This is a question I pose to various student groups each year.
I ask this, in part, because the answer is feedback for how effectively schools are working.
As I reflect on my years of attending school as a student, and being an educator, I’ve come to the realization that I sometimes struggle to answer the very question I ask our students.
I think about the work of Warren Berger and his book, A More Beautiful Question, and how challenged it left me feeling as a school leader and educator.
I think a great deal about convergent thinking and divergent thinking and the role schools play in drawing each out. And while I certainly see the value in each, it appears school systems through the years have favored convergent thinking.
I wonder, if we carve space for divergent thinking, how would it impact times that call for convergent thinking? (Again, another post for another time.)
There are days, years, and even longer periods of my life when I’ve been unsure of whether or not I am part of the problem or part of the solution. I’m sure everyone experiences this, and sometimes, we see people who are “going through the motions”, not only of school or work, but of life.
What I can say about “going through the motions”, that’s not for me. I refuse to live a superficial existence. But it’s not that easy to just say or write it. It requires intentional consistent action towards preventing stagnation from taking over. And if you don’t watch for it, it can creep in and take over.
As that started to happen, luckily, I was able to recognize it and do something. I refused to let the powerful force of complacency take hold, and suck me in.
What did I do? What am I doing to prevent stagnation?
I committed to being curious. I created spaces to practice curiosity every day.
(Disclaimer: I am no expert on this. In fact, that’s the point. I’m pursuing my curiosity on the road to my own personal excellence.)
Before we can take action on creating conditions for greater levels of curiosity in schools, don’t we need to focus on ourselves? If we’re not curious, after all, how can be a part of establishing a culture in which kids are as well?
The following are a few ideas that I have either habitually implemented, am experimenting with, or have on a list to explore further, deepening my understanding of the role curiosity plays in my own life. I figure, the better I get at these, the better I get for myself, and ultimately, for others. Many of these ideas involve other people, and all, can be modeled for students and staff alike.
5 Core Ideas for Getting More Curious
Find your flow.
What time of day is optimal for your curiosity? What are the surrounding circumstances that lead to optimizing this priority?
For me, early mornings (between pre-sunrise and 8 am seem to be best. I need to have had a typically good night’s sleep (which for me is seven hours), and I need to be hydrated and caffeinated.
Find your people.
I am fortunate to have family members, work friends and colleagues, and personal connections (friends and mentors) in several professional circles who “get me”. These are the people who I can pick up a conversation mid-thought or whom I can share a slice of my current reality, what I’m processing.
Create space.
I practice curiosity in what may appear to be the oddest of places. In the shower. During a workout or a mindful moment. On a drive or a walk. By creating this space in my day and my life, I remind myself that I value curiosity, it’s important to other aspects of my life, and I know what works for me.
Take a different approach.
I often explore outside my comfort zone and beyond my immediate area of expertise, where I usually spend my time. Doing this allows me to identify and experience a common theme, but through different lenses. Reading physical books, listening to podcasts, and jotting ideas as they pop into my head are all ways to “cross-pollinate” ideas, which ultimately yield original ideas of my own.
Ask questions.
This is my most significant challenge. However, I’m working on it, and making progress. One way I am making strides is reflecting on what I learn through podcasts. Questions is one of the themes I’m exploring, because, in my time I’ve come to appreciate how asking questions leads to better conversations, which yields trusting relationships and a sense of my place in the world.
The following is from Episode 520 of The Coaching for Leaders Podcast:
“Curiosity is a state, not a trait.”
— Shannon Minifie, CEO, Box of Crayons
In this episode, Dr. Minifie shares, among her four ideas that impede an organization’s progress, this one: the “Advice Monster”. In her words, there is entirely too much cultural reliance on advice giving.
The simplest strategy she offers?
When you want to give advice, ask a question instead. So if you are in a conversation with me, hold me accountable for this. Less advice. More questions.
Being able to develop and increase one’s curiosity is both a challenge and a gift.
And thanks for helping me grow.
PS…
What problem in the world are you going to be part of solving?