The Question is, “Why?”

Originally Published February 2015

Why? It’s a question that commonly comes from mouths of preschoolers.  Why?  If you are like most parents, it’s a question that can drive you crazy. 

Why do I need to learn this? 

This is a question that many students ask teachers daily. It’s a question that I asked. And as a veteran educator, I’d say it’s a question that should be asked. Why?  

A colleague  shared a very interesting video with me about the importance of the question, “Why?”  It’s the why that causes us to follow people who inspire us, to complete tasks, embark on quests, spend years studying a problem.  The why is essential to our motivation.

So why should students engage in learning that asks them to critically think, draw conclusions, create new knowledge, share, participate ethically in society, and pursue personal goals?  So they grow!  So they connect to their passions and those inner goals that excite them.

At this time when there is so much focus on putting the right answers on a test, it is important that we remember that real growth for our students, ourselves, and our world will take place when we focus more on the questions than the answers. That is why we want to encourage our teachers and students to be creative.  Yes, we will teach the standards, but standards don’t limit our creativity. They just give us a goal.  How we progress toward that goal can be very diverse.  And you know, it should be!

It reminds me of a  few lines from one of my favorite Robert Frost poems. 

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Let’s make a difference.  Let’s travel many paths and find our passions!

References:

Standards for 21st Century Learning

The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost

Simon Sinek TED Talk  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sioZd3AxmnE