We have been trained not to Wonder.  

We have been taught not to ask questions!  

We have poor thinking skills and it’s not that we are incapable, just not trained well!  As young children we were curious and asked many questions. When we received answers that were true but didn’t mean anything we slowly stopped asking questions.  And by the time we are 18 our ability to wonder, ask questions, be curious is gone.  Our hunger for knowledge is practically nonexistent. When our leaders ask us questions we just sit and stare or satisfy them (and ourselves) with cliches, memorized definitions, cute statements or circular definitions. These answers do not prepare for growth, nor do they edify, require thinking or bring understanding.  What can we do to rectify this problem?  

Learn a new skill:   SYMBOLOGY!

Why Symbology?

• to bring understanding!  
• It is training on the horizontal (physical) plane that connects with the vertical (spiritual).
• to increase curiosity 
• to lead you to more questions

What is symbology?  

• the study of symbols 
• learning a true principle and finding it throughout all learning
• applying real principles to your personal life
• how to think, think and think again
• simple and deep, easy and hard reasoning
• an educational skills of communication and comprehension
• improving brain development and capacity

More Creativity, More Communication, More Understanding, More Deep Thinking, More Achievement.
 
What symbology is NOT:  

• a specific answer, you cannot completely define a symbol
• a “catch all” answer like “because it’s in the book.”  or “to pass the test.”

“Questions are like fish hooks that answers get hooked on. Questions are what connects us what we want, who we want to be and what we don’t know we want to know.”  Tresta Neil

On September 24, 2014 I spoke to an audience of mostly college students about increasing curiosity.  Here are my notes:

Imagine that you are the friend of Pythagorus ...Story of Pythagorus going to Atlantis, finding scalene people…

What does scalene mean?  What does it mean in this context? (answer at the end of presentation)
How is the shape for the number 2 important to you?  Think about this for the next hour.

Why is curiosity so important?  Why is it the buzz word in education right now?  (Ken Robinson)

Write down 10 questions you have about nature….

My professor, John Young, told us that it take him 6 - 8 weeks to get his new students  to start thinking on their own, to ask questions, basic questions.  :(

The question now is how do we get it back and how do we keep it in our children?

Why is being curious so important?  We need THINKERS, people who can find answers, solve problems, etc.  When a society is created without curiosity there is no more risks, no more questions, no more entrepreneurs, no more independence!

Teach the Bridge to Self Learning (below)

. . .

We want our children to be Great Leaders
"Average leaders raise the bar for themselves
Good leaders raise the bar for others
Great leaders help others raise the bar for themselves"

Share the 13 ways to Increase your Curiosity. (below)

. . . 

Teach the Vesica Pisces

What did you learn about the scalene triangle?  How does it apply in this context?

Encouraging curiosity and thinking, helping children to know that their questions are valid and worth exploring and that they are capable of finding the answers is what is needed in the world and in our homes?

1. Create a Wonder Board or list on your phone - all questions go on a piece of paper and up on the board.  write down your questions, questions others have, definitions, what you want to investigate later, Seek, Explore, Question
   
2. Inquiry Bag of tools - magnifying glass, paper and pencil, compass, straightedge, camera, colored pencils, measuring tape, binoculars, 
   
3. Label them, “nice question!  More evidence that you’re a curious person!”  Let  them know they are curious, thinkers, wonderers, etc.  Always tell them why you think that about them.  The more they hear it from those in authority the more they are going to believe it.
   
4. Play games, do your review around the room.  Make up memory games
   
5. Be secretive - tell some in the class the new formula or theme secretly and then out loud say, “Don’t tell anyone.”
   
6. Take the tangents - when a student asks a question that isn’t on topic take it and bring it back.  Show them that it is ok to be curious.
   
7. Have them choose their ideas - this teaches them to evaluate how interesting ideas are - the beginning of curiosity.
   
8. Have them write about an interesting idea in an interesting way so they become interested in the idea and find ways to study it - full-fledged curiosity. .
   
9. Increase their responsibility (Have them involved in their own assessments) will create more independence and curiosity.  Curiosity is confident independence.  :) 
   
10. Don’t answer their questions directly, answer with a question to get them thinking.  Let them know their questions are important and that searching for answers bring a lot of satisfaction.
    
11. Listen to them
    
12. If you don’t know the answer, tell them, ask how they could search for the answers together
    
13. Share your questions with them!  
    

When curiosity - that drive to know, is gone it is hard to get back!  But not impossible!!  Nurturing curiosity can be as easy as listening and talking to each other.

I struggled with teaching the numbers 1 through 5 without a live audience and I'm so pleased that I did!

Thank you to Dianne who did an amazing job putting together the Not Back to School Summit.  What a huge blessing to all our lives.  :)