Books, conferences, and every tool imaginable have been used to teach teaching. I have even expounded and pontificated on education for years. Yes, you must master your subject matter, and yes, you have to know your way around a classroom, and so on. But there is really only one secret, one measure of your success.

Are you instilling a sense of wonder? Are you creating lifelong learners?

The first step, the first question might be: are you instilled with a sense of wonder? Are you a lifelong learner?

The road to this Shangri-La is not a straight one, and because we all have different approaches, different stories, and backgrounds, the road is different for every one of us.

There was an experiment at the University of Kansas in the 70s. The Integrated Humanities Program (IHP), also known as the Pearson Integrated Humanities Program, was a program at the University of Kansas in the 1970s. The program was dedicated to the instilling of wonder in and pursuit of truth with underclassmen. It was led by three faculty: Dr. Dennis Quinn, Dr. John Senior, and Dr. Frank Nelick. (According to Wikipedia)

This experiment did not last long, as apparently a large number of students converted to Catholicism, which seems interesting.

At any rate, one tool I love to bring a sense of wonder is to take students outside the sterile classroom walls. We recently had the opportunity to see and hear the Palm Beach Symphony and cellist Alisa Weilerstein play Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 and Richard Strauss’ sweeping Alpine Symphony. We also celebrated Taco Tuesday before the concert at the amazing Taqueria Guerrero!

We will never know if we are succeeding in our mission of bringing a sense of wonder to our students, if we are making lifelong learners, but I know I took my students one step closer with this experience.