Because It Will be on the Test

I recall sitting in many classes in the latter years of high school and through university. One common question from students was, “Is that going to be on the test?”

I know I groaned every time, but it is only now, looking back, that I understand why I groaned. It was because the question implied that there was no value in learning anything if it wasn’t going to be on the test.

The tagline under my signature block reads ‘For Those With A Curious Spirit.’

I’ve been curious about life around me for as long as I can remember, from the work ethic of the smallest ants to how tall buildings stay standing, all the way to ‘why are we here.’ I know my Blogs appeal most to those who are curious. I know the Blog’s regular readers look forward to the next one. I receive posted comments, a trickle of emails and in-person validation that folks simply enjoy the eclectic nature of this Blog. Not every Blog will thrill everyone, but I hope that the regular readers find joy in the weekly 5-minute read over time.

NASA did a study measuring creativity in small children. At age 5, 98% had genius-level imaginative abilities. By age 10, it fell to 30%. Amongst adults, after graduating from the educational system, it was just 2 percent.

I often heard from supervisors and co-workers that I was an out-of-the-box thinker. I didn’t quite understand what that meant because if I thought of something, how could it be out-of-the-box? I was just being me.

Let’s avoid the precision of these numbers and think about the more significant message –stay out of the weeds. Give a child an empty shoe box to play with to see how many different things they can pretend it is. Now give the same box to an adult. Often the child will help us see the world differently.

Here’s a tip to help nurture a youngster’s curiosity.

Let them be.

Here’s a tip to try for yourself. Pick something you do every day and journal about it. For those struggling with that deliberately vague idea, I’ll give an idea of how this could work.

If you do crossword puzzles, take the 4^th down clue and discover how that word came to be. If it was named after a person, place, or thing, feel free to branch out and learn more along that branch.

Please give this a bit of a think. Try doing this for the next 5 days then please share your experience. Remember to have fun and let your curiosity lead you down paths of adventure.

I’m curious about your thoughts. Please share your bit of a think in the comment section below. It will come to me for approval before posting.

Photo by MI PHAM on Unsplash

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TheBlog@stalbertseniors.ca