By Krestin Bahr America is home to a long line of risk takers, innovators and families who have transformed forests and land into a nation that leads the world. Through the generations, inventors have lit our homes across the land, propelled humanity into the skies, and helped people across the planet connect through the web (which was not from an arachnid). Inventors have never stopped charging toward the next big discovery or breakthrough. We respond to challenges with discovering solutions, determined to meet our new frontiers with success. Our students will need to survive and thrive in the 21st century world relying on their knowledge of tools from 3D printers and scanners to design software and robotics. This fall, the Eatonville School Board completed their new strategic plan for 2014-17. Eatonville School District is committed to empower students to develop their natural inclinations to wonder, engage and create in schools. The plan shares our new mission: "Together we commit to inspiring lifelong learners to create a better future and the new vision; Our vision is for all students to graduate with the knowledge and skills to succeed in our community and the global society. We must inspire, allow innovation, create safe and strong academic opportunities to allow all students to realize success and thrive in the 21st century workplace.GÇ¥ With this plan come values. The first value being curiosity. The sense of wonder, central at the heart of curiosity is optimal for a child's success. Children can gain great satisfaction simply from being able to do a particular thing very well or better than someone else. Skills such as whistling, jumping jacks, and crossing your eyes are not necessarily skills we need to survive, yet most of us learned this because it interested us. The research about curiosity indicates that the most curious people have two traits that appear to be misaligned. Openness to novel and new ideas and a concern for having everything in its place. It turns out that highly curious people tend to have both of these contrasting characteristics; they both seek novelty and value orderliness. Highly curious people will remain longer than others in situations of uncertainty and be able to create, maintain and resolve conceptual conflicts. Many of us have memories of laying under the skies on our back watching clouds going by and trying to describe what we saw. Or when we first saw a magic act and wondering where or why the "magicGÇ¥ happened. Making sense of the world is what children do and what curious people continue to have a passion to do for their entire lives.
Wonder and question
I spent an afternoon with some elementary students and asked them what they wonder about when they are just thinking. In fourth grade, we discussed things such as how does water change? Why are things called "things?GÇ¥ How did people think to invent such things as cars? Rockets? How does food rot? Why, when books get wet, do they mold? At kindergarten lunch, we wondered about how the blood squeezes in the heart? How are wishes made when you wish upon a star? I wonder if there are bears in the forest? How does the Earth spin around? My thinking after this energetic session concluded with thoughts of the importance of adults to ensure that children continue to wonder and question. Rachel Carson, biologist, states, "If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.GÇ¥ To shine a light on our commitment to the value of curiosity, Eatonville School District will be having our first Invention Convention on March 19, 2015 for our community. This districtwide event will support the President of the United States Proclamation from June 2014 that stated, "Today, let us continue on the path of discovery, experimentation, and innovation that has been the hallmark of not only human progress, but of the Nation's progress. Together, let us unleash the imagination of our people to affirm that we are a Nation of makers, and to ensure that the next great technological revolution happens right here in AmericaGÇ¥. As part of our commitment To The Top (T3), we will host the Invention Convention, where all students will be able to invent, concoct, design and discover new ways of solving problems, inventing new ways or devices, and share their learnings. Because STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) are essential to invention, we will be so excited to see what they may discover. This event celebrates every curious student's sparking creativity and encourages inventions using those avenues. Support us as we embark on the path of discovery, experimentation and innovation that has been America's hallmark as we unleash their curiosity and use their imagination to make the world a better place.
Krestin Bahr is superintendent of the Eatonville School District.
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