Curiosity over Compliance: Rekindling the Spark of Learning

My son's teacher approached me after school, a sense of urgency and unrest cutting through her usually calm and collected manner. School speeches. My son, perfectly capable and with sufficient class time, was stuck at the concept phase and lagging behind. She wasn't frustrated; she was exhausted, and reaching out for help.

As we talked, it quickly became clear why he had stalled. Despite Mrs B’s proactive scaffolding and brainstorming strategies, the speech topic was fixed for all students at the school. Immediately the students’ creativity and curiosity were confined to small, uniform boxes that taunted them with the view of brilliance just beyond reach.

It's a subtle kind of confinement that narrows possibilities and potential. Curriculum adherence, scaffolding, and fairness are well-meaning, yet quietly disguised, structures that begin early in childhood. But what it often means is that curiosity becomes an inconvenience: too time-consuming, too hard to assess, too much extra stress.

In an education system that demands maximum efficiency and perfect data, it seems cruelly ironic that intrinsic human motivation is directly proportional to autonomy and competence. This isn’t just philosophy – it’s psychology. When autonomy is confined to boxes, natural curiosity fades, and the spark that drives authentic learning fizzles out.

That magical spark is known as intrinsic motivation – when we choose to do something satisfying, meaningful or driven by curiosity. By contrast, extrinsic motivation is when we act due to external factors – rewards, pressure, or negative consequences.

The solution to my son's speech dilemma soon became clear: instead of insisting he operate within the confines of his uniform box, we challenged him to find the key to unlock it. His passion was sharks, yet the topic was about caring for the land. Within 24 hours of the challenge being set, he had researched and drafted a speech about the importance of sharks to the ecosystem, and how their survival is impacted by neglecting the land. My son was proud, and not only was Mrs B relieved — both left with something new to add to their toolkits.

It wasn’t just the desired educational rubrics that were achieved; it was also the restoration of wellbeing for student and teacher alike. During the time they were operating within a prescribed external framework, motivation stemmed from fear of failure; once interest and passion were introduced, the motivation became self-directed and rewarding. When students and teachers feel safe to explore, rather than perform, stress levels lower and allow co-regulation to flow more naturally and sustainably.

As a result of their shared struggle and cooperation in finding a solution, my son came to see Mrs B as a safe and trusted ally in both his wellbeing and his learning. The experience embodied relatedness - the feeling of being seen, supported, and valued - a crucial strand in every person’s motivation and performance. And as every educator knows, relationships are the foundation from which students truly flourish.

Curiosity doesn’t just inspire learning; our brains are wired to thrive on it. Interest, enjoyment and self-fulfillment release dopamine - the reward chemical - which drives learning, motivation and wellbeing. This neurobiological process tells us what matters, what's important, and provides the momentum to propel us to success. Dopamine is probably the most important factor in why interest-based learning can yield such immediate positive outcomes for many students, as well as long-term success.

Consider the student who is passionate about cars, yet disengaged in maths. What would happen if they were supported to discover angles, friction or acceleration through a motorsport lens? How would that curiosity, autonomy and sense of individuality change their confidence and enjoyment of learning? Could they then begin to envision themselves in a related career? Perhaps the greatest impact an educator can have is to provide the spark that grows quietly into a wildfire of wonder. In the end, curiosity, not compliance, is what sustains learning.

When we give each student the key to unlock their box, brilliance is no longer out of reach -- it surrounds them.