Part 1: MLA Citation
Berliner, Wendy. “‘Schools Are Killing Curiosity’: Why We Need to Stop Telling Children to Shut up and Learn.” The Guardian, 28 Jan. 2020. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jan/28/schools-killing-curiosity-learn.
Part 2: Summary
In the article “Schools are killing curiosity”, Wendy Berliner clarifies how schools are suppressing children’s curiosity due to the education system. The writer gives an example how children shift their interest in the weather outside rather than the lesson that is talking about the same topic. According to Berliner, schools should focus on promoting curiosity due to it being a principle for early learning. The writer mentions young children asked between two and five questions in a two-hour period, showing how the younger children are the more curious. While as they grow up, they begin to ask less and less as they follow a more strict education. In Ilminster Avenue nursery school in Bristol experimented in September by removing most toys for two-year-olds and replacing them with creative objects like cardboard boxes, tin cans, and old phones. Children embraced those tools; the change convinced parents and teachers as a more creative and conversational among the children. The writer concludes that the ability for children to stay focused is less crucial for good school performance than curiosity. For example, questions about the storm, that helped them stay engaged, but it isn’t the teacher’s fault because they are just meeting school targets.
Part 3: Rhetorical Analysis
The genre of this article is a feature piece that includes brief research reports and images to help the audience visualize classrooms. The author’s writing tone is informative and uses logos to presents a friendly and engaging research insights on how schools are killing children’s curiosity. The targeted audience for this article is mostly parents to inform them about the importance of encouraging their children to ask question at a young age. Berliner uses pathos to emphasize the significance of fostering an open and curious environment for children’s learning and development. In the article Berliner mentions that she wrote a book called “How To Succeed At School”, ensuring the audience that she has valuable knowledge about kid’s education. Although the article was published 4 years ago, the education system hasn’t provided new ways to change this problem. Making this topic relevant to this day.
Part 4: Notable Quotes
“School kills curiosity. When do children get to ask questions about things that interest them? As soon as they are at primary school they have to shut up and learn. It’s not the fault of teachers. They have so many targets to meet.”
“Promoting curiosity in children, especially those from environments of economic disadvantage, may be an important, under-recognised way to address the achievement gap. Promoting curiosity is a foundation for early learning that we should be emphasising more when we look at academic achievement.”
“Children should be prompted and encouraged to ask questions even though that can be challenging for the teacher,” he says. “We do need to find some time for questions during the day. There is not enough time in schools for creativity and following up on curiosity.”
