Admit what you don't know

During our astronomy unit, students complete a project where they research a topic they're curious about and teach their findings to the class in an engaging way. Great way to create lifelong learners - even if they're a little cold!

The idea of admitting when you don't know something can be applied to just about every aspect of life, but I think it's especially important when it comes to teaching. I was talking with a teacher friend today about how slippery of a slope it can be when we pretend to know something about our content that we don't actually fully know.

I teach science, so my students think that I know everything about science. And I do mean everything. I get asked questions daily - examples include why Pluto is no longer a planet, why their earwax looks like that, how light works, and if they were to jump off the roof would they die. Some questions are silly (like the earwax) and some are quite profound. Honestly, many times my students ask questions that still cannot be explained by science.

When I first started teaching, I fell into the trap of needing to know everything. I had just gotten a degree in biology and teaching, so I should know everything, right? I was also the stereotypical "smart kid" (okay, and maybe a bit of a suck up, too...okay, maybe a lot...) in grade school, and kids made it a game to see if they could stump me on a question or beat me on a test. Unfortunately, that meant that I learned a little too well how to sound smart without truly understanding everything about what I was saying. It works for a ten-year-old, but I realized quickly that I had to grow out of that when I started teaching. My identity had become highly dependent on my level of knowledge on a topic, and I was too proud to admit it when I didn't know much about something.

It's been a rather large shot to my ego to realize just how little I understand about science. Sometimes I even wonder if I learned anything in college at all. But I've come to the realization that my students don't judge me for not knowing the answers and admitting that. They actually gain more respect for me because of it.

Helping my students realize that even their teacher doesn't know everything makes it okay for them to not know everything, too. Sure, maybe part of them already thinks that, but helping them truly believe it is so powerful. Your really smart kids need to know that it's okay to mess up sometimes, to get the answers wrong, to not always have to find their identity in their intelligence. And your struggling students need to know that the questions they ask really are great ones (even the silly ones!), and they need to be encouraged to keep seeking answers...and that they're smarter than they think!

Let kids ask questions. Even the silly ones about earwax. And don't let laughter at a question make them feel like their question wasn't a great one. Kids will often have silly questions first to test the waters before they start to ask about the things they are truly curious about. They will absolutely shock you with the level and depth at which they think about things when you let them show that side to you.

Create a culture of lifelong learning in your classroom. Let students in on the secret that you don't know everything. Because none of us do. But show them that you want to learn the answers to their questions just as much as they do. Foster that curiosity, seek out answers together. There are only great things ahead when your students not only feel comfortable asking questions but are engaged enough to find out the answers for themselves.