Make Learning a Life Time Enjoyment

Albert Einstein said, “Never forget that science is exploring and exploring is fun”. Going by the spirit of what the great scientist has said, adults, be it parents or teachers must realize how important it is to inculcate scientific bent of mind at a young age in children.

Kids are nature scientists. We must teach the children to wonder and simulate their interest by just sharing curiosity. Instinctively children are eager to investigate the world around. We can do so by listening to their questions rather than ignoring them.

Children always wonder at something natural. I had a situation in one of my classes. At the middle school level a child stood up and asked whether I had seen a grasshopper eating leaves. I hesitated to answer. Nonetheless, he did not wait for an answer and said he ate leaves like that and had a stomach ache.  It was my turn to learn valuable lesson from a child. I learnt about the overwhelming curiosity to experiment what they are taught theoretically and relearn it by themselves –A wonderful lesson a teacher learnt from a student. Sometimes we may not know the answers. We can as well say” I don’t know, but maybe we can find out”.

Then we can explore the questions together.

Sometimes we know the answer, but we must resist the impulse to respond quickly. The child may think for every 7question there is a ready-made answer from teacher or an adult. Once this mindset sets in, they stops thinking. Instead, we may resort to story- making around the subjects the few reinforcing questions that serve as leads to the questions. Always be ready to answer, “Let us find out’” and work with the child.

 The next important thing is the child must be given time to think for himself. Normally adults wait only a few seconds after asking a questions expecting answer immediately. We must realize the child needs time to gather points for answer. If he answers and then it is wrong, we must have patience to ask a few more related questions to help him find the answer.

Another aspect of arousing a child’s curiosity is ‘cresting real- life impressions of nature. For instance we teach them to wash hands before a meal. It is a simple rule that many ignore. But a magnifying glass put on the hand of a child is enough to show the microbes on hand and Children run to wash their hands. Such simple practical lessons go a long way. They can even be taken to science museums that offer abundant opportunities for hands – on learning.

Even everyday activities provide fascinating lesson in science. For instance kite-flying. With the help of this fun-filled experiment-cum-pastime, you are teaching and they are learning basic lesson in wind directions altitudes. Even toys play a major role in simulating a child’s curiosity.

Thus by sharing your children’ curiosity, you can give them valuable lessons. They will learn that it pays to persist, to experiment, in the face of difficulties. They will also clearly see that learning is not drudgery or something that happens only at school. Learning is something to be enjoyed every day- for a lifetime.