WEBVTT 00:00:02.040 --> 00:00:06.580 Every discovery ever had and still has one thing in common. 00:00:07.210 --> 00:00:10.210 They are all the result of curiosity. 00:00:11.020 --> 00:00:15.130 The desire to know, to explore and to test hypotheses is a 00:00:15.130 --> 00:00:17.140 basic human characteristic. 00:00:17.590 --> 00:00:21.400 We see it most clearly in young children trying to make sense of 00:00:21.400 --> 00:00:25.060 the world through their senses and through questions and testing 00:00:25.060 --> 00:00:26.860 boundaries to see what will happen. 00:00:27.550 --> 00:00:32.980 But then for some reason as we grow older our curiosity seems to wane. 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:36.070 We don't push the boundaries so much anymore 00:00:36.070 --> 00:00:41.560 and we ask fewer questions and we appear to accept the status quo as it is. 00:00:42.550 --> 00:00:45.790 Curiosity is a valuable commodity. 00:00:46.270 --> 00:00:50.580 It's the curious, among us that solve problems, look for better 00:00:50.580 --> 00:00:54.449 ways of doing things and conduct experiments to find things out and 00:00:54.449 --> 00:00:56.339 push the boundaries of exploration. 00:00:57.089 --> 00:01:01.349 In modern times, someone like Elon Musk is an example of what 00:01:01.349 --> 00:01:03.749 having a curious mind can achieve. 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:07.650 Geniuses is like Elon of course are few and far between. 00:01:08.070 --> 00:01:13.750 And we mere mortals cannot and must not compare ourselves to the likes of Elon. 00:01:14.220 --> 00:01:18.299 Firstly, because that's really unrealistic and unhealthy. 00:01:18.660 --> 00:01:23.160 And secondly, because we don't have to invent rockets or electric cars to 00:01:23.160 --> 00:01:28.949 be able to make a difference or live full and rewarding lives, solving 00:01:28.949 --> 00:01:33.180 our own problems, being, genuinely interested in the world around us, 00:01:33.600 --> 00:01:38.520 challenging ourselves, and exploring the boundaries of our own creativity. 00:01:39.509 --> 00:01:45.060 So how can we nurture our own curiosity and why is it even important? 00:01:45.690 --> 00:01:46.829 Well as educators, 00:01:46.889 --> 00:01:52.560 and please let me remind you again, that when I say educators, I also and 00:01:52.710 --> 00:01:55.979 automatically, always mean parents. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.410 Parents are the first educators. 00:01:59.039 --> 00:02:03.960 And we have a huge responsibility to ensure that we are doing the very best 00:02:03.960 --> 00:02:06.299 we can for our children in our care. 00:02:07.259 --> 00:02:11.070 To do the very best we can as educators means we cannot 00:02:11.070 --> 00:02:13.079 just be passive passengers. 00:02:13.500 --> 00:02:19.049 We must be active pursuers of information and constantly be problem-solving. 00:02:19.590 --> 00:02:23.160 We're constantly asking ourselves, how can I do better? 00:02:23.429 --> 00:02:26.970 How can I help this child reach his or her milestones? 00:02:27.209 --> 00:02:29.940 How can I better engage children in my lessons? 00:02:30.209 --> 00:02:32.100 Why is this child disengaged? 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:35.100 Why are the children not getting the information I'm teaching? 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:38.070 Why, why, why, why. 00:02:39.299 --> 00:02:43.320 But curiosity, my friends is often a double-edged sword. 00:02:44.340 --> 00:02:49.739 Although it is valued and deemed necessary for innovation leaders in 00:02:49.739 --> 00:02:51.899 organizations often discourage it. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:56.160 In an article focused on businesses in the Harvard business review. 00:02:56.459 --> 00:02:57.989 I'll put a link in the show notes. 