On The Fly

In this episode, Reclaim Curiosity–Through the Lens of a Diamond . . .   “Beauty is the illumination of your soul.” — John O’Donohue. As a young gemologist, I stood before diamonds as some might stand under the stars—quiet, attentive, drawn in by something that felt much larger than language. Remember that magical moment when you first placed a diamond under the microscope! If you haven’t experienced it, allow me to paint a picture. Tilting it back and forth, the light danced into vibrant colors, reminiscent of that magical rainbow from the previous blog post ( The Rainbows Promise ), revealing a beautiful secret before your eyes! I thought: This isn’t just about science. This is about wonder. But it wasn’t until I began teaching others to see that I truly understood the art of curiosity — and how easy it is to lose it. My colleagues referred to this as the Art and Science of Gemology. Most students entered my classroom expecting a technical lesson: grading charts, clarity scales,...

In this episode - Curiosity . . . Do your friends consider you to be a curious person? If that's the case, what questions do you generally ask? Are they always practical? Could you explain why? Recently, while reading Walter Isaacson's book on the life of Leonardo Da Vinci, who was undoubtedly one of the most inquisitive minds in history. Leonardo wrote down questions in his notebooks that appeared impossible to answer during his era. One question that caught my attention was: "Describe the tongue of a woodpecker?" So, I asked ChatGPT. Certainly! The tongue of a woodpecker is a fascinating adaptation that enables these birds to capture their prey and navigate their unique feeding habits effectively. The tongue's exact structure and length may vary among woodpecker species, but some general characteristics are common to most woodpecker tongues. Woodpecker tongues are typically long, extending far beyond the length of their beaks. They are thin and possess a special...

Would your friends describe you as open minded and curious? The very foundation of being an effective educator is curiosity. We must constantly search for innovative ways to present subject matter to our students. Curiosità is the first of the seven principles in the book How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael Gelb. Curiosità is defined as “an insatiably curious approach and an unrelenting quest for curious learning.” Would you like to try a proven approach to inspiring yourself and your students to think in new directions? Let Michael Gelb introduce you to Leonardo da Vinci’s seven principles: • Curiosità — curiosity • Dimostrazione — demonstration • Sensazione — sensation, being sharp • Sfumato — embracing change • Arte/Scienza — balance art and science • Corporalita — body and mind fitness • Connessione — find connections Among the fundamental shifts in thinking that Gelb presents is this: You can teach your students to increase their problem-solvi...