Day 10 - What If the Key to Learning Is Not Knowing?

“What if” we lived in a world where saying "I don't know" was seen as the beginning of a journey, not a sign of weakness?

Hey Fam,

Thanks for stopping by.

In a world obsessed with the right answers, the essence of learning truly unfolds when we ask the right questions, leading us to explore and discover new things.

The magic of education is realized not when we memorize facts but when we dare to be different and walk into the unknown, driven by our childlike curiosity. It's the journey, not the destination, that transforms us. Imagine a classroom where every 'why' leads to a deeper understanding, and every 'what if' opens a new world of possibilities.?

"What if" we lived in a world where saying "I don't know" was seen as the beginning of a journey, not a sign of weakness??

Imagine if our culture celebrated those three words as the first step toward discovery. Instead of feeling embarrassed, we would be inspired to embrace the unknown with enthusiasm, recognizing that every admission of uncertainty is an opportunity to learn and grow. This shift could transform how we approach education and every aspect of our lives, turning every "I don't know" into a challenge to expand our worldview.

In my classroom, I learned that asking questions can be more powerful than knowing answers.?

In one of my classes, I presented my students with a problem from a case study, but this time, I didn't ask them for the solutions. Instead, I asked them to get into small groups and come up with as many questions as possible about the problem. Each question had to be completely different from those of their group members and their classmates from other groups. I placed them all on the board and eliminated any repeated questions.?

The shift in their mindset was visible – they were no longer constrained by the fear of having the wrong answer.?

They were free to wonder, doubt, and explore to find better questions. They dove into the problem with an openness I hadn't seen before. By the end of the class, they realized that every question they asked shed a little more light on the path to understanding the bigger picture. We never got to decide what the "right answer" was because that wasn't the point of the exercise. The point of the exercise was, can we ask better questions?

In the end, my students realized that curiosity is truly their superpower.

This exercise taught me some valuable lessons:

1- Embrace uncertainty.

Students who aren't stressed about finding the immediate right answer engage more deeply with the material.?

They take the time to connect the dots and see the bigger picture.

2- Curiosity is a superpower.

I saw that curiosity led to critical thinking.?

My students weren't just learning; they were learning how to learn.?

They began to understand the subject at a foundational level, which allowed them to apply the concepts to new problems.

3- The right questions are more important than the right answers.

It became clear that the process of asking questions is educational.?

Pushing themselves to ask better questions opened up engaging discussions full of new understandings, deepening their grasp of the case study and challenging their knowledge of the world beyond the classroom.

Instead of leading my students to the water, I should teach them how to find the river themselves.?

As educators, our goal is to light a fire in our students and to inspire them to see learning as a journey without end. Our deepest understanding comes from exploring the unknown, embracing uncertainty, and appreciating the journey of discovering something new.

Answers are important. Very important.

However, we can't lose sight of the beauty of a great question. Empower your students to step into the unknown with the confidence and courage to ask, "What if?" It's time to celebrate "I don't know" as the start of something special.?

Be the guide that turns their curiosity into the superpower they carry into tomorrow.

Thanks for your time today. I appreciate you.?

Much Love,

Dr. Jae

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