We can create learning moments that students remember forever if we open up our classrooms to awe and wonder.
Toward the end of my high school year, our Spanish teacher organized a trip to see an Andean band perform in Philadelphia. My classmates and I egged one another on ironically（讽刺地）:Who could enjoy the show? The performers' clothing seemed odd. The instruments, strange. But then the performers kicked in, dancing to their bombo and wancara drums around the stage and the panpipes and quena announced a kind of sound—new to us.
We had spent too little time discussing the culture of the Inca in social studies but its traditions came alive for us that evening. Once the wonderful performance lit up the stage and the hall filled up with music, my teenage cynicism disappeared. I rose out of my chair to dance with honest joy.
I have spent the last seven years living and working in South America. But my thirst for cultural exploration and a desire to understand the world outside my language and country has been alive longer than that. Sometimes I think that night dancing to those ancient rhythms unlocked this fascination. Why do I remember it so clearly decades later?
In his recent book Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, psychology professor Dacher Keltner explains that "brief moments of awe are as good for your mind and body as anything you might do." Besides being a memorable emotion, awe boosts curiosity, builds humility, helps with critical thinking, and makes people feel more connected. It even makes us happier. "Twenty years into teaching happiness, "Keltner writes about how to find deep happiness, "I have an answer: FIND AWF."
Moving forward, let's do our best to build instances of awe into our curriculum（课程）. So when our former students approach us on the subway years later, