Teaching My Thai Kids 'Curiosity'

[jaideeguy]

One thing that I have noticed after 2 decades in Asia is that most Asians have no curiosity. My kids, 11&13yrs can speak decent English after being with me for 10 yrs and make decent grades in school, but the one thing that I would like teach them is simple curosity.

I know it's an Asian thing to simply accept without questions of why? where? or whatever/.....even my Thai wife lacks curioisty.

I dropped out of high school [then got a diploma] , then dropped out of college, but still educated myself to the point that i feel that I know medicine better than most drs, building than most builders and several other survival topics. Now thanks to my best friend google, I have the capacity to know everything I want to know and questions about everything pop into my head all day long and I just ask my all knowing friend 'google' and find the answer.

That's what i want my kids to do..........to break out of the 'robot, accept all without question' mold that the Thai school system puts them in.

Any tips?????

[sangfroid]

I thoroughly agree. The vast majority of Thai children seem to have no natural curiosity about what is going on around them.

Thai schools seem unable to stimulate children's imagination. Probably because most of the the teaching staff are just filling in time, unmotivated and poorly paid.

I also notice that many Thai children are pathetically shy and lacking in self confidence.

The kids in our mu ban live in a world of cheap comic books and mind stuntingly poor quality TV shows.

Why do Thai parents insist on filling their children's heads with "ghost" nonsense??

What can you expect when one TV channel has a camera trained 24/7 on a Panda <deleted>! Great use of media resources that is. Surely they can do better than this. Thailand's children deserve much better.

There are exceptions to all of this of course but I'm talking about the majority here.

Edited August 28, 2010 by sangfroid

[Scott]

Curiosity starts with things where there is an interest. Even if it is a 'silly' subject, try to get them to explore it, learn about it and study/research it. Reading comic books is better than not reading at all. You can move from comics to more substantial material. If they like ghosts, read about ghosts, watch movies with/about ghosts. If it's football, learn about the game, players etc.

It's a slow process, but curiosity can be re-learned. I think it's innate, and then destroyed, thus it needs to be re-learned.

[Gigabyte]

How about having a game where you ask them your "question of the day" and they ask you their "question of the day"? Can be as silly as "Why do you take a bath in the morning?". If the answer is "Because you told me so" then wrong answer, and ask for another answer.

Or even without being an official game, how about asking them questions that will challenge and make them think a bit?

One of my uncles had this habit to ask his daughters (11 and 12) quite complex questions once in a while; for example, "You have 2 pies and there are 3 people; how do you divide the pies so that the 3 people have an equal piece?". They were smart girls and they quite well suceeded in their careers.

[Gigabyte]

Curiosity starts with things where there is an interest. Even if it is a 'silly' subject, try to get them to explore it, learn about it and study/research it. Reading comic books is better than not reading at all. You can move from comics to more substantial material. If they like ghosts, read about ghosts, watch movies with/about ghosts. If it's football, learn about the game, players etc.

Absolutely true!

I now remember because of comic books I learned to read fast and young (by 7 I think I was reading fluently) and when I grew a bit older one of my favorite characters was Tintin. I loved his adventures because he went to Tibet, to Congo, to America, to China, and even on the moon! It is true that the information in the stories was often wrong and very stereotyped, however I became curious and wanted to learn more about different cultures and people. So now here I am, half way across the World, doing the things that my ex-classmates watch on TV and fantasize about while having an "exotic" dining experience at the local Thai restaurant.

[jaideeguy]

I see it as a cultural thing, as my Thai wife is always saying 'why do you ask so many questions?'.....my reply is 'I want to know!!'. They don't want to know.......as 'acceptance without question' is the way here and I know it will be a hard battle and appreciate the tips, but with the Old Thai cultural values and the new mind numbing video games and TV, it's hard to compete.

[kokesaat]

When you're lost, does your wife willingly ask a cop/bystander directions?

