“Curiosity is insubordination in its purest form.”
Vladimir Nabokov
Russian Entomologist
According to Brian Gazer our school systems might actually be responsible for squelching our curiosity. In the classrooms of the 50’s and 60’s during the Eisenhower era obedience and order were high priorities. Grazer defines curiosity as more of an “irritant.”
He also states, “You’re born curious, and no matter how much battering your curiosity has taken, it’s standing by ready to be awakened.”
One of the joys of teaching younger children is their natural curiosity. After retiring I tutored older elementary students, and was surprised and disappointed at how little curiosity and creativity was still left in many of my students. They basically wanted to be told exactly what results I wanted, and seemed quite helpless to come up with ideas on their own.
I couldn’t wonder if several years of standardized testing had blown the wind out of their sails. The right answer took priority over the right question.
Along with encouraging curiosity in our children as they go through the grades, encouraging ourselves to remain curious is just as important. Our brains respond well to tasks that are novel and complex. It is how we continue to “build” that brain muscle.
Curiosity can help us to seek out the new and different.
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