.926 And if we live our lives as passive consumers, then our children are in 00:10:47.956 --> 00:10:53.536 grave danger, of themselves becoming passive instead of active creators. 00:10:54.706 --> 00:10:59.686 The way we get kids to be creators of knowledge and creators of products and 00:10:59.686 --> 00:11:04.666 creators of new ideas and creators of new thinking is to encourage curiosity. 00:11:05.236 --> 00:11:09.406 So perhaps it's not the device or the technology itself that stifles our 00:11:09.406 --> 00:11:14.956 curiosity, but instead how we as adults introduce the idea of the technology. 00:11:16.036 --> 00:11:17.596 Yes, the world is changing. 00:11:18.406 --> 00:11:20.746 The jobs of the future are technology focused. 00:11:21.076 --> 00:11:23.446 And as technology becomes more sophisticated. 00:11:23.686 --> 00:11:24.526 Just look at AI 00:11:24.526 --> 00:11:29.206 for example, computers will likely be able to do most jobs and that my 00:11:29.206 --> 00:11:33.946 friends is the one reason we must cultivate curiosity in our children. 00:11:34.336 --> 00:11:38.146 Because they will need to be the ones that program, those computers, 00:11:38.386 --> 00:11:42.886 that solve the problems that the world has an will be facing. 00:11:43.736 --> 00:11:48.866 And the ability to problem solve and create does not come from a passive 00:11:48.866 --> 00:11:51.116 consumer of entertainment and knowledge. 00:11:51.506 --> 00:11:54.296 But rather the active pursuer of it. 00:11:54.806 --> 00:11:59.126 And so I think we adults have a role in the extinguishing of 00:11:59.126 --> 00:12:03.446 curiosity in our kids, because we have taken our eye off the prize. 00:12:03.836 --> 00:12:07.796 We ourselves have become the passive consumers of information and technology 00:12:08.126 --> 00:12:13.316 and in turn have become complacent when it comes to doing the hard yards 00:12:13.496 --> 00:12:18.176 and creating the type of environments where children can thrive, be creative 00:12:18.176 --> 00:12:20.546 problem solvers and critical thinkers. 00:12:21.266 --> 00:12:23.576 So this will sound really depressing. 00:12:23.576 --> 00:12:24.146 Doesn't it? 00:12:24.146 --> 00:12:27.116 But sometimes we need to be honest with ourselves. 00:12:27.596 --> 00:12:30.116 And if we are to make real changes. 00:12:30.116 --> 00:12:33.986 And as curious adults, of course, we want to know how can we fix this? 00:12:33.986 --> 00:12:38.966 How can we continue to nurture that innate curiosity that every child is born with? 00:12:39.746 --> 00:12:44.306 To cultivate curiosity in children we don't need to be highly sophisticated, 00:12:44.876 --> 00:12:47.396 but we do need to be curious ourselves. 00:12:47.666 --> 00:12:50.156 We need to model curiosity. 00:12:50.396 --> 00:12:53.936 We need to be asking questions, modeling finding solutions, 00:12:54.146 --> 00:12:56.066 modeling our thinking process. 00:12:56.556 --> 00:13:01.326 As children watch us, they develop schema, their brain webs are growing 00:13:01.596 --> 00:13:05.376 and as adults, the parents and the educators, we cannot be passive. 00:13:05.646 --> 00:13:09.516 We must be the drivers showing kids what it means to be curious. 00:13:09.816 --> 00:13:14.526 And we can only do that if we, if we ourselves are curious. 00:13:14.786 --> 00:13:16.646 Next we have to encourage questioning. 00:13:17.156 --> 00:13:19.676 Remember how young children ask a ton questions. 00:13:20.186 --> 00:13:23.636 Well, we need to encourage more of that and we also need 00:13:23.636 --> 00:13:25.166 to encourage tough questions. 00:13:25.556 --> 00:13:29.096 Those that are open-ended whose answers cannot easily be found. 00:13:29.546 --> 00:13:32.786 But may need a bit of exploration and experimentation. 00:13:33.356 --> 00:13:37.346 So instead of just giving our children and our learners, the answers, 00:13:37.736 --> 00:13:39.686 we need to ask more questions. 00:13:40.646 --> 00:13:43.786 And the third way, I think we can encourage and nurture our 00:13:43.786 --> 00:13:47.356 children's curiosity is by encouraging them to find answers. 00:13:47.986 --> 00:13:51.826 We need to show them how to find the answers explicitly. 00:13:52.336 --> 00:13:56.686 Perhaps it means reading a book about the topic or watching a national 00:13:56.686 --> 00:14:01.426 geographic video, or actually going outside and planting a garden or 00:14:01.426 --> 00:14:05.456 taking a trip, and doing an experiment. 00:14:06.446 --> 00:14:10.496 Next allowing kids to play freely and independently. 00:14:10.886 --> 00:14:16.586 As I mentioned in episode 16, unstructured free play is how kids 00:14:16.646 --> 00:14:21.686 learn and builds that schema that helps them develop cognitive, physical, 00:14:21.806 --> 00:14:23.576 and social and emotional skills. 00:14:24.146 --> 00:14:29.036 Unstructured play is probably the most important thing we can do to 00:14:29.036 --> 00:14:31.286 encourage children to be curious. 00:14:32.006 --> 00:14:34.946 And that brings me to where the best place is to play. 00:14:35.456 --> 00:14:38.966 And certainly we need to provide an interesting environment for 00:14:38.966 --> 00:14:41.906 kids, both indoors and outdoors. 00:14:42.596 --> 00:14:48.656 In episodes 12 and 13, we explored how educators can provide interesting 00:14:48.656 --> 00:14:52.076 learning environments, both inside and outside for children. 00:14:52.646 --> 00:14:56.786 Children aren't going to be able to build schema in a sterile environment. 00:14:57.326 --> 00:15:01.616 One of the best environments that nurture curiosity is of course nature. 00:15:02.156 --> 00:15:06.746 And nature provides everything that children need to explore and thrive. 00:15:07.166 --> 00:15:09.686 Nature is the ultimate provocation. 00:15:10.256 --> 00:15:13.346 When kids are playing, they discover critters, which could 00:15:13.346 --> 00:15:14.756 lead to an inquiry project. 00:15:15.206 --> 00:15:18.716 They build, they balance on logs, they run, they play in the sand, they 00:15:18.716 --> 00:15:21.986 roll down Hills, they build forts they learned to cooperate with others. 00:15:22.676 --> 00:15:27.116 Nature is also the place where we can teach kids how to observe 00:15:27.116 --> 00:15:31.196 the world around us and nurture awareness of our surroundings. 00:15:32.366 --> 00:15:35.846 And so next week I have a very special guest on the show. 00:15:36.176 --> 00:15:39.236 The wonderful Victoria Hackett from outdoor classrooms.com. 00:15:39.976 --> 00:15:43.936 She will be sharing all her tips and ideas for getting kids outdoors 00:15:43.936 --> 00:15:47.656 and learning outdoors and the benefits of learning outside. 00:15:47.956 --> 00:15:52.366 So make sure you follow or subscribe so you're notified when that episode is 00:15:52.366 --> 00:15:54.766 published and you won't miss out on that. 00:15:55.456 --> 00:15:59.686 Next, I think we should be providing open-ended materials for creative 00:15:59.686 --> 00:16:01.456 expression and problem solving. 00:16:02.026 --> 00:16:05.176 When it comes to toys, there's really no need to spend a fortune. 00:16:05.626 --> 00:16:10.006 Objects from nature, empty boxes, recycled containers, all make 00:16:10.366 --> 00:16:12.406 ideal objects for creativity. 00:16:12.826 --> 00:16:16.396 We've all seen how quickly children lose interest in toys and prefer the box 00:16:16.426 --> 00:16:17.086 they came in. 00:16:17.626 --> 00:16:22.096 And if you must buy toys, look for those that allow for open-ended play. 00:16:22.426 --> 00:16:25.306 Where children can use it for different types of play. 00:16:25.666 --> 00:16:29.476 In this category, I would include art supplies, blocks, Lego, high 00:16:29.476 --> 00:16:33.346 quality animal figurines like those from the Schleish brand. 00:16:34.006 --> 00:16:38.756 And I'm not a, an affiliate for them at all, I just love them because I 00:16:38.756 --> 00:16:42.566 had them for my kids and they're in storage, waiting for the next generation. 00:16:43.046 --> 00:16:47.456 And they're such high quality, they'll never end up in landfill because they 00:16:47.456 --> 00:16:52.676 can be used generation upon generation much better than those low quality 00:16:52.706 --> 00:16:57.116 cheap plastic toys that really hold very little interest for children over time. 00:16:58.246 --> 00:17:02.416 Next is to provide opportunities for thinking and problem solving. 00:17:02.746 --> 00:17:07.576 Using games, things like dominoes, card games, monopoly, chess, drafts, 00:17:07.636 --> 00:17:10.246 things like that parking lot game where you have to figure out how 00:17:10.246 --> 00:17:11.926 to get the car out of traffic jam. 00:17:12.326 --> 00:17:16.706 Those are all great strategy games that have the added benefit of not 00:17:16.736 --> 00:17:21.056 involving technology, but learning to play fairly, learning how to lose. 00:17:21.326 --> 00:17:26.216 So just playing outdoors, playing games also helps kids develop resilience. 00:17:26.576 --> 00:17:28.046 And much needed grit. 00:17:28.466 --> 00:17:32.696 And also that schema, that brain web of information is growing. 00:17:34.196 --> 00:17:35.966 Next read. 00:17:36.896 --> 00:17:39.806 Cultivate a love of reading in children. 00:17:40.316 --> 00:17:44.276 And once again, it's up to us to provide the opportunities for children 00:17:44.276 --> 00:17:46.136 to interact with books and stories. 00:17:46.616 --> 00:17:49.226 Have an audio book playing in the car while you're driving, 00:17:49.556 --> 00:17:51.536 read to children every day. 00:17:52.076 --> 00:17:56.096 Just before bedtime is a great time for reading and calming children down. 00:17:56.486 --> 00:17:59.126 But children love listening to stories in the classroom. 00:17:59.156 --> 00:18:04.286 Have regular times to read, but not just for teaching skills and concepts, but 00:18:04.286 --> 00:18:06.516 just for the sheer pleasure of it too. 00:18:07.136 --> 00:18:09.896 Make sure that there are plenty of books and your environment, and 00:18:09.896 --> 00:18:11.726 plenty of opportunities to read. 00:18:12.146 --> 00:18:16.286 Reading is of course the one skill and tool that provides the 00:18:16.316 --> 00:18:18.356 answers to so many questions. 00:18:18.716 --> 00:18:22.946 So make sure that you are not only reading, but also asking 00:18:22.946 --> 00:18:24.686 questions about what you're reading. 00:18:25.106 --> 00:18:28.856 Because we need to ensure kids understand what they are reading. 00:18:30.006 --> 00:18:32.646 Just a little side story, here I was saying yesterday. 00:18:33.726 --> 00:18:34.866 I'm trying to learn Italian, 00:18:34.866 --> 00:18:39.846 right, as I mentioned before, Well, I can read Italian perfectly, but mostly 00:18:39.846 --> 00:18:41.286 I haven't got a clue what I'm reading. 00:18:41.706 --> 00:18:45.126 So, yeah, that just tells you, I'm not going to be able to learn and speak 00:18:45.126 --> 00:18:48.816 and interact with others, unless I actually understand what I'm reading. 00:18:49.176 --> 00:18:53.766 So it's not just about being able to read fluently, but also 00:18:53.796 --> 00:18:55.506 understanding what we're reading. 