00:02:58.679 --> 00:03:02.910 A research study into curiosity found that although leaders valued curiosity, 00:03:02.940 --> 00:03:05.880 because it led to new and innovative ways. 00:03:06.270 --> 00:03:07.980 Leaders often discouraged it. 00:03:08.429 --> 00:03:12.480 Because they felt that the company would be harder to manage if people were all 00:03:12.480 --> 00:03:14.400 allowed to pursue their own interests. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:18.780 The research showed that although they listed curiosity as desirable 00:03:19.200 --> 00:03:25.470 leaders frequently rejected creative ideas because exploration means 00:03:25.470 --> 00:03:27.239 people question the status quo. 00:03:27.929 --> 00:03:30.179 And leaders don't often welcome that. 00:03:30.959 --> 00:03:36.450 But questioning means not just accepting the first answer, which 00:03:36.450 --> 00:03:40.799 means that in the long run, it could actually get you a better result. 00:03:41.940 --> 00:03:44.760 And another reason why curiosity is discouraged is because 00:03:44.760 --> 00:03:46.679 companies value efficiency. 00:03:47.489 --> 00:03:52.829 An example of this was the Ford motor company, Henry Ford, had one goal 00:03:52.920 --> 00:03:56.730 and that was to reduce the production costs and produce a car for the masses. 00:03:57.420 --> 00:04:00.929 And he was really successful for a long time in doing just that. 00:04:01.470 --> 00:04:05.579 But then in the 1920s, consumers began wanting greater variety. 00:04:05.970 --> 00:04:06.480 But Mr. 00:04:06.480 --> 00:04:11.130 Ford was so focused on efficiency that he lost his market share to General 00:04:11.130 --> 00:04:13.410 Motors because he stopped innovating. 00:04:13.829 --> 00:04:15.929 And subsequently fell behind. 00:04:16.390 --> 00:04:20.979 These two reasons, illustrate why curiosity, declines in adults. 00:04:21.579 --> 00:04:25.509 The longer we remain in a job where curiosity is not valued, the 00:04:25.509 --> 00:04:28.179 more our own curiosity, declines. 00:04:28.780 --> 00:04:32.619 The author of the Harvard article conducted a survey that found that 00:04:32.619 --> 00:04:38.259 employee's curiosity declined by 20% over six months, because they 00:04:38.259 --> 00:04:41.379 were under pressure to complete their work, leaving little time 00:04:41.379 --> 00:04:43.599 to ask questions or be curious. 00:04:44.259 --> 00:04:48.159 And this business example is not dissimilar to what's happening in 00:04:48.159 --> 00:04:51.249 schools and education in general. 00:04:52.119 --> 00:04:56.739 Unless the school has a culture that values, curiosity, innovation, 00:04:56.770 --> 00:05:00.249 it's difficult for individual educators to be that way inclined. 00:05:00.789 --> 00:05:04.449 If the administration deems them as hard to manage, because they're 00:05:04.449 --> 00:05:06.159 always questioning the status quo. 00:05:06.729 --> 00:05:07.869 That's a tough call. 00:05:08.559 --> 00:05:13.090 Similarly, this could be the same for government entities pushing 00:05:13.090 --> 00:05:17.319 a single style or pedagogy as we get in education departments. 00:05:18.099 --> 00:05:21.849 But these kinds of organizations actually lose out in the long 00:05:21.849 --> 00:05:26.679 run because they simply accept only one way of doing things. 00:05:27.520 --> 00:05:32.259 In a micro context, this could also be a classroom or even a family. 00:05:32.710 --> 00:05:36.729 If the educator does not value, curiosity and questioning children 00:05:36.729 --> 00:05:39.879 are going to become less and less curious and eventually lose interest. 00:05:40.210 --> 00:05:43.689 And how sad is that that even before children have had an opportunity to 00:05:43.689 --> 00:05:47.109 discover their talents and gifts, they'v already been squashed. 