ABSTRACT
A pedagogy of wonder has some similarities to guided discovery learning, where a teacher helps students solve a problem or understand a principle through a process of hands-on exploration. But it differs in how the quest begins: by showing an object or event that sparks curiosity; presenting the familiar in a new way; setting up a puzzle; or conjuring with science and nature. When one encounters a wondrous event, such as a brilliant rainbow or a majestic mountain waterfall, it creates an experience that provokes curiosity. By questioning and investigating encounters in the everyday world, a child’s desire to understand leads to learning. Wonder has a rich heritage. It differs from awe, amazement and astonishment in opening pathways to learning. A pedagogy of wonder can design opportunities for anticipation, encounter, investigation, discovery and propagation. At one extreme, this may consist of a teacher dragging reluctant students on nature walks to find the wonder in a pebble or a leaf.
