Group Memorandum Thursday, September 5

MEMORANDUM

To: David C. Banks, Chancellor of New York City Public Schools
From: Keria Emptage, Isabelle Rodriguez, Yesenia Rangel Sosa, Awa Diallo, Ontora Deychoudhury, Undergraduate Students at the City College of New York
Date: September, 5, 2024
Subject: Encouraging and implementing curiosity

We would like to discuss the importance of having curiosity in the classroom as well as encouraging students to ask questions. This is important to our future generations as well as older ones too, because we are able to impact our personal as well as our professional growth in all settings. Curiosity and encouragement helps us think more critically as well as solve problems easily.

The issue at hand is the encouragement and implementation of curiosity in the classroom, particularly between teachers and students. The problem arises when students' natural curiosity is stifled by dismissive attitudes or inadequate teaching methods. This often occurs as children progress through school, where their initial excitement for learning science or any intimidating subject diminishes. Teachers, sometimes lacking the proper training or motivation, fail to foster an environment that nurtures curiosity. The need for change stems from the recognition that curiosity drives deeper understanding and engagement in learning, as highlighted in Carl Sagan's text, where he advocates for a more supportive and inquiry-driven classroom atmosphere.

Curiosity and encouragement in the classrooms have to come from the teachers. It needs to be fostered throughout a student's schooling. With enough time and support teachers will have the ability to encourage student’s curiosity. The profession of teaching needs to be taken more seriously especially in lower levels of education. This can be accomplished by increasing the average teaching salary. This will create a higher incentive for teachers to encourage curiosity. Students and parents may also respect the profession more, encouraging a positive view towards learning. See attachment to understand the effects curiosity can have in the classroom.

The development of curiosity in today's students is critical for the development of the world. If we want to thrive we need future generations to stay curious about the world around them. We appreciate the time you took to read our memo and if you have further questions reach out to any of us at any of the following emails: dawa88705@gmail.com, Irodrig012@citymail.cuny.edu, Keriae1106@gmail.com, Ontora.d123@gmail.com, or yeseniars2019@gmail.com. Thank you again for reading our memo and we look forward to hearing from you!

Attachments:

Chart 1: As shown in this chart, fostering curiosity is essential for nearly every aspect of a child’s cognitive development.