“Teach Students to ask questions in schools”
By Mayank Murari
Schools are often seen as Institutions of gaining knowledge and prepare the younger generations for their future endeavours. Teachers focus on deriving right answers, but the purpose of teaching isn’t just for the right answers. It’s more about developing the analytical and critical thinking, problem-solving techniques, and inculcating a sense of curiosity in the students. Knowledge grows through curiosity, inquiry, and critical thinking – which increases by developing question-asking skills among students. In a world where every sort of information is instantly available, questioning, analyzing, and exploring are more valuable than remembering facts.
Looking at the digital world as of now – where everything of your need is just a search away, teachers should inspire students to think independently, creating a safe space for “why,” “how,” and “what if” without fear of judgment. This encourages deeper understanding, making learning active, not passive. Students shouldn’t be considered infallible; learning is continuous growth, adaptation, and discovery. A prime example of this educational philosophy can be found in the Jewish community, which contributes a small part of the world’s population, yet they’ve contributed significantly to Science, Literature, Economics, Medicine, and other fields.
The credit for their success is often attributed to an educational culture, which encourages logical reasoning, debate, and independent thinking. From an early age, Jewish children are encouraged to ask questions, challenge ideas respectfully, and seek evidence. Failure is a learning journey. Most Jewish parents believe failing at a younger age is better than failing at working age, when consequences are severe. Early failures become valuable lessons that build resilience, confidence, and wisdom – making them more capable.
Instead of protecting children from setbacks, parents and teachers should help them recognize their mistakes and give them the opportunities to improve. Consider a child asking, “Why is the sky blue?” They will answer imaginative explanations, observing, connecting ideas, testing possibilities, and learning to reason. But the goal is not to produce the correct answer but to cultivate an active and curious mind. History is an embodiment of it, as we saw every major scientific discovery and technological breakthrough began with a question. Inventors and scientists challenged assumptions, seeking better explanations and results. Curiosity has always been the catalyst behind human progress.
When children are not dreaded of questioning, they prepare themselves not only for examinations but also for solving complex problems of the future. Yet regrettably, parents and teachers still prioritize marks and grades over learning. Parent-teacher meets revolve around performance, not progress. While academic achievement deserves appreciation, equal recognition should be given to effort, perseverance, creativity, and the courage to attempt difficult tasks. A child who learns from failure often gains qualities that no examination score can measure, building a foundation for lifelong learning and success.
