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| Someone in my house just finished their semester at OSU and is celebrating by watching the first 3 seasons of “Ted Lasso” for the umpteenth time. The other day I took a break from grading to watch my favorite scene from season 1, when Ted gives a folksy comeuppance to the insufferable Rupert, beating him at darts and teaching him to “Be curious, not judgmental.”
Being curious–asking questions first and collecting information before evaluating or deciding–is a fundamental principle of the liberal arts. Our collective desire to foster curiosity in our students has been a consistent theme throughout CfLT conversations this year. Stopping to wonder and ask questions is how we make human connections and open ourselves to learning new things and understanding other perspectives. And the practice of curiosity is becoming more important than ever in an era when we are constantly, breathlessly bombarded with information and “knowledge” and asked to accept rather than question. While inspiring our students’ curiosity will be an evergreen topic, excellent and effective teaching is grounded in our own curiosity. Whether you are wondering about how your colleagues approach a teaching challenge, what is something new you could try, how colleagues’ perspectives can help you think through your own challenges, or just what interesting conversations you haven’t had yet with other people on campus, I deeply appreciate the sense of curiosity that keeps colleagues coming to participate in our CfLT programming. Our final CfLT programs of AY 2025-26 offer an opportunity to spark your own curiosity before you head out into the summer. I hope you’ll join us! |