You know what I notice when I take a walk with my class? Everything. Not because I’m overly observant, but because my kids are. There’s a bug on the sidewalk. It begins…. “What kind is it? What does it eat? It looks like a ladybug, but it’s not because it has…” So then, a kid sees a bird flying overhead and tells me about how pigeons are a real issue in big cities, but he wonders if we have any problematic birds here. As we walk, two kids talk about sore muscles and lactic acid. The questions? They. Never. Stop. Somedays I am sure I could throw anything on the table and they’d want to learn about it. A rock? A sundial? A leaf from a tree? A photo of someone famous? A problem in our community? Curiosity drives them. They want to learn the same way a baby bird in a nest is starving for worms. They don’t want someone to tell them the answers. They need to investigate. Explore. Discover. So, the next time a student asks you a great question, resist that powerful urge to just tell them the answer. I know it’s hard. As teachers, we feel like we should answer all of their questions. But, answering their questions is just like putting the fire of curiosity out. Instead, take a moment, and respond with something that will ignite their thinking. You’ll see their minds burning even brighter.
