Encouraging openness, curiosity and confidence in children can help them be more proficient in reading and math.

In a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers found that characteristics related to openness, such as intellectual curiosity and confidence, made children more adept to take on math and reading.

So how to we inspire openness, curiosity and confidence in learners?

In Waldorf education we seek to foster these qualities by enlivening our students’ physical, emotional, intellectual, social, artistic, and spiritual capacities. By keeping learning material relevant, hands-on and engaging, we inspire curiosity and deeper questioning. By normalizing failure and de-emphasizing grading, we inspire confidence in students who learn to see the real and varied skill sets that all humans possess.

Read More at The University of Texas Austin
Photo Credit: Cincinnati Waldorf School