Building agency

Curiosity is often intrinsic to children. When a child is in a risky environment, they might shut down their curiosity.

When we are educated in an environment that teaches at, rather than asks us to inquire more, we might begin, slowly, to lose our agency.

When the culture thrives on experts, when we relinquish our authority to the expertise of others, we lose our agency. 

Our ability to ask questions, to figure things out, to be creative when options are limited, are skills to be cultivated.

Can I, as a teacher, balance the tension of expertise and the deep intention of students to inquire, challenge, and think for themselves? Is it possible for me to be wrong? Of course. The more I clutch to righteousness, the more dangerous I become as a teacher. 

Unless we build self-development, passionate curiosity, lack of fear about being wrong or asking ‘wrong’ questions, and the ability to see a problem and self-initiate solutions, we will get communities that relinquish their authority to others. 

When we do this, we lose the greatest exponential technology available to life. Human minds working together synergistically. 

Photo Taken April 19th 2024