Book Review: The Curiosity Cycle


Yes, finally a novel post! Our household unit of measurement moved from Texas to Colorado inward Nov hence blogging had to receive got a backseat to life for awhile, precisely I'm back. I'm planning to showtime posting at to the lowest degree in i lawsuit a calendar week now, hence delight buy the farm along reading.

Now, on to the top dog event. I of late had the jeopardy to review a novel majority entitled The Curiosity Cycle: Preparing Your Child for the Ongoing Technological Explosion. The title intrigued me because, although I read quite a few parenting/child evolution books, the topic of engineering scientific discipline is non i I receive got focused on yet. The author, Jonathan Mugan, has a background inward psychology in addition to calculator science. Interesting combination, right? I wouldn't receive got necessarily thought nearly a calculator scientist writing a majority oriented towards parents precisely equally it turns out, he offers an insightful approach to the topic.    

The majority opens amongst a thorough description of the curiosity bicycle in addition to how children usage this to brand feel of the the world some them. For those of you lot similar me amongst some background inward psychology, the curiosity bicycle sounded a lot similar the evolution of a schema. Children usage their innate curiosity nearly the the world to get together data to shape a model for empathise an thought or concept (e.g., dog). As they run across to a greater extent than experience inward the the world their model of what a "dog" is may receive got to live modified based on novel information. Although many of us may non receive got thought nearly this procedure inward such analytical price before, I intend nosotros receive got all seen this occur amongst our children. 

Mugan in addition to hence address dissimilar areas of life inward which the curiosity bicycle is useful in addition to how parents tin encourage in addition to maximize their children's curiosity. Fortunately, the curiosity bicycle tends to feed on itself hence that the to a greater extent than curious kids are, the to a greater extent than they acquire in addition to and hence buy the farm curious nearly to a greater extent than things inward their world. The minute component subdivision of the majority addresses how the curiosity bicycle has applications inward the social, physical, emotional, in addition to mental aspects of life. Throughout this section, Mugan offers really helpful "games" or strategies that parents tin usage to encourage non exclusively curiosity, precisely critical thinking inward their children. This was in all probability my favorite appear of the book. The examples Mugan provides are non flashcards or formal exercises precisely everyday activities in addition to conversations amongst children that parents could easily contain into their day. For example, i proposition Mugan describes is pointing out to children the amazing aspects of everyday life. He says,
"Consider the marvel of McDonald's. Imagine that you lot were talking to a caveman who had spent all 24-hour interval hunting a woolly mammoth amongst naught to exhibit for it precisely a broken arm in addition to some bruised ribs. You tin tell him that at that topographic point is this house where you lot walk inward in addition to enterprise whatever nutrient you lot want, equally much equally you lot want, in addition to they plough over you lot the hot nutrient you lot ordered in addition to and hence they give cheers you."
I intend these kinds of strategies are great. Helping kids empathise the amazing aspects of everyday life non exclusively fosters an mental attitude of gratefulness, precisely too prompts their involvement inward how these things came into existence. Through examples similar these in addition to other types, Mugan is able offering parents ideas on how to encourage skills such equally goal-setting, self-efficacy, creativity, in addition to self-control. 

At this point, you lot may live wondering what all this has to do amongst technology. In the lastly chapter, Mugan makes the connect betwixt the curiosity bicycle in addition to the ever-changing technological landscape that our children volition face. To me, it comes downwards to this: unless a kid (or adult) is curious in addition to thinks critically, at that topographic point is a expert jeopardy inward the futurity that their role/job could live replaced past times a computer. Mugan puts it this way, "Increasingly, your kid volition live evaluated less on the mightiness to regurgitate information, because computers tin do that now, in addition to to a greater extent than on the mightiness to create novel things." The usage of the curiosity cycle, then, is to assist children acquire the critical thinking skills necessary to effectively get together in addition to usage the data in addition to engineering scientific discipline that is available to them. I experience this is the fundamental signal of the book. An authentic, in-depth curiosity of the the world is what our children volition ask to business office good inward the future. I uncovering this signal particularly of import inward the atmosphere of standardized testing that seems to dominate our teaching organisation at this time. Although I intend strides are beingness taken to contain to a greater extent than critical thinking skills into the educational process, inward many places the force towards standardized testing has served to undermine the curiosity cycle. But that's some other topic for some other post.

Needless to say, I enjoyed this majority in addition to felt it was a unique approach to the topic. If you lot receive got an involvement inward fostering your child's curiosity (and what raise doesn't), in addition to hence receive got a await at this book.

By the way, did you lot grab my invitee post service on Imagination Soup? I've written quite a flake lately nearly the distinction betwixt academic in addition to play-based preschool. This slice addresses the number in i lawsuit again in addition to reviews some of the latest query on the topic. Take a await at all the wonderful resources at Imagination Soup piece you're there.  

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