When you buy a defective item from the store, does your wife willingly take it back and ask to exchange/refund?

I'd be willing to bet the answer is no......that's seems to be the modus operandi for most Thais. I regularly watch DLTV (Thai education channels) on UBC to help with my Thai studies. I can't remember ever seeing a student ask a teacher...."Why/how/when/etc" . To me, curiosity requires a questioning mind. If you're afraid to ask a question, I can't see how you'd be curious.

[jaideeguy]

Ur right about both of the above and I maintain that is Thai culture......never ask a question, you'll loose face.

I lost my face a long time ago and am still looking for it and the only way I can find it is to ask....'have you seen my face??'

Sad.....

[Xangsamhua]

If you think you're powerless, you may see little point in being curious. If you're expected to know your "station" in life and stick to it, you're not likely to seek wide general knowledge. This is Thailand, where the stock answer to an historical question is "I don't know. I wasn't born then."

It was no different in Europe until the political reforms of the 19th century. When young men and women realized they had a chance to influence change they became quite curious. Lending libraries, adult education classes, trade union education programmes, technical and, occasionally, higher education bursaries, all burgeoned from the latter 19th century on as voting rights were extended and the unions played a greater role.

As Thai people at all levels begin to free themselves from the patron-client system and higher education becomes more widely available, curiosity - even "subversive" curiosity - may become more widespread.

[Firelily]

5-6 year old kids are curious and cannot stop asking questions.

Then they get swallowed up into classes of 40 and have to listen to teachers bullshitting for 7 periods a day. They simply learn to switch off. It is scary to see my enthusiastic, laughing, curious, active, book-loving kindie kids who enjoy attending school transform into grumpy pre-teens who readily admit to hating school just 3 years later.

Recently I had to go to a training seminar - it was the worst I have ever attended. After two hours, I was physically suffering and all I could think about was getting out. And I am not a 7-year-old who has to endure that pain for hours and hours every single day. Honestly, I am surprised they are alive at all and capable of brain functions after these long hours of schooling.

Edited August 28, 2010 by Firelily

[jaideeguy]

And to further deaden their will to learn.....the Thai wife actually does their homework and they trace over it. I'm not the only falang parent with this situation. When I interfere and insist that they use their own brains, then I become 'the bad guy' for trying to make them think.

My constant mantra to them is 'think about it'....but it falls on deaf ears.

[Freeman64]

So do I throw the plans for introducing critical thinking to students into the rubbish bin?

[Scott]

I'd drop the 'critical' part of it and just concentrate on thinking. It might have to spend some time on the shelf, but I wouldn't throw it in the bin.

[hlfourie]

Curiosity starts with things where there is an interest. Even if it is a 'silly' subject, try to get them to explore it, learn about it and study/research it. Reading comic books is better than not reading at all. You can move from comics to more substantial material. If they like ghosts, read about ghosts, watch movies with/about ghosts. If it's football, learn about the game, players etc.

It's a slow process, but curiosity can be re-learned. I think it's innate, and then destroyed, thus it needs to be re-learned.

Curiosity depends on personality so how on earth can you think it's innate,you can't learn curiosity it forms part of your personality. I have two little girls and thier brains and curiosity about everything is just so great, their brains are like little computers just absorbing everything.

Maybe take your kids out more, waterfalls, beaches etc. they won't get curiosity from Google.

[Jingthing]

Maybe this is terribly old fashioned, but I would try this. Model READING BOOKS. Yes, old fashioned paper books. Turn off tv and computer sometimes and actually read something. Leave interesting books above their expected age level around the house, and try to stimulate curiosity to pick up those books. Not saying it will work, but I feel worth a try. Also with fiction books, that stimulates IMAGINATION. With a movie, it's all there. With a book you have to use your brain to process the story.

I would also encourage some youthful flakiness and experimentation. Kid wants to play the violin one day and decides next year to play the electric guitar. Great. Make it clear that the entire world is open to them to explore now, because it still is, and encourage mistakes and detours until they find something that actually is their passion in life.