00:05:47.880 --> 00:05:50.520 And what impact would that have on children? 00:05:50.969 --> 00:05:54.719 If we only valued efficiency over curiosity. 00:05:55.260 --> 00:06:00.330 If we only valued assessment performance over curiosity and wellbeing. 00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:05.640 If we only valued direct instruction, for example, over inquiry, because 00:06:05.640 --> 00:06:08.680 that helped our test scores so that we could say to everyone, look how 00:06:08.700 --> 00:06:11.760 fabulous, our children perform in tests look how well, we're doing. 00:06:12.599 --> 00:06:16.020 Nevermind that, they aren't curious, they can't solve problems, 00:06:16.400 --> 00:06:17.820 they aren't at all resilient, 00:06:17.849 --> 00:06:20.130 they can't do a single thing for themselves without having 00:06:20.130 --> 00:06:23.640 an adult hover over them or give them a script or a template. 00:06:24.690 --> 00:06:27.780 Last week I was interviewed by Victoria Hackett. 00:06:27.960 --> 00:06:31.260 Yes, my very first interview by someone else. 00:06:32.219 --> 00:06:36.090 Um, on her outdoor classrooms podcast, and she asked me what 00:06:36.090 --> 00:06:39.900 resources I would recommend for educators if they wanted to create 00:06:39.930 --> 00:06:41.909 inquiry-based learning environments. 00:06:42.330 --> 00:06:45.719 Hey, subscribe and follow by the way, this podcast 00:06:45.719 --> 00:06:46.680 so you don't miss out. 00:06:47.190 --> 00:06:49.560 And also follow me on Instagram and Facebook 00:06:49.610 --> 00:06:54.870 @edslessons if you want to be notified when Victoria publishes that episode. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:57.659 My answer to Victoria was simple. 00:06:58.230 --> 00:07:00.930 It was to be brave and curious yourself. 00:07:01.740 --> 00:07:06.510 As adults, you are the most important influence and resource when it comes to 00:07:06.510 --> 00:07:08.580 influencing children and their learning. 00:07:09.599 --> 00:07:15.560 Everything you do and say has an impact on children. 00:07:16.280 --> 00:07:20.990 So if you want children to be curious, to be creative, to problem 00:07:20.990 --> 00:07:25.100 solve, to ask questions, then you need to be modeling that. 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:31.560 To be curious, we need to be asking questions of ourselves because 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:33.810 that's what we were doing as kids. 00:07:34.110 --> 00:07:36.030 And for whatever reason we've stopped. 00:07:36.360 --> 00:07:39.030 And there are many reasons we stopped being curious as children. 00:07:39.330 --> 00:07:41.490 I explored that in episode 17. 00:07:41.490 --> 00:07:46.110 So go back and listen to that episode to find out what some of these reasons are. 00:07:47.490 --> 00:07:48.360 As adults. 00:07:48.810 --> 00:07:53.190 We have the ability and the choice by the way to be curious. 00:07:53.730 --> 00:07:57.720 And I say this from a place of love and from a place of personal experience. 00:07:59.100 --> 00:08:05.040 We adults need to make whatever changes we need to make in our lives to be better 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:09.390 for our children because we influence the path that our children will take. 00:08:10.140 --> 00:08:15.330 So if your curiosity has been a little stunted or suppressed, for whatever 00:08:15.330 --> 00:08:20.219 reason, What can you do to be more curious and model that to children? 00:08:20.849 --> 00:08:23.190 In a recent newsletter to my subscribers, 00:08:23.219 --> 00:08:27.330 I talked exactly about this and if you want my insights into what's going 00:08:27.330 --> 00:08:32.610 on in education and how to encourage curiosity and inquiry or educational 00:08:32.610 --> 00:08:36.480 resources to help you implement inquiry with your learners then go to 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:42.780 edslessons.com and subscribe to my weekly newsletter and click on the resources tab 00:08:43.020 --> 00:08:46.140 and you can check out all the resources there that can help you 00:08:46.140 --> 00:08:48.510 integrate inquiry into your lessons. 00:08:49.260 --> 00:08:51.450 So, how can you nurture your curiosity? 00:08:52.140 --> 00:08:55.980 Firstly, is there something you've always wanted to do? 00:08:56.550 --> 00:09:01.020 Or think is really cool, but you've never had the courage to try it, 00:09:01.500 --> 00:09:05.040 write a list down of all these things, even if it's just one thing. 00:09:06.120 --> 00:09:10.710 And it's there on a piece of paper now it's tangible, right? 00:09:11.879 --> 00:09:15.089 Then next, be curious and go and do it. 00:09:15.930 --> 00:09:17.760 I know, does this sound too good to be true? 00:09:18.680 --> 00:09:24.750 Well actively find out what you can do to go about doing this one thing and learn 00:09:24.750 --> 00:09:28.050 more about it and actually follow up. 00:09:28.680 --> 00:09:30.810 The present is a gift. 00:09:31.140 --> 00:09:32.370 Open it up. 00:09:32.640 --> 00:09:38.040 Find out as much about this as you can read, watch videos, talk to people, 00:09:38.099 --> 00:09:40.710 do whatever it needs, whatever takes. 00:09:41.760 --> 00:09:44.999 And then you share this with your learners, by the way, you let them 00:09:44.999 --> 00:09:47.999 know you're trying something new, even if it's in the classroom and you 00:09:48.209 --> 00:09:49.920 tell them you're afraid of failing. 00:09:50.400 --> 00:09:54.630 Allow them to see that being afraid of trying something new is normal. 00:09:55.709 --> 00:09:57.900 Let me share a personal story very quickly. 00:09:58.979 --> 00:10:02.950 This podcast that you're listening to right now and my blog Ed's 00:10:02.969 --> 00:10:07.229 Lessons is the thing that I thought of for a very long time. 00:10:07.890 --> 00:10:12.300 But I was really afraid of doing it because I'm a perfectionist 00:10:12.719 --> 00:10:14.010 and I'm afraid of failure. 00:10:14.819 --> 00:10:17.160 But I'll be 59 this year people. 00:10:17.430 --> 00:10:20.670 And I'm getting to this stage where it's now or never. 00:10:21.119 --> 00:10:23.010 So here I am, I'm doing this. 00:10:23.069 --> 00:10:27.390 I'm taking a risk and failure is not an option. 00:10:28.229 --> 00:10:32.280 So you guys share this podcast with everyone, you know that through this, we 00:10:32.280 --> 00:10:37.349 can keep more people and kids curious and meet their full potential in this world. 00:10:37.920 --> 00:10:39.239 And that'll be awesome. 00:10:39.540 --> 00:10:41.699 And I'll know that I've made a difference. 00:10:43.229 --> 00:10:44.219 The third thing. 00:10:44.310 --> 00:10:46.229 Thanks very much for that by the way. 00:10:46.349 --> 00:10:49.619 The third thing is to be open to failure. 00:10:50.189 --> 00:10:53.939 And being uncomfortable that things are going to be hard. 00:10:53.939 --> 00:10:55.739 We've got to do the hard yards. 00:10:56.219 --> 00:10:57.180 It's not everything. 00:10:57.180 --> 00:11:02.219 Isn't easy, , we don't have to be gold medal winners all the time and you 00:11:02.219 --> 00:11:04.229 don't always have to be competitive. 00:11:04.229 --> 00:11:05.760 You don't have to be the best. 00:11:06.449 --> 00:11:09.959 You just need to be better than you were yesterday and just keep going. 00:11:10.650 --> 00:11:12.060 Just like I'm doing here. 00:11:12.719 --> 00:11:16.109 And you do it for the sheer joy of it. 00:11:17.099 --> 00:11:19.079 Now, some of you might be saying, I've come on. 00:11:19.109 --> 00:11:22.529 How are we starting something new going to help me be more curious. 00:11:23.189 --> 00:11:24.389 Well you're thinking aren't you. 00:11:25.019 --> 00:11:26.699 You're asking questions of yourself. 00:11:26.999 --> 00:11:28.139 You're taking a risk. 00:11:28.469 --> 00:11:30.599 You're testing yourself and your abilities. 00:11:31.079 --> 00:11:34.619 You're going to make mistakes and it's going to be hard and you going to show 00:11:34.619 --> 00:11:37.859 resilience and you're going to keep going and you're going to keep showing up. 00:11:38.459 --> 00:11:40.469 And that's exactly what curiosity is about. 00:11:41.249 --> 00:11:44.550 It's the same process that scientists and inventors go through. 00:11:45.349 --> 00:11:50.149 Fourth thing you can do to be more curious is being intentional and reflect often. 00:11:51.050 --> 00:11:54.709 When you're trying something new, you going to stop now and again, 00:11:54.709 --> 00:11:56.569 and evaluate how you're doing. 00:11:56.599 --> 00:11:58.729 You're not just going to keep going and making the same 00:11:58.729 --> 00:12:00.139 mistakes over and over again. 00:12:00.170 --> 00:12:02.269 Remember Einstein said that was insanity. 00:12:03.319 --> 00:12:05.869 We're going to test something new. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:08.889 You're going to test a new or a different way of achieving your 00:12:08.889 --> 00:12:10.629 plan if things aren't working. 00:12:11.049 --> 00:12:13.989 This is exactly what the inquiry process is. 00:12:14.649 --> 00:12:18.309 You being interested in something, actually makes you 00:12:18.429 --> 00:12:19.809 a more interesting person. 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:24.969 In the same way, we're cultivating curiosity in children because we're 00:12:24.969 --> 00:12:28.569 encouraging them to find their passions and give them the skills 00:12:28.629 --> 00:12:33.069 and the tools to eventually be able to pursue their own interests. 00:12:33.839 --> 00:12:36.269 Number five, shouldn't be a surprise. 00:12:36.939 --> 00:12:38.789 Ask questions. 00:12:39.119 --> 00:12:40.529 Ask why? 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:45.509 What if, how else could we, and then be honest, if you don't know something 00:12:45.809 --> 00:12:47.909 acknowledge, you don't know the answer. 00:12:48.869 --> 00:12:52.589 But you're curious to find out and in, so doing you're open 00:12:52.769 --> 00:12:54.209 to others' points of view. 00:12:54.599 --> 00:12:58.679 And when you accept that you don't know it all, you open yourself up to 00:12:58.709 --> 00:13:03.599 exploration and so you enrich your knowledge and you create opportunities 00:13:03.599 --> 00:13:05.669 for greater exploration and discovery. 00:13:06.149 --> 00:13:10.529 Modeling, questioning and exploration is essential for creating 00:13:10.529 --> 00:13:14.939 environments where curiosity and innovative thinking can thrive. 00:13:15.749 --> 00:13:17.109 I created an eGuide 00:13:17.369 --> 00:13:20.699 that's all about nurturing natural curiosity in young children. 00:13:21.059 --> 00:13:25.439 And in the guide, I have a list of open-ended question openers to ask 00:13:25.469 --> 00:13:26.969 children, to get them wondering. 00:13:27.419 --> 00:13:33.119 There's a link on my landing page, or you just go to www.edslessons.com 00:13:33.419 --> 00:13:34.439 and you'll find it there. 00:13:36.059 --> 00:13:36.839 Number six. 00:13:37.949 --> 00:13:41.849 Make having an inquiry mindset a part of your life. 00:13:41.849 --> 00:13:45.149 I try and read something nonfiction every day. 00:13:45.569 --> 00:13:47.999 Read a news article or listen to the news. 00:13:48.599 --> 00:13:54.329 But don't just consume like a passive consumer, you then have to ask questions. 00:13:54.869 --> 00:13:56.429 Could there be something else. 00:13:56.699 --> 00:13:59.519 Could there be another reason why. 00:14:00.719 --> 00:14:04.409 Look for bias and read from a variety of sources. 00:14:04.439 --> 00:14:08.789 There is nothing, an algorithm loves more than you going back to the same 00:14:08.789 --> 00:14:11.819 old thing day in and day out, and then it's just going to feed you 00:14:11.819 --> 00:14:13.349 with whatever you're looking for. 00:14:13.739 --> 00:14:18.869 So, if we want to grow our mindset, we also need to look at different sources. 00:14:19.649 --> 00:14:24.749 Reading, as we know is the one thing that creates a world of possibilities. 00:14:25.169 --> 00:14:28.469 So it's the most essential skill for anyone to have in order to 00:14:28.469 --> 00:14:31.319 find and decipher information. 00:14:31.829 --> 00:14:36.329 As educators reading is probably the one skill we prioritize and 00:14:36.329 --> 00:14:41.369 rightly so, but we must also model reading for pleasure so the children 00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:43.739 don't feel that reading is a chore. 00:14:44.109 --> 00:14:48.609 Whenever we learn something new or make a discovery, we get a hit of dopamine 00:14:49.749 --> 00:14:54.309 and by the way, that also keeps our mind sharp as we age, so nurturing our own 00:14:54.309 --> 00:14:57.969 and our learners' curiosity should always be at the forefront of our teaching. 00:14:58.019 --> 00:15:02.879 I recently attended a PD with Kath Murdoch and she said that whenever 00:15:02.909 --> 00:15:08.219 you're teaching a lesson, any lesson, the question to ask yourself is how can 00:15:08.219 --> 00:15:11.309 I bring an inquiry stance to this lesson? 00:15:12.089 --> 00:15:15.989 In other words, how can you structure your lesson to get learners involved 00:15:15.989 --> 00:15:21.089 in thinking, collaboration, testing, wondering, and being active in 00:15:21.089 --> 00:15:24.689 the learning process, not just passive consumers of information. 00:15:25.589 --> 00:15:28.379 Talking about structuring lessons, by the way. 00:15:28.769 --> 00:15:33.779 I'm offering a one hour free coaching session to educators, either home or 00:15:33.779 --> 00:15:37.889 classroom based, that perhaps needed a little direction or help with 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:40.169 integrating inquiry into lessons. 00:15:40.889 --> 00:15:44.369 In the session, we will brainstorm how you might bring an inquiry 00:15:44.369 --> 00:15:48.719 stance to your lessons and how we can integrate inquiry into your lessons. 00:15:49.259 --> 00:15:53.219 Coaches are charging thousands of dollars for coaching sessions, but 00:15:53.219 --> 00:15:55.289 I'm giving a limited number of you. 00:15:55.619 --> 00:15:59.549 An opportunity for a free brainstorming and coaching session. 00:15:59.829 --> 00:16:03.659 So if this is something that you would appreciate, then go to. 00:16:04.949 --> 00:16:12.509 resources.edslessons.com/inquiry101coaching I will put a link in the show 00:16:12.509 --> 00:16:13.679 notes, so you don't forget. 00:16:15.419 --> 00:16:18.929 So I hope you found some value in today's episode and that it 00:16:18.959 --> 00:16:20.549 gave you some food for thought. 00:16:20.969 --> 00:16:21.689 If it did. 00:16:22.199 --> 00:16:26.819 I would love you to share it because that's the only way this podcast grows 00:16:26.819 --> 00:16:28.979 and more people benefit from its content. 00:16:29.189 --> 00:16:30.749 So share like mad. 00:16:31.229 --> 00:16:35.699 And leave me a review if you found it useful or interesting that'll really 00:16:35.699 --> 00:16:38.159 keep me going and creating more content. 00:16:38.189 --> 00:16:39.839 I really would appreciate that. 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:42.269 So I'll see you all next week. 00:16:42.449 --> 00:16:44.789 I hope you found some value here today. 00:16:45.389 --> 00:16:45.959 And. 00:16:46.499 --> 00:16:51.359 Until I see you next week, or until you hear me next week stay blooming curious.