Awe, man, awe. It’s like the most underrated feeling out there, you know? It’s what happens when you see something huge, amazing, or just way beyond what you’re used to. Like when you listen to a great song, watch birds flying in formation, or check out cool pics from NASA’s latest telescope. Dacher Keltner, this psychology dude from UC Berkeley, has been studying awe for like, forever. He says you can tell you’re feeling awe if you get all teary, get chills, or just go, “Whoa.”
For kids, it’s all about those wide eyes, you know? Like when a little kid sees something totally new and their eyes just light up. Whether it’s a baby chick hatching, a huge wave crashing, a parade, a street performer, or even a baking soda volcano, kids can find wonder in the everyday stuff. Keltner says we can all see the extraordinary in the ordinary, because amazing things are all around us, man.
Awe isn’t just a heart thing, it’s also a brain thing. It helps us think better, you know? Cognitive accommodation is a fancy term that comes from this dude Jean Piaget and his theory of how we develop mentally. Basically, when we learn something new, we gotta change or expand our mental schemas to fit it in. Little kids do this all the time, like when they see a big ol’ dog after only knowing a small one. Their idea of “dog” grows to include all kinds of shapes and sizes.
Awe and curiosity go hand in hand, man. This psychologist Craig Anderson says awe can make you more curious about the world. And get this – the more awe you feel, the more curious you get, and the better you might do in school. Awe is like a “knowledge emotion,” says another psychology dude Paul Silvia. It’s all about fostering learning, exploring, and reflecting. Awe can get you interested in learning more about stuff that challenges your understanding of the world. Like when you see pictures of space and feel all amazed, then you wanna learn more about stars and planets and stuff.
When you wonder, you’re learning, man. That’s what Fred Rogers knew. He believed curiosity was the key to getting kids to learn. When you’re curious, your brain kicks into high gear and starts soaking up info like a sponge. The more curious you are, the more likely you are to remember what you’ve learned. Curiosity is like a superpower for learning and memory, dude. It’s like a vortex that sucks in knowledge and keeps it there.
So, teachers and parents, pay attention to what sparks your kids’ curiosity. Help them explore what makes them wonder and awe-inspired. Nurture that curiosity, man. Maybe focus on one or two things that really get them excited. Encourage their questions and help them find the answers. Who knows what amazing things they might discover along the way? Wonder, curiosity, learning – it’s all connected, man. And it’s pretty awesome.
