Curiosity

What is it that drives humans to learn? Why are we curious? What causes some people to continue to question and drive themselves further and further along the path of knowledge, while others are content to receive an explanation from a figure of authority, and hold that explanation as the final truth, never to be questioned.

Learning theories have been front and center in my mind, as I cram several decades of book learning back into my brain, at least temporarily, so that I can spew it out on a standardized test that I must pass in order to change careers and become a teacher. I wonder, will I be doomed to force my students into the same path, or will I be able to find another way to encourage joy in learning, so that they willingly embrace questions, actively and continuously seek answers, and thirst for new knowledge?

I’m pleased to admit that I remember more than I have forgotten. And sad to admit that very little of that came from school learning, and much more came from the relearning that I accomplished with my children during the years we homeschooled together. It was those years of homeschooling that returned my joy in learning to me. I don’t think it went away altogether; I still continued to take classes, either for professional development or for enrichment and my own enjoyment, before I had children. But it wasn’t until I threw myself into Ancient Egyptian history for several years, delving ever deeper into the mysteries of hieroglyphics and how mummies are created (complete with a model using an orange) and how those pyramids really were built, that I understood how learning can be sheer joy.

As I continue to cram into my poor tired old brain unrelated facts and theories like “What is onomatopoeia again?” and “How do I use the Pythagorean formula?” and “Why is the Monroe Doctrine important to our country?”, I ponder how I will be able to relay these ideas to children, in a way that becomes meaningful and fun.