As we enter this magical month of December, I got thinking, why does wonder fade? Rachel Carson once stated, "A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement.  It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe inspiring is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood."  

Sadly, this process begins around the age of 6 and continues through adolescence. Is it due to societal expectations and a perception that wonder is to be outgrown? Is it from our education curricula and standardized testing that puts such great value on the right answer? Is the brain itself to blame as the prefrontal rewires itself where judgement and inhibition live? Could it be from a lack of boredom, as many fill the empty moments with mindless phone scrolling? Might we need unobstructed stretches of time without pixel interference?  Does it really matter why?  

Maybe if we challenge ourselves (and your learners) to find the strange and mysterious in our everyday lives we can keep the sparks of wonder burning. Truly think about that spoon, its origins, its design, its usefulness beyond just eating. Perhaps appreciate the designs in the bark of a tree. Foster a discovery mindset, where you are open to possibilities and look at objects and experiences through the lens of what is interesting and unique. Perhaps this practice would allow us to stitch more neurons together to reignite and continue to fuel wonder in ourselves and our learners.