A Curious Life

Today on the radio, Bill T. Jones, renowned modern dance choreographer, was asked about what it was like to create dance for a Broadway show, instead of his usual venue for his dance company.  He replied that the difference for him was creating something for people who tended to look to popular entertainment for their cultural input, rather than a smaller group of people who would regularly attend a performance by his dance company.  He mentioned that there is a portion of the theatergoing public who only want to see what they know, as in a revival of an older show, or even a recreation of a movie.

Curiosity.  This is part of what Mr. Jones is talking about.  I believe it is our job to impart and encourage curiosity, and make students aware of the wonder of discovering something they didn't already know about.  This instinctive curiosity is rampant in the younger grades, but fades as students get older, have more opportunities for self-distraction, and stare the stress monster of college applications in the face.  If curiosity survives college, how long does it last after someone has entered the workforce full time?  Have a family?  Many things take a back seat or go on hiatus when someone's life requirements exceed the energy and time that someone has to give to them.  What I hope for my students is that their curiosity doesn't completely disappear as they get older (and, often, it seems, more cynical).  Rather, helping to instill a lifelong curiosity in my students is what I see as a key part of my teaching goals, and one that will help them on the road to lifelong learning and optimism.

The Importance of Quality Teachers

In a recent NYT article on character development in education ("What If The Secret To Success Is Failure?"), the recent work of Angela Duckworth, a psychology professor, figured prominently.  Duckworth has identified seven character traits that are remarkably predictive of high life satisfaction and outstanding achievement.  These traits are zest, grit, self-control, social intelligence, gratitude, optimism, and curiosity.  Even though the US Military Academy at West Point developed its own evaluation to judge incoming candidates, Duckworth’s 12-item questionnaire turned out to be a more accurate predictor of success at West Point.

            While new and valuable research on improving student learning and lifelong success is always of interest to me, after a few days of thinking about this I realized that these teachable and cultivatable traits indicate more than a fresh way of thinking about education.  They also point out the importance of quality teachers.  While everyone is born with varying degrees of these skills, thoughtful and sensitive adults can help develop grit, self-control, social intelligence, gratitude, and optimism (especially at younger ages).  The remaining two, zest and curiosity, can be encouraged or piqued by caring adults who get to know children well and help them bridge the gap that can exist between their ability or potential and possible venues where they can achieve success.

            While we all know students or people who would be just fine if they were left to their own devices in a room full of books and an internet connection, most of us need some guidance at some point in our early lives in order to help us realize that we have greater potential than we originally thought.  This is something that can’t come from books…every child needs and deserves caring and insightful teachers!

The Optimistic Child

I recently started reading "The Optimistic Child" by Martin Seligman after hearing a recommendation at an institute I attended last summer.  I was interested for a few reasons.  One, I am definitely an optimist.  Two, not every single one of the people I have worked with were all optimists (shocking!).  Three, as a parent, I want to help my child develop a positive view of the world and the opportunities available to everyone in good times and bad.  Here's what I didn't expect:

How closely related the ideas in this book were to working successfully with students.  For example, focusing on the behavior, not the person.  I.e., instead of saying (and thinking!) "You are selfish," saying "You need to share more."  Instead of "This is a mess!  You are a total slob!", focusing on "This room is a mess!" BUT "You need to start picking up after yourself."  In the classroom this is present in not encouraging the idea of "I got a C in Math, I'm just not a Math person," but "I didn't do as well on that test, maybe I need to ask for more help/I need to identify what it is that I need to focus on in order to do better next time."

It is important to note that the author is not saying that being optimistic is a cure for depression, which can be related to body chemistry, debilitating, and part of a lifelong struggle to live a healthy, rewarding life.  What the author seeks to clarify is that we can give our children experiences that help them face difficulty, persevere, and solve problems.  We can give them skills that can help a person avoid triggers and spirals that can lead to depression.

The author suggest that instead of denying reality (what you are experiencing isn't real, it doesn't hurt your feelings, it isn't difficult), validate the child's disappointment and allow them to have those feelings - as much as you might want to simply make them vanish!  Help a child understand that effort and practice often compensate for a lack of natural ability or physicality.  Don't simply do something for a child without giving them a chance to try it again and let them achieve success, even if it's a small one.

And this is just the first chapter...I am looking forward to delving deeper into this book!