Stay Curious

Here's a quote, resource, and affirmation to help power you through the week.

Quote

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day. —"Old Man's Advice to Youth: 'Never Lose a Holy Curiosity.'" LIFE Magazine (2 May 1955) p. 64” ― Albert Einstein

Most of us run on judgments. It's efficient. You've seen this kid, this behavior, this excuse a thousand times. (You have.) But judgments cost something. They make every hard moment a fight, and fights drain you in a way that questions don't.

Curiosity is the other option. It isn't softer. It's just more useful.

Resource

The research backs this up. In one study at UC Davis, people who were curious about a question remembered the answer better, and also remembered unrelated things they saw while waiting for it. Curiosity puts the brain in learning mode. It works the same way in a classroom. A curious teacher notices more, and noticing more is what gets you out of the loop of having the same conflict every day.

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It goes the other way, too. Curiosity about your own life outside school (a trail, a book, a skill you're bad at) is part of what keeps the job from swallowing you. That's the G in STRONG: growth that's yours, not just your students'.

"The important thing is not to stop questioning." — Albert Einstein

This week's practice: swap one judgment for one question

1. The next time a student gets under your skin, catch the judgment forming. Then swap it: Why won't he sit down? becomes What's going on for him today? You don't have to ask him out loud. Just ask yourself.
2. Ask one student one real question this week, one you don't already know the answer to. Two minutes, no agenda.
3. Get curious about one thing that has nothing to do with school. Look something up. Try something new. Be a beginner for fifteen minutes.

Now Repeat...

I will activate my curiosity daily. I embrace the mysteries of life and the world around me, knowing that each new discovery enriches my life.

Reflect

What's one judgment you've been carrying about a student, and what question could replace it?

Keep the practice going: Every Wednesday, the STRONG Teacher Newsletter brings one small practice like this one, built for teachers who are running on empty. Subscribe free →

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Stay STRONG.