Our College Theme for 2024 is ‘GET CURIOUS’
As one of our Lakes Learner capabilities, Curiosity is a key attribute required by learners to take their learning beyond understanding to deep knowing. This year at The Lakes College we are keen to understand what curiosity is, how we seek it and how we can ensure we embody it as learners every day.
“Curiosity, especially intellectual inquisitiveness, is what separates the truly alive from those who are merely going through the motions.”
Our Year 6 students reflected that curiosity is an urge to discover more about something of interest. It is this deep desire to discover more that is harnessed by the great problem solvers, inventors and adventurers of our world. Human inquisitiveness becoming a stepping stone to curiosity.
You may have heard of the phrase ‘wicked’ problems. These are challenging and complex world problems that if solved may cause further problems or if left unsolved have deep and ongoing implications for society into the future. Problems like homelessness, health care and climate change are good examples.
Growing curious young people of character, able to collaborate and ask questions that go wide and deep, offer a bright future for a complex world.
Several years ago, I went on a learning tour of several schools who had embraced the concept of growing learners who were capable of deep inquiry. This led us to schools like Hi-Tech High where I had the privilege of meeting and spending time with the founder Larry Rosenstock.
With 16 High-Tech Charter Schools across California, Larry created a movement in education that listened to the needs of employers like the High-Tech companies in Silicon Valley and found they weren’t essentially after university graduates but young people who were curious, had high emotional intelligence and capable of working in teams to problem solve issues and create new pathways and opportunities for the future of the USA.
I also visited Stanford University’s Design School, a place of curiosity that allows for inquiry, creativity, innovation and iteration. Interestingly Stanford D-Schools workshops were like the High-Tech High Classrooms, they were not filled with the latest technologies but were spaces resourced with stationery and hardware, and tools enabling design, prototyping, testing and re-designing. I would describe them as ‘We Work’ meets ‘Office Works’ and ‘Bunnings’ in a ‘Maker Space’!
Whilst in Australia we have a curriculum we are required to follow; we have flexibility from Prep to Year 10 to discern how we educate our young people. Our Lakes Learner priorities are Faith, Knowledge, Curiosity, Character and Connection. Character and Connection have always been part of the Lakes way, now it is time to deepen Curiosity to make it simply a part of what we do around here every day.
How can you help? Encourage your young people to question. Then before you give them the answer, encourage them to find it themselves or work in it together, in the kitchen, yard, garage, study, beach, creek….
Curiosity starts with a simple question: I Wonder……
Get Curious.
Nicole Gregory | Principal
