Our future curiosity

There’s a book by Dag Heward-Mills called He That Hath - the title’s based on a verse from the Bible - and in it he says…Human beings who do not ask questions, make comments or seek clarification on issues grow up to become completely different from those who do (Page 150).

Curiosity is a gift. The ability to be curious and intrigued about something is a gift that we are all born with and one that should be nurtured. And I believe this gift is most evident in children. Think about it...

One stage of a child's development, which I have heard that a lot of parents aren't looking forward to, is the inquisitive stage. You know, the stage where a child always asks 'why?'. You tell them to eat their vegetables, they ask 'why?'. You tell them to wear their jacket, scarfs and gloves in the cold, they ask 'why?'. You tell them they can't eat that piece of candy off the ground, they ask 'why?'.

But this is such an important stage. It is this curiosity that promotes learning in children. This is the foundation of a child's formative years and ideally, should continue even into their adulthood. It's almost sad that as adults, we don't ask as many questions anymore. Possibly out of the unspoken rule that as an adult, you should know everything. But children don't have that mindset at all...that's why they have the freedom to ask and enquire so much. That's why they are able to go to school for several hours a day and learn for many years.

Curiosity is the first step to learning and developing. I believe every child should have the freedom to be curious, to ask questions and to seek clarification. For a child, asking a question is not a sign of weakness as it might seem for an adult. It's a sign of a willingness to grow and develop. This is a longing that is rooted deep inside every child - the desire to learn more about themselves and the world around them. We also have that desire as adults but one way or another, I believe that can be stifled by the pressure and expectations around us. Children don't have this sense of pressure or any expectation whatsoever and that should never be put on them.

I've thought about ways to nurture this curiosity in a child so that it can last as long as possible. The longer a child remains curious, the more opportunities they have for growth. This applies emotionally, mentally, academically and spiritually. Ideally, a healthy home should be the first and most important catalyst for this inquisitiveness. A safe space where a child can ask questions, make mistakes and seek to understand. After the home, I believe that school plays a paramount role in this nurturing process. After all, a huge portion of a child's life is spent in an educational institution. Schools should be a safe space for a child to further their interests and receive answers to their many queries. It should be a safe space for a child to make mistakes and learn from them.

In the book I mentioned earlier, Dag Heward Mills writes 'God made us all the same and equally capable. It is little differences that make the big difference. Today, some people want to know whether there is water and life on Mars whilst others cannot find water on earth to flush their toilets'. The little difference of just being a bit curious can lead to a substantial difference later on in life. The difference in one child being encouraged to be curious about their talents, passions and dreams and another child's inquisitiveness being discouraged, can make the disparity between someone who is happy and aligned with their purpose verses someone else who is miserable and just working to make ends meet.

I believe nurturing a child's curiosity should be at the forefront of a school's mission. Nurturing this curiosity for as long as possible for every child is of great importance. How can this be done? By allowing a child to be free. By encouraging a child when they ask questions, no matter how 'daft' they may sound. By being knowledgeable so that when we as adults are asked questions, we are not intimidated by our lack of expertise. In a Christian-centred school, the freedom to also ask questions about faith is vital to allow that personal development of a child's belief. Asking is the first step to knowing. Even God prompts us to ask, so why shouldn't we also encourage our children and even ourselves to ask questions and be just a little bit more curious?