• Inspired Learning
    • reading
    • writing
    • art
    • math
    • science
  • Creative Learning
    • Preschool Activity Bags
    • LEGO Learning
    • Field Trips
    • Lapbooks & Notebooks
  • High School Learning
  • Interest Led Learning
    • Delight Directed Learning
    • Cultivating Curiosity
  • Co-op Learning
    • CO-OP Class Ideas
    • Geography Fair
  • Privacy Policy

Walking by the Way

the road to inspired learning

  • Inspired Learning
    • reading
    • writing
    • art
    • math
    • science
  • Creative Learning
    • Preschool Activity Bags
    • LEGO Learning
    • Field Trips
    • Lapbooks & Notebooks
  • High School Learning
  • Interest Led Learning
    • Delight Directed Learning
    • Cultivating Curiosity
  • Co-op Learning
    • CO-OP Class Ideas
    • Geography Fair
  • Privacy Policy

Why You Need to Cultivate Curiosity in Your Children

April 16, 2012 by Ami 20 Comments

Why You Need to Cultivate Curiosity in Your Children from Walking by the Way

I'm a trained teacher.

A few months ago I flipped through my ancient portfolio–the culminating project required of teacher trainees at the university I attended. I spied my philosophy of education. I scanned it. I laughed a little at my words and the praises my profs penned in the margins. I knew so much before I started teaching. 

I frequently hear teacher-turned-homeschool moms state reasons why they chose home education. I chose this way because of apathy, indifference, and disconnect. High school students would slump into my classroom and plead, "Please. Please, don't make us think."

These weren't the truant, drug-using variety. These were academic students. Students who wanted and worked for As and Bs. Burned-out-brains who did everything they could to avoid creative and critical thinking. The goal was the grade.

Something has gone awry.

Throughout my own high school and college years I had the opportunity to volunteer in four kindergarten classrooms, to teach preschool, and to care for toddlers in a daycare. Of course the nose-wiping and tattle-tailing took a toll, but the enthusiasm of finding a single spider spinning a web was contagious. Everything was exciting. An adventure.

What happens to these once-curious kids?

One day I gave my high school students a project–something about analyzing and illustrating Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes. They complained and whined, "Can we just have a worksheet?" I thought I knew the problem: they were lazy.They didn't want to complete a task requiring individuality and creative thinking. But the real problem wasn't laziness. They had lost their curiosity. 

The revelation resulted in resolve. I remember asking. Dear God, if you ever give me children, help me. Help me to preserve and grow the gift you give. The gift of curiosity. 

In the next nine posts I will be discussing ways to cultivate curiosity as well as how to implement a delight-directed homeschool. 

Day 1: Why You Need to Cultivate Curiosity in Your Children

Day 2 : Inquisitive and Quizzed: Using Questions to Cultivate Curiosity in Your Kids

Day 3: How to Keep Wonder Alive in Your Homeschool

Day 4: 25 Ways to Cultivate Curiosity in Your Children

Day 5: Cultivate Curiosity by Reading Great Books Together

Day 6: A Delight Driven Education

Day 7: What Does a Delight Directed Study Look Like?

Day 8 : Free Tools for Delight Directed Studies

Day 9 : Foundation Education

Day 10: Questions and Answers

 

Filed Under: cultivating curiosity, destination...delight directed Tagged With: curiosity, delight directed, homeschool

Comments

  1. Amber @ Classic Housewife says

    May 3, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    I want to preserve curiosity, too!!
    One thing I keep reading about the generation now beginning to enter the workforce (the millenials, born in the 80s and 90s) is that there’s not only a lack of curiosity but of follow through on it — this generation has big ideas but lacks what they need to implement them! I’m sure that’s not true of EVERYONE but it seems to be a marker of their generation. (Though, if we were going by that alone, I would fit right along with them!)
    I want my kids to be curious … and then get up and go do something about it, too! I do hope I encourage this enough. I’m hoping to find some encouragement and inspiration here!

  2. nancy says

    August 25, 2012 at 8:14 am

    im looking forward to read more ….im just new at homeschooling ,i believe great post like this would really help….Godbless:)

« Older Comments

Trackbacks

  1. Auditory Learners | Something 2 Offer says:
    September 2, 2012 at 4:38 pm

    […] Cultivating Curiosity- by Walking by the Way […]

  2. Why Homeschool? The varied and evolving reasons for homeschooling – Humility and Doxology says:
    April 26, 2019 at 6:59 pm

    […] trained teacher deciding to homeschool?  It comes down to cultivating curiosity: “I frequently hear teacher-turned-homeschool moms state reasons why they chose home education. I […]

  3. Why Homeschool? The varied and evolving reasons for homeschooling - Humility and Doxology says:
    April 30, 2019 at 7:43 am

    […] trained teacher deciding to homeschool?  It comes down to cultivating curiosity: “I frequently hear teacher-turned-homeschool moms state reasons why they chose home education. I […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Meet Ami

Welcome! I’m a big believer in inspiring kids, cultivating curiosity, delight directed learning, living books, field trip adventures, and keeping your sanity while homeschooling. I hope you find something encouraging here today! You can learn a bit more about me here.

Connect with me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Subscribe

Search

Popular Posts

Make a Professional Homeschool Transcript with This Free Download

Make a Professional Homeschool Transcript with This Free Download

The Ultimate List of Homeschool Co-op Class Ideas

The Ultimate List of Homeschool Co-op Class Ideas

Giant List of Story Art Projects

Giant List of Story Art Projects

60 Super Geography Fair Project Ideas

60 Super Geography Fair Project Ideas

Creative Writing Dice Game

Creative Writing Dice Game

Copyright © 2023 · Simplify on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in