Developing More Curious Minds

by John Barell

After the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, many people questioned why no one had anticipated the terrorists' acts, even when events and intelligence seemed to point toward them. John Barell wonders if the attacks speak to a greater societal problem of complacency. He believes many students have become too passive in their learning, accepting information and "facts" as presented in textbooks, classes, and the media. Drawing on anecdotes from educators and his own life, Barell describes practical strategies to spur students' ability and willingness to pose and answer their own questions. Antarctica expeditions, outer space discoveries, dinosaur fossils, literature, and more help define the importance of developing an inquisitive mind, using such practices as * Maintaining journals on field trips, * Using questioning frames and models when reading texts, * Engaging in critical thinking and problem-based learning, and * Integrating inquiry into curriculum development and the classroom culture. To become habits of mind, students' daily curiosities must be nurtured and supported. Barell draws a vivid map to guide readers to "an intelligent revolution" in which schools can become places where educators and students imagine and work together to become active citizens in their society.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction

245 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

John Barell is a national and international consultant to schools interested in teaching inquiry, critical thought and reflection.

A native New Yorker, Barell has sailed to Antarctica as part of Operation Deepfreeze to explore that continent based upon his meetings and correspondences with Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd. After Antarctica, he became an educator in New York City public high schools, then at Montclair State University in teacher education and world literature (now Professor Emeritus). Subsequently (2000-2007), he was a consultant at The American Museum of Natural History where he fostered networks of inquiry among science and social studies educators.

Currently, he is researching the various ways we assess the quality and improvement of students’ performances with 21st century skills: inquiry, problem solving, critical/creative thought and technological proficiency. The first completed report on this project, How Do We Know They’re Getting Better? Assessment for 21st Century Minds, K-8 (Corwin), was published January, 2012. His focus now is on those who teach at the high school level.

Sailing to Antarctica has served as his model for inquiry: starting with a dream and a passion leading to explorations of new territories, both physical, spiritual, educational and creative.

Barell is author of these publications about Antarctica: Quest for Antarctica—A Journey of Wonder and Discovery (memoir, 2011, ebook); Surviving Erebus—An Antarctic Adventure on board HMS Erebus and Terror (YA novel, 2008; 2011 ebook) and “Twenty Below,” an award winning story published by Boys’ Life and Boys’ Life Anthology.

He is also the author of these professional books: Did You Ever Wonder? Fostering Curiosity Here, There and Everywhere (2013); How Do We Know They’re Getting Better? Assessment for 21st Century Minds, K-8 (2012); Why are School Buses always Yellow? Teaching for Inquiry, PreK-5 (2007); Problem-Base Learning—An Inquiry Approach (2007); Developing More Curious Minds (2003); “. . . EVER WONDER. . ?” (1992); Opening the American Mind (1988) and Playgrounds of Our Minds (1980).

A recent (2013) novel, Absolute Bearing, is available at amazon.com. One reviewer wrote: “Not since I read Nicholas Monsarrat's THE CRUEL SEA have I enjoyed a sea tale, indeed, a tale of life itself, so much!”

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read to keep me thinking about how and why to continue working on ways for students to be the ones asking the questions--along with beginning to explore how to teach and assess good questioning strategies. Excellent fig. 10.1 on "Expedition Planning"--how to prepare students for, conduct, and reflect on a field trip in a focused enough way to give traction to curiosity, but not a fill-in-the-blank worksheet that can smother student curiosity in the task of getting the answers the teacher wants. I'm looking forward to reading some more recent books on the topic of creativity and project based learning this summer (this book is 2003). Making Thinking Visible (2011) and Creating Cultures of Thinking (2015), which I read last summer, also address many of these ideas in compelling ways.

[Wes F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good thoughts/ideas on how to stimulate more questions & curiosity in our teaching methods. A bit dry at times, but some good, thought-provoking insights & examples along the way.

[ByTheFire · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Inquisitive minds are the safeguards of our democracy, now and forever." John Barell
John Barell, states in his insightful book Developing More Curious Minds, that student questions are the attainment of the highest thinking skills. Some will be tempted to take this thesis for granted. But think of actual classroom practice. Too often, in most of our classrooms, student questions are a distraction from our plan and our pacing. Listening to questions, thoughtfully responding to questions, guiding students to discover their own answers to questions rather than supply the answers for them takes time and skill. Time is the one thing most of have in very, very short supply.
But Barell gently reminds us that questions signal thought processing which is the goal of effective classroom interaction. This book is unique in that Barell offers actual teaching practices and ideas to facilitate higher order thinking in our classrooms. Developing More Curious Minds details how to teach for student inquiry.

Too many books declare the importance of inquiry teaching. But after the studies are noted and the experts quoted, there are very few pages left for the actual implementation of inquiry-oriented teaching. It's About Time that a book came along that speaks to "how" to reach and develop curious minds. I was glad to finally read a book that quotes and highlights the practices of other learning specialists and educators in the field. I especially liked the student responses and the modeling of effective inquiry teaching practices.

Anyone who has opened a computer's user manual knows that effort is the key to success. I may know what all the words in the user's manual mean, but only when I attempt to carry out their instruction is success a possibility. IQ alone will not equal technological competence or school and life success. Only communication through thoughtful response in an environment that encourages a free exchange of ideas will meet the inquisitive, curious minds of our students. Developing More Curious Minds does just that.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for working with unmotivated students. Timeless.

[Jennifer]

"After the Sept. 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, many people questioned why no one had anticipated the terrorists' acts, even when the events and intelligence seemed to point toward them. Author John Barell- who lives and works in New York City- wonders if the attacks speak to a greater societal problem, one of complacency and lack of inquisitiveness, and one that can be solved in our schools."

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I've read on how to use questions in the classroom -- covers all aspects of how to used questions, how to assess them, how to make sure everyone is being asked a question, etc. Highly recommended for educators!