One day, a little girl looked up towards the night sky and asked, “How did all those stars get up there?”

Her dad replied, “We don’t really know.”

She thought for a moment and then asked, “How did I get here?”

Her father answered brilliantly, “That’s an equally puzzling question.”

This was a story that author, Sandra Marinella, told in her book, The Story You Need to Tell. She writes about how that moment startled her and how it was a little unsettling.

“Living with unanswered questions becomes an existential quandary because . . .we want to understand. We want answers to all life’s difficult questions.”

That’s why children are fascinated with questions. They not only want answers, they need them. However they also need mystery. That is why Sandra’s father handled that situation perfectly. It left her space to think about life’s unanswered questions, the mystery of the stars, and all of the other mysteries that life presents to us.

As teachers, we can let our students know that we don’t have all the answers. We can let our students relish in the mystery of life and hopefully drive their curiosity to learn.

Personal Note – I apologize for not posting a Teaching Tip Tuesday article for some time. I need to get back into the habit of doing so. I am currently supply teaching and have picked up a few great things I need to pass along to you. I just need to find the time to write. I’ve been mad busy, but hope to get back to this series soon.

Teaching Tips – Inspiration from my classroom to yours!