The article ‘Schools are killing curiosity’: why we need to stop telling children to shut up and learn by Wendy Berliner highlights how traditional schooling often suppresses children’s natural curiosity, exemplified by a teacher who overlooks students’ interest in a thunderstorm to stick to a classroom lesson on weather. Research from the University of Michigan indicates that curiosity significantly correlates with better academic performance, especially among disadvantaged children, suggesting that fostering curiosity could help close the achievement gap. Despite children asking around 107 questions per hour before school, this number drops dramatically in the classroom, where focus on discipline and performance discourages inquiry. Innovative practices, such as those at Ilminster Avenue Nursery School in Bristol, show that allowing creative play with everyday objects instead of traditional toys can enhance curiosity and engagement. The article argues for a shift in educational approaches to prioritize nurturing curiosity as essential for deeper learning and cognitive development.
