Please read and write a short (1-2 paragraph) response to the ideas presented in the Guardian article linked here: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jan/28/schools-killing-curiosity-learn … Write your response in the comment section below. Also, reply to at least two (2) of your class mate’s posted comments. Let me know if you have any questions.
Professor Joshua Belknap | Co Req ML | Spring 2024
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Teachers wanted children to learn better by not answering their curiosity questions because they want them to learn better without asking questions and just to focus on what they are learning so children are learning not to ask questions in school, but the American researcher suggests that children who are curious will do better at school and perform the best. So now there are some schools that have teachers that need to focus on the children’s curious questions or not answering their questions because it was said that children learn better by getting their questions answered and that they were born curious, but there are some teachers that don’t like it when children interrupt them on their learning because they want children to listen by not asking questions when they are about to learn.
Paul Howard Jones the professor of neuroscience and education of Bristol university thinks that it’s better for children to ask as many questions as they want because he has observed that children’s curiosity is important and that teachers should handle children’s curiosity questions even though it might be difficult for the teachers to handle. Also that children’s should be supported and be assisted in school because they learn better this way because when they get their questions answered they will understand better, and gain more knowledge.
Yes, I agree with you on why the curiosity of children should be addressed when they want to know something and also not every questions a child asks that can be answered, so in this case teachers should try their best to be able to allow the child to voice out the question or curious thing they want to know about even though it may or may not sound right.
I think that schools are taking the curiosity of children but not only that they are also taking their imagination the schools nowadays don’t have much flexibility and children are punished if they don’t do things according to how they were supposed to, for example getting a low grade or even failing a class which works as an unhealthy form of motivation to pass your classes.
Kids are losing their curiosity because everything has to be up to the standard of the school, and they don’t care what the children think. Just as long as you are memorizing the important information for that class, that is it. They don’t want you to ask questions, just memorize. Of course, in the long term, kids will be affected by this system, which will hinder their curiosity. That is why schools are outdated, and they should change the system to a more updated version that will benefit the students in a better way.
Yes, I agree with you that in the school teachers don’t want children to ask questions while they are learning because they think that children’s learning is more important than becoming curiosity. Also that schools should let children ask their curiosity questions because that’s what helps them learn more.
I get the point you are trying to make here is that, the students must be able to concentrate academically so they can have good grades. But then also, we should also understand that those random curious questions that comes into our mind that we want to ask or know about are also important for the child to also be able to think outside the box so as to be able to cope with real life situations where academic education is not present.
I think children should be allowed to ask questions that comes in their head even though it might not sound right, or not be the best time to answer to such questions, and also I feel through those questions they can have some idea about a situation or place which will help them. But here lies the case where some teachers sometimes don’t allow children to ask questions that is not related to what is been taught in class and this sometimes makes the child feel unanswered and sometimes sad and sometimes unmotivated. In paragraph 8 it says “Children are born curious. The number of questions a toddler can ask can seem infinite – it is one of the critical methods humans adopt to learn.”, this statement is making us aware how helpful it will help in the development of the child and techniques in learning what is around them.
I feel the reason why some teachers feel it is not necessary to ask random questions whiles you are supposed to focus on the current task at hand which is learning is that it will get the student distracted, in paragraph 5 it says “the researchers found that when it came to good school performance, the ability to stay focused and, for example, not be distracted by a thunderstorm, was less important than curiosity – the questions children might have about that storm.” So schools are killing children’s curiosity by not giving them listening ears and at least say something to make the child feel answered.
Yes, I agree with you because there are some teachers in the school that aren’t letting children ask their curiosity questions which it doesn’t help children on their learning. Children being unanswered to their question doesn’t make them feel well, but feel bad and it doesn’t help them with their learning because they probably have questions that they don’t understand about something.
Children full of questions about things that interest them are learning not to ask them at school but the reason why is because teachers don’t want children to ask questions. Teachers just want to teach but the latest American research suggests we should be encouraging questions because curious children do better. The latest American research suggests that encouraging curiosity in children is crucial for their academic success. Disadvantaged children had the strongest connection between curiosity and performance.
The study also found that when it came to good school performance, the ability to stay focused and not be distracted by a thunderstorm was less important than curiosity, the questions children might have about that storm. Teachers who concentrate on developing focus and good behavior because of the links to good academic performance should now take on board that developing curiosity could be even more important.
Children are born curious, and the number of questions a toddler can ask can seem infinite. In 2007, researchers logged questions asked by children aged 14 months to five years and found they asked an average of 107 questions an hour. However, research from Susan Engel, author of The Hungry Mind, finds questioning drops like a stone once children start school. She found that the youngest children in an American suburban elementary school asked between two and five questions in two hours, and even worse, as they got older, they gave up asking altogether.
Yes, I agree with what the passage says. It’s sad that children stop asking questions once they start school because teachers often don’t want them to. But research shows that encouraging curiosity is really important for doing well in school, especially for kids who don’t have a lot of money. It’s interesting that being curious is even more important than being able to pay attention in class. So, teachers should try to help kids stay curious because it can help them do better in school.
I noticed that the article said “finds questioning drops like a stone once children start school…”. I do fully agree it, because when children went to schools to get “educate”, what they educate or what they learning is been forcing to learn the things they not interested; but at the same time what they learning from school is quite common sense, also at the same time childrens have to give up what they really want to know…
In my opinion, teachers/educator is pay for do their job(educate). How teacher educate they students is mostly following the education department rules, Some educators simply follow department rules, in a way to say that they don’t care about what do students, but some of the teacher will use some interesting way to educate their students, make sure their students really learning something from the class.
I agree with your point. It seems that once children start school, their curiosity often decreases because the focus is more on following rules than on encouraging questions and exploration. While some teachers may feel tied to the rules, others find ways to make learning fun and interesting. I believe it’s important for teachers to help students stay curious and excited about learning by allowing them to ask questions and explore their interests in the classroom.
The article from The Guardian talks about how important it is for kids to be curious in school. It says that when children ask questions and are curious, they do better in their classes, especially kids who don’t have a lot of money. The article says that many schools don’t encourage kids to ask questions, but instead focus on tests and following rules. It suggests that schools should do more to help kids be curious and explore new things, like the example of a nursery school that replaced toys with things like cardboard boxes and old phones. This way, kids can learn better and be more creative in school.
In response, it seems like schools should pay more attention to helping kids be curious. If kids are encouraged to ask questions and explore, they might enjoy learning more and do better in school. It’s important for schools to create an environment where kids feel comfortable asking questions and trying new things. This way, all kids, no matter where they come from, can have a better chance to succeed in school and in life.