I recently was listening to the radio and the question was asked "what advice would you give for people to stay positive and optimistic during the stress of the lingering pandemic?" The response given was "to be curious." If we explore, discover and learn each day, we open ourselves to new thoughts and new learning and this has a very positive emotional effect. In order to feel motivated to learn something new, we might say that we should encourage ourselves and others to be curious.

Asking the right questions

Following this train of thought, I have been interested in learning more about investing and managing — two skills I did not learn getting my two music degrees and during Suzuki training. I have been enjoying reading "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki. This is a beginners book on what investing is all about and what is an asset v. a liability. Kiyosaki is an entrepreneur, investor, author — and educator. A native of Hawaii, he created the "Rich Dad" education series in order to create financial education for the everyday person, for teenagers, and for smart people. One may or may not agree with his philosophy of life, but he has a clear and humorous prose, and he is genuinely interested in education. He often states that the difference between his "two dads" were the questions they would ask. Asking the right question can lead to a person shutting down and feeling helpless, or exploring, learning, and creating solutions. Not only does he encourage the importance of getting an education, but he espouses different forms of education that come from outside of schools, degrees, or sometimes classrooms. Like Dr. Suzuki, Kiyosaki says it is important to surround yourself with people you admire, who accomplish the goals you also share, and who move you in the right direction.

As a Suzuki educator, we espouse hard work, perseverance and the belief that every child can. Kiyosaki has a very positive attitude about living and about money. Throughout the book, what fascinated me the most was his ability to ask the right questions. Suzuki parents may ask, "why is my child not motivated,"or "why is she not practicing?" Mr Kiyosaki would turn this situation around by asking "how can I make my child motivated?" or "what would make my child want to practice." Asking the right questions can change the focus of the solution, and thus lead to more creative solutions. As Suzuki teachers we often ask ourselves the question: "How does this student learn? What connections can we make in our relationship that build trust and lead to successful progress in each lesson?" We also ask: "How does this parent understand the process at home?"

So much of learning comes by being curious and asking the right questions. As parents and educators, "curiosity" is a quality we should be sure to nurture.