00:18:55.686 --> 00:19:02.576 So we must model and encourage and explicitly teach kids, how 00:19:03.176 --> 00:19:04.586 to understand what they reading. 00:19:04.616 --> 00:19:08.636 We need to instill those skills for comprehension in children. 00:19:09.876 --> 00:19:13.596 . And finally, the ultimate strategy for nurturing curiosity and getting 00:19:13.596 --> 00:19:15.636 kids happy to learn is inquiry. 00:19:16.686 --> 00:19:20.976 It is through inquiry based learning where we can show kids and ourselves 00:19:21.186 --> 00:19:24.816 where the gaps are in their knowledge and how to acquire the knowledge 00:19:24.876 --> 00:19:26.526 they need to fill those gaps. 00:19:27.006 --> 00:19:32.346 Inquiry uses all these factors that I've mentioned, and bring them together to 00:19:32.346 --> 00:19:38.976 help children create more schema, and keep that spark, that curiosity alive. 00:19:39.486 --> 00:19:42.486 And there are many critics of inquiry-based learning who say that 00:19:42.486 --> 00:19:44.646 the strategy does not raise standards. 00:19:45.556 --> 00:19:49.816 Well over the next few months, I'm going to unpack inquiry-based learning. 00:19:50.386 --> 00:19:52.486 And take you through the inquiry cycle. 00:19:52.996 --> 00:19:53.956 And how it benefits 00:19:53.956 --> 00:19:54.856 children's learning. 00:19:55.576 --> 00:19:58.006 Inquiry has a very specific purpose. 00:19:58.786 --> 00:20:04.186 And over the next few months, I will share with you my personal way of integrating 00:20:04.216 --> 00:20:10.366 and dovetailing inquiry across subject areas and alongside explicit instruction. 00:20:11.116 --> 00:20:16.726 Because you see, although I'm a great proponent and fan of inquiry based 00:20:16.726 --> 00:20:24.106 learning, because I've seen its power firsthand in my own students, I'm also a 00:20:24.106 --> 00:20:26.896 great proponent of explicit instruction. 00:20:28.246 --> 00:20:31.906 So for me, it's not an and or approach, but rather the 00:20:31.906 --> 00:20:34.156 dovetailing of the two together. 00:20:35.026 --> 00:20:39.766 So, if you're curious how to better engage your learners and get 00:20:39.766 --> 00:20:44.476 amazing results, then make sure you subscribe or follow so you won't 00:20:44.476 --> 00:20:49.306 miss out on those future episodes in this inquiry and curiosity series. 00:20:50.436 --> 00:20:54.676 And today's episode is brought to you by Ed's Lessons, and Ed's Lessons, 00:20:54.696 --> 00:20:59.076 understands the limitations and frustrations that educators experience 00:20:59.076 --> 00:21:03.246 when it comes to lesson planning and integrating inquiry into lesson planning. 00:21:03.756 --> 00:21:08.076 So, if you're looking for ready-made integrated lessons, linked to picture 00:21:08.076 --> 00:21:12.306 books, or you're looking for a helping hand to get started with inquiry based 00:21:12.306 --> 00:21:18.006 learning, then go to edslessons.com and check out the resources on offer there. 00:21:19.176 --> 00:21:24.126 I hope that you found some value in today's episode, if you did, click 00:21:24.126 --> 00:21:28.086 on those three dots and share it with others so they can benefit too. 00:21:28.566 --> 00:21:32.106 And why not leave a review just like Dori did. 00:21:32.166 --> 00:21:36.296 so that I know that you like this type of content and I'll keep making more. 00:21:36.756 --> 00:21:40.356 And remember next week I have a guest appearance, Victoria, Hackett's coming. 00:21:40.626 --> 00:21:44.556 So make sure you don't miss that by subscribing and following the show. 00:21:45.066 --> 00:21:49.476 Until next week, take care of yourselves and stay blooming curious.