The Importance of Awe and Wonder at School
The power of awe and wonder to transform an otherwise ordinary day into something truly special is often underestimated. We should all experience AWE on a daily basis, but it never lasts for more than a few minutes at the most. And while that's enough time to remind us how small we are in relation to the vast world around us, it doesn't give kids an opportunity for sustained exploration or reflection of what they're seeing. This can lead them to take things like nature, history and science less seriously because they don't know their own minds well enough yet.
At Science V Magic,
we propose that schools create opportunities for sustained engagement with awe-inspiring experiences that will help children learn about themselves as individuals and as members of society by recognising their connection with everything else.
Healthier, Happier & More Motivated
According to research, people living a life of wonder and awe are found to be healthier, happier and more motivated. And it's no surprise why- children who study nature, history and science outside the confines of a textbook will feel empowered by what they've discovered after overcoming barriers like fear or boredom that would normally prevent them from boldly exploring.
And when you add in a few theatrical elements like music, lighting and storytelling that create a sense of magic and wonder, learning becomes something even more special for kids. They feel inspired to learn about things they might not otherwise ever have considered
What is awe?
Awe is a response to something so novel or vast in size, time, complexity, energy, or power that it evokes a sense of wonder and admiration.
The Magic of Awe-Based Education
Curiosity, imagination, and radical creativity are the driving forces behind awe-based learning. It's important to encourage children to ask questions, wonder why or how something works, create their own ideas about it and often see for themselves.
There are many mind-boggling, awe-inspiring concepts that kids can study at school including space, the evolution of life on Earth, consciousness, art, death.
Knowledge & Inspiration
Providing awe and wonder encourages children to seek knowledge on their own. This is a more important skill than being fed answers and the resulting journey itself can be enlightening. This approach also provides children with inspiration by letting them see how many possibilities there are to explore and understand the world around them.
Sense of Purpose
Many people ask themselves the question "What is my purpose in life?" And while many don't know how to answer it, a new study suggests that inducing awe and wonder at school might be able to help.
It's been argued by researchers that experiencing awe on a regular basis can have a positive impact on one's mental health, providing an individual with more reasons to live as well as increasing their sense of meaning and purpose. In fact, those who experience some degree of awe regularly are found to live longer lives. In other words, they're just generally happier versions of themselves. It's important for a child to find this sense of self-worth too - without it, they may struggle academically.
Engaged by the idea of the unknown!
As mentioned, there are unlimited resources for providing awe and wonder -dovetailing your subject with initiatives like Storytelling, Music, Art, Special Effects like simulations or animations will only enhance the learning experience for the children.
In classes, students should be able to experience something they do not fully understand or grasp.
By encouraging young people to embrace curiosity and wonder, we create environments that breed the next generation of innovators and change-makers
As educators, we also must have a sense of awe and wonder in order to recognise and appreciate it in the youngster, rather than rushing pupils through their days, striving for pointless outcomes.
At Science V Magic
we provide awe-inspiring productions that pupils (and teachers) are certain to remember.
Designed with KS2 in mind, we have successfully performed educational Science V Magic Shows at schools that encourage children to ask questions, wonder why or how something works, create their own ideas about it whilst providing amazing moments of magical wonder.
While many of our shows are linked with the curriculum, we also produce a number of tailor-made programmes that can be created specifically to inspire children in your area of study.
For more information on engaging your audience with awe and wonder at school, get in touch today.