5-4-3-2-1

Curiosity is about more than just asking a lot of questions; it's about asking the questions and then following them up with creative and critical thinking that goes beyond simply Googling the answer.

5 People to Follow

1. Trevor Mackenzie - Trevor is a (Canadian!) high school teacher, author and speaker with a penchant for inquiry. The cool sketchnotes that accompany his work really help to bring the inquiry process to life - be sure to check them out on his website. While you're at it, follow him on Instagram, as you'll want to have access to his collection of provocations that he shares as he finds them.
2. John Spencer - John focuses on all things voice and choice, whether that's inquiry, PBL or creative thinking. His videos, all of which can be found on his YouTube channel, are phenomenal - short, engaging and jam-packed with information that you can use right away or share easily with colleagues.
3. Tony Ryan - A self-described futurist, Tony is the creator of the Thinker's Keys - critical and creative thinking strategies good for all ages. They are an excellent companion for inquiry and PBL but if you follow #thinkerskeys on Instagram you will see many more uses for them. Find Tony on Facebook and Twitter.
4. Rebecca Bushby  - Known on Instagram as @inquiryteacher, Rebecca co-wrote Inquiry Mindset with Trevor Mackenzie. She is also a French Immersion kindergarten teacher who posts regularly about her journey bringing the principles of Reggio Emilia and inquiry to her classroom. Even if you don't teach kindy, you will learn a lot from her!
5. A.J. Juliani - Another author and speaker, A.J. is all about innovative teaching and learning. He shares great ideas about how to empower kids to lead their own learning, use design thinking and just generally become all around great learners. Check him out through his books or on Facebook and Twitter.
6. BONUS - George Couros - Why is George a bonus and not in the Top 5? After all, he is the author of Innovator's Mindset and Innovate Inside the Box. Recently though, his work has shifted towards empathy and relationships, so while he is featured here, you will also find him under Kind.

4 Apps & Websites to check out

• Wonderopolis - Easily one of my favourite websites to inspire kids to wonder about the world around us. Be sure to check out Wonders With Charlie to learn and get a good laugh!
• Google Arts & Culture - This fascinating Google offering allows you to dive into the world of museums, archeological digs, theaters and more - virtually. From 360 tours to games to interactive exhibits, this website has it all.
• Mark Rober's YouTube channel - Remember the squirrel obstacle course that was all over the internet awhile back? That was Mark Rober - NASA engineer turned YouTuber. Guaranteed to make anyone think science and engineering are cool.
• Scratch & Scratch Jr. - Scratch has become the most popular coding app for kids and for good reason - it's low floor, high ceiling at it's best. Easy to use, with plenty of tutorials, kids (and adults) can go from creating simple games to creating complex worlds in no time.

3 things to try

1. Shift your language. Instead of asking "Are there any questions?" try "What questions do you have?". When a student offers up an erroneous answer, respond with "I love your thinking! Tell me how you got there." or "Oh wow! Great mistake." then get really excited about the mistake and what can be learned from it. For more on shifting your language, see my blog post here. 
2. Start small. Not quite sure how to get started with introducing more curiosity into your classroom? Try having your students keep a wonder journal. Or, introduce visible thinking routines and watch their critical and creative thinking take off. 
3. Genius Hour/20% Time - whatever you choose to call it, introducing a block of time where kids are free to learn about what they want to learn about can be incredibly powerful. Not sure where to start? Check out the Genius Hour website for tips and tricks on how to get started.

2 quotes to consider

• When students explore topics that are genuinely meaningful to them, inevitably amazing things happen. - Trevor Mackenzie
• Be curious. Read widely. Try new things. What people call intelligence just boils down to curiosity.  - Aaron Swartz

1 Question to ponder

How can you inspire wonder and curiosity in your classroom this year? In what ways are you getting in the way of true curiosity?