Edited September 1, 2010 by Jingthing

[hanno]

I do not think that Asian kids are less curious than Caucasian (or any other race) kids; I think Asians are just to quick to just park their kids in front of TV's or computer games. Same problem in the West, I might add. My daughter, Asian-European, had her TV time severely limited as a kid and we tried to install an interest in a wide variety of subjects; I think it worked out pretty well.

[Scott]

Many years ago, there was a study done--and I am sure there is much more current research, between Caucasian and Asian babies. It was done in a newborn ward in a major US city with a large Asian population. The outcome was that Asian babies (when they wanted to be fed) cried less loudly and did not cry for as long as Caucasian babies.

Whether that later would relate to being less curious or not, I don't know, but even if it does, it probably wouldn't be a significant difference that couldn't be overcome.

Culturally, and this includes schools, do little to stimulate the natural curiosity of children. It's not only parents that park kids in front of the TV, schools do it as well. Our nursery classes and KG classes all have televisions with lots of cartoons. Considerable time is spent in front of the TV, several times a day. There aren't very many educational videos either.

There is a playground, but it is only for show and the students are NEVER allowed to play there (only if the parents do so after school--which they don't. It is a very un-stimulating environment. The difficulty is that this is what the parents want. They are very impressed, but it acts to kill any natural curiosity the children have.

[geriatrickid]

If Asian children were less curious it would be reflected in fewer poisonings and accidental deaths. Unfortunately, asian kids still get into the household cleaning products, still fall from ledges and still electrocute themselves. Perhaps the question should be asked of oneself as to why one's children do not have a healthy curiousity? Is it because the child fears being told he or she is dumb or "wrong". Children do not ask questions if they are not in an environment that encourages such activity. If you are an open person and engage your child in some of your activities, the questions and interest will be sparked. As mentioned earlier, books are an excellent tool. Asking a child what he or she thinks is also helpful. Some of you guys are skilled mechanics and craftsmen. What's so hard about having the kid help you out? You'd be surprised how the curiousity will be jumpstarted. Some of you have had very interesting lives. How about sharing some of those interesting adventures? A little bit of embellishment wouldn't hurt. Kids love dinosaurs, scary and creepy crawly things. Sometimes there are musuems that pique their minds. The prison musuem in Bangkok is an example.A visit there, and a look at the beheading exhibit will get a kid wanting to learn more about what went on, and how it worked. From there a discussion of anatomy, law & justice and of course the ghosts of the dead can be motivated. Take a kid on a walk in a national park, pull back some dead leaves and watch the bugs. I guarantee there will be questions. I appreciate that Thailand is supposed to be different, but think back to your own childhoods and what made you curious. Many of those same things can be applied today. Kids are universal in that respect.

[steady]

I see that some people like the idea of curiosity, others like the idea of thinking. I personally prefer the idea of encouraging thinking because as I look around Thailand I see many adults who do not think. People like motorcyclists who turn onto main roads without stopping, or even looking, pedestrians who just walk across roads etc etc. We all have seen something and thought "Why did they do that?". There are enough forums around discussing similar things and they usually just end up negative and Thai bashing. To me though it does indicate a missing link in the wiring of a brain. Why would an adult with similar intelligence to me then not think about consequences? Is it geographical, cultural, lack of education or what? I don't know but do tend towards the lack of encouragement to think.

It is not always the case that the foreigners do things better than the Thais, however when it comes to bringing up children to be thinkers, curious and generally open to learning I think that we have the edge. Does anyone think that a forum similar to this one but used mainly by ordinary Thais would address this as an issue? I beleieve that generally it is not even identified.

I do agree with all of the positive posts which advocate taking children places, read books and just talk, especially the "think about it" mantra. If a child hits a problem then before giving help always ask if they have thought about it first and what do they think?