I love this article -- it connects so deeply to my experience as a 5th-grade teacher. It is extremely powerful when kids (and teachers) are given the space, time, and opportunity to be curious in the classroom. Urie Bronfenbrenner, the theorist behind the Bioecological Model, was very supportive of curiosity as a matter of nurture -- that is to say, intentionally-created -- in the classroom. Under his theory, when students are exposed to an immediate environment (microsystem) that encourages and nurtures curiosity and exploration, they will become more curious and adventurous in their learning process. This can and will lead to better academic performance, such as how the students in your article achieved higher test scores. A really important read, especially in our modern-day education system which severely neglects curiosity in daily learning.
Thanks for this, Benjamin. Bronfenbrenner is spot on as an anchor. His deeper point was that curiosity is not a trait some kids have and others lack. It's a property of the environment the adults build. That puts the responsibility, and the opportunity, squarely on us. Fifth grade is a proving ground for exactly this. I'm sure you've got an incredible trove of rich stories. I'd love to hear what creating that space looks like in your classroom, and what you have had to protect it from.
I love this article -- it connects so deeply to my experience as a 5th-grade teacher. It is extremely powerful when kids (and teachers) are given the space, time, and opportunity to be curious in the classroom. Urie Bronfenbrenner, the theorist behind the Bioecological Model, was very supportive of curiosity as a matter of nurture -- that is to say, intentionally-created -- in the classroom. Under his theory, when students are exposed to an immediate environment (microsystem) that encourages and nurtures curiosity and exploration, they will become more curious and adventurous in their learning process. This can and will lead to better academic performance, such as how the students in your article achieved higher test scores. A really important read, especially in our modern-day education system which severely neglects curiosity in daily learning.
Thanks for this, Benjamin. Bronfenbrenner is spot on as an anchor. His deeper point was that curiosity is not a trait some kids have and others lack. It's a property of the environment the adults build. That puts the responsibility, and the opportunity, squarely on us. Fifth grade is a proving ground for exactly this. I'm sure you've got an incredible trove of rich stories. I'd love to hear what creating that space looks like in your classroom, and what you have had to protect it from.