Question, wonder are important elements to learning | Katelyn Ewing

I recently attended a conference offering sessions delving deep into the idea of learning. A simple word, but an incredibly complex concept when you really think about it.

Jenny Bennett, a teacher and presenter at the 2018 ISACS Conference defined seven qualities that make a learner great. Learners think, reflect, are determined, connect, question, wonder, and are self-aware. For the sake of brevity and keeping this a blog post and not a dissertation, I would like to focus on the ideas of question and wonder.

If your children are anything like mine, you have been asked an extraordinary number of questions. Questions that are easy to answer like, “When are we leaving?” (probably more times than you would like) and questions that leave you at a loss for words and confused, like, “What happens when we die?”

And then there is the insatiable “What if” questions that seem never-ending. With wonder comes questions and with questions come wonder. Signs that a child is thinking and is eager to learn. As an adult with limited time and knowledge, what is the best way to nurture the curiosities of our children?

Encourage your child’s sense of wonder

Children have a natural sense of wonder and nurturing this wonder early encourages a lifetime of learning. This takes time. The most valuable resource you have and what your child desires most from you. Playfullearning.net has superb free resources for finding ways to promote this curiosity. Learning with your child is a great way to satiate this need. Reading books, watching informational videos and taking “field trips” together are great ways for you to learn with your child. Investing this time with your child is beneficial in short and long term.

Learner qualities need to be nurtured in order for them to grow. Spending quality time with your child is the best way to cultivate this growth.