Leading with Curiosity, Not Certainty

I am a lifelong learner.

And as such, I try to find every opportunity to explicitly name that for myself and others. I think the overall notion of being a learner can sometimes have implications of a lack understanding and that one who requires learning is a result of ineptitude. I would challenge that belief as complacent and proud thinking. I have seen this in so many forms with students and teachers alike, where a narrow approach to learning has stifled creativity and deepened understanding. I have seen individuals view learning as having a beginning and an end, when really there is only the next.

So how do we address complacency and pride when it comes to learning?

In my teaching experience, I have always found that leading with curiosity opens up learning, while leading with certainty can often close it off. When students perceive you as all-knowing, they may hesitate to ask questions or make attempts out of fear of being "wrong." It is so important to create an environment where both curiosity is modeled and mistakes are accepted and appreciated for their value. This allows and gives students the permission to feel comfortable exploring ideas without the pressure of finding the "right" answer.

And honestly I have often found that the “right” answer is only an answer and oftentimes not even the most valuable one.

In the classroom this practice of leading with curiosity takes many forms. To name some, asking open-ended questions and encouraging students to inquire, holding discussions in varying groups sizes, and showing real-world phenomena in various forms of media prior to engaging with content. When grading work, I focus on the process and progress rather than the end result, which I will admit is painstakingly difficult and often something I struggled with when it came to responsibilities to the school in reporting grades. I also emphasize that mistakes are opportunities to grow, not failures. Modeling lifelong learning yourself also inspires students' curiosity, but takes dedication and explicit effort.

I would also argue that this practice is relevant and valuable in spaces beyond the classroom. Leadership teams that foster the same culture in an organization can utilize similar practices regardless of the size. But it needs to start by creating the space and fostering the right behaviors and responses. When we end up focusing too much on the results and being certain of outcomes, we stifle the potential to find innovative answers and out-of-the-box thinking.

Create opportunities to share times when you've made mistakes or changed your mind with new information. Be willing to admit "I don't know, let's find out together." Let others see you as a learner and build comfort in coming to you with curiosities, big and small. All of this fosters healthier learning communities and the potential to then innovate and think more creatively. When students feel safe to take risks and make mistakes, real learning is permitted to happen. And in my classroom, but also my work, I continue to aim towards creating environments where curiosity, not certainty, are core.

What are some ways that you foster learning in your community?

Starting Honest Conversations as a Former Educator

For those of you that have been following along, I just started an account with both Medium and Substack to try to push myself to write a bit more and reflect a bit more… so hopefully you will be seeing more of me, but if you have accounts there, would love some support there to keep me accountable.

To kickoff these new spaces, I wanted to re-introduce myself..

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Hello everyone, my name is Ted Kim and I am a former educator and technology coordinator, now working in product management at an early stage, EdTech startup in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Beginnings are hard.

My very first official post begins with me staring at the recommended statement above, realizing that it holds a meaning far deeper than simply how I feel about creating this space.

Beginnings are truly hard. This is how I feel about most things, but leaving the classroom led me into so many “beginnings” all at once.

New career, new industry (kind of), new city, new apartment, new friends… the list continues, but the reason I felt compelled to begin here of all places through writing, really started from a strong sense of feeling lost. Not lost from a what am I doing perspective, nor from a fulfillment perspective, but a deep seeded anxiousness that felt familiar from my time working in the classroom. A good friend of mine told me that working in Product Management is lonely, and similarly, I have made so many connections to that same loneliness I felt as an educator.

In the past couple years working outside of the classroom, but still with classrooms, I found that there are so many lessons I have learned, but also so many great conversations and topics that I want to reflect upon. Difficult and challenging topics that really test my understanding of the education industry and the impact I want to have.

Ultimately, I hope that as I continue to reflect and share through writing, that we can help create a space to process and discuss all that is happening at the junction between education and technology. Additionally, I have met many transitioning educators that I want to bring validation to all the ways my skills as an educator have translated into the work that I do presently.

I currently hope to write minimally biweekly, and would love to hear from you all any questions, preferred formats, frequency, and all things feedback related. I will be the first to admit that I by no means have all the answers, but am nonetheless curious in trying to understand the world around me for all the new beginnings yet to come. This is our space now, thanks for keeping me company.