Sowing the seed of Inquisitiveness

Introduction

In October, 2007, I explored “speed” with 9 and 10 year old students in my daughter’s class. My intention was to make the students open their inherent “wisdom” box to explore the world around them. Even though it was the first such lesson, I felt that similar exposures have the potential to sow the "seed of inquisitiveness” in these students, just the way it was sown in my mind, when I was 9 years old.

My first science fair

When I was 9 years old, I saw "something so interesting" in my first science fair, that it left a lifelong impact on my mind.

That science fair had been put up by middle school students in the largest room of my small school. The students who had set up “that interesting” project were 2 girls. I knew one of those girls very well as she was my friend’s elder sister.

On that fateful day, I was drifting along with all the other students of my class slowly along a long line. The middle school students were explaining what they were exhibiting in their projects.

Since I was very comfortable with my friend’s sister, while continuing to look at the 3-D display I kept on asking her questions, one after another.

On one side, that display showed how people can irrigate their fields by using water from the well. On the other side it displayed how, when the same water was made to fall on a turbine, it rotated and generated electricity. That simple layout of plastic 2 inches tall “toy-farmer”, hand colored “brown brick well”, “blue colored water” on the base is still fresh in my memory. I clearly remember that it depicted an example of consuming electricity by showing 4 inches tall “street lights” standing on either side of the gray colored “streets” (marked on the base of the display). That complete display which was contained on a 12” x 24” cardboard base spoke volumes to me that day.

While I was bombarding questions, I noticed that all the students behind me had walked way ahead, admiring the colors, working demonstrations and the projects of other exhibitors. I knew I was getting late to catch up with them, but I could not stop myself from asking more and more questions (with my eyes continuously glued on that display). I think those two girls from middle school got tired of answering my endless questions and reminded me that I better catch up with my classmates. I saw my friend’s sister plucking a little toy from her display and offering it to me (as a little gift) just before I ran to catch up with my classmates.

That day I did not get to see any of the other projects, but I felt I did not really miss anything. That simple project (about generation of electricity from water) had sown the seed of inquiry within me.

Pursuing Physics

In the next few years, I realized that I really enjoyed studying Math, Physics and some parts of Chemistry. Whether, the teacher who taught Physics was good, OK, or very bad, it did not matter to me.

On the other hand, I used to feel sorry for some of my friends who were not comfortable with Physics. Finding them at unease, I would try to explain them that Physics is one of the simplest and most fascinating subjects and is not at all scary and complex. But at that stage my words did not help them, and I helplessly watched them losing interest in Physics at the middle school.

Back then, I knew it for sure that the science fairs, the 3-D displays, the demonstrations and the textbook are not sufficient to draw all the students towards Physics, especially the average and the below average students. But back then, I did not know what could draw them to Physics.

I continued to pursue Physics, without any breaks, for almost next two decades; till I completed my Ph. D. from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Teaching Physics

After that I came to US and soon after started teaching Physics at the local university.

While teaching, I realized that most of my adult students had developed “fear” and a “closed mind” towards learning familiar-yet-semi-understood Laws of Physics in a new way. Most of them also lacked strong fundamentals and interest in the subject. Due to the curriculum constraints; I found myself teaching them how to solve complicated equations (following a textbook) and giving tests. I realized I was doing everything other than sharing my joy of learning Physics. I felt as if I were watering the leaves instead of roots.

I remembered my friends at school who had quit Physics after struggling with it in middle school and my helplessness.

It was around the same time that, I took some time “off paid work” to raise my new born son. During that period, I tried doing Physics activities, as a volunteering parent at my daughter’s private school(s) for grades K-8. My intention was that the students start exploring the laws of Physics while playing, that they using their inherent “wisdom” boxes to probe their surroundings.

It was during this period that I observed something astonishing. The simpler I made the topic and the lesser the number of gadgets I used, the more the students opened-up-their-own-selves to explore. Further, the students who were most active and probing were the youngest ones in elementary school rather than the ones in the middle school. I observed that the younger the kids the better they were as explorers.

The middle school students were visibly conscious and constrained in exploring magnets. They were started searching for the north and the south of the magnet (which, I had hidden with a tape). They wasted their time and energy in recalling their textbook knowledge.

On the other hand the younger kids simply had fun exploring a fountain erupting out of a test tube full of iron filings when a magnet was brought on its top. They were free of any pre-existing knowledge.

Even amongst all elementary school students, I noticed that age 9/10 is the “perfect” age when an average student has developed the “right combination of” of communication skills, self discipline and an open-ripe exploring mind to explore omnipresent laws of Physics.

Looking back it was co-incidentally the same age when I got hooked into Physics. So, I realized that “somehow” there is a big potential at this age. I felt that age 9/10 is a critical age when a student can either get into a subject or off a subject, depending on the teacher, parents, curriculum and his own inclination. Further, the inclination can be tailored; even if it is not there naturally. I had realized this purely by observing without reading any child psychology books or talking to the teachers at that grade level.

Watering the roots

Taking the next step in this direction (in October, 2007); I explored concept speed with 4th/5th graders; simply using bathroom rolls and chalk pieces. The bathroom rolls were used because they roll better on the carpet and are less distracting to the students. A detailed story about activity is at http://surrenderlistenandgive.blogspot.com/2007/10/exploring-speed-with-9-year-olds.html

Using bathroom rolls, the claps (for measuring time) and footsteps (for measuring distance) the students concluded that the faster speed implied
(a) less time was needed to cover a given distance and
(b) more distance was covered in a given time.

Without using any textbooks or equations had concluded the same inferences as are implied by the standard equation “speed = distance / time”.

It was a wonderful experience that day for me to able to make those 9 year old students grasp the concept of “speed” without using any equations, theory, demonstrations, gadgets or magic tricks. All they used, was their inherent “wisdom boxes”, things available and a little guidance.
When I saw the “new” twinkle in the student’s eyes while smiling, I felt that the “roots” had been watered.

Sowing the seed

By pursuing this teaching via exploration, I am hoping that a lot of students (like my friends at school) who hated Physics would start enjoying it. I am wishing that one day, all students (including the average and below average students) will start feeling comfortable with Physics and overcome fear of encountering “complicated equations” in middle and high schools.

Since I could clearly see a small preview of successful “tailoring of inclination” towards the subject at my daughter’s school; now, I know that learning Physics via exploring has the potential to draw students towards the subject.

This is in addition to the fact that nobody can be taught. However, a dedicated teacher, through guidance can provide pointers towards student’s (in grade4/5) inner wisdom at the level they can comprehend. After that the students will do the learning on their own, simply via exploring.

By learning to explore at school, the students would get interested in the subject and will be better prepared to encounter "complicated equations" in middle and high schools. This in turn would help them shoot through the college pre-requisite courses to pursue all technology related fields (including computer science and engineering) and in boosting their self confidence; which everyone understands are much-needed-fuels-to-boost-our-country's-economy. In the long term perspective, it is obvious that these students would significantly contribute in raising a next generation of exploring learners and better citizens of the world.

We all know that all significant ideas start off as a powerful thought of an individual, grows with support from few like minded people and blossoms into beautiful flowers appreciated by everyone. Along the same lines, “learning Physics via exploration” is a humble beginning for sowing-the-seed of-inquisitiveness in elementary school students; lest they should shut their minds off-Physics before hitting the middle school. Just the way it was sown inside me (in my first science fair).

Aspiration

Presently, I am aspiring to offer my knowledge of Physics, passion to teach and love to share the joy of learning Physics with elementary schools students (in grade 4 and 5) of our community; something that does not exist presently in their curriculum. For the simple reason, that the LAWS OF PHYSICS CAN BE LEARNT WITH LITTLE GUIDANCE AND MORE AWARENESS.

I understand that for this to happen in elementary schools, I need financial support and openness from parents/teachers/school authorities. Till the time, these elements get arranged I aspire to continue doing the same, in the schools I can and share these experiences wherever I can; incessantly.

This I aspire with a conviction that when one sends out a sincere intention, the universe arranges for it to happen.

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Aum Tat Sat (God is Truth)