CHAPTER 6 We live and learn: embedding a love of inquiry
A PASSION FOR LEARNING
He was only seven years old when he received the most exciting birthday present of his life. It was a huge hardcover book that featured many of the world's most fascinating animals. His parents were certainly not wealthy, and it must have stretched their budget to purchase such a luxury item. The glossy pages were filled with wondrous images, and the descriptions stirred his brain with the joy of discovery.
The young boy revisited that massive book hundreds of times, poring over every word and photo. This single book bewitched him, and inspired him to continue reading and learning all his life. I know all about that little boy, because he was me. And I can still remember the joy I felt with the turning of every page.
Two special words kept bursting out as I lived in that book: ‘Aha!' and ‘Wow!' We need to encourage these responses in every child's life. Aha expresses their delight and surprise when they ‘get' something for the very first time. Ask children to exclaim ‘Aha!' whenever they suddenly understand something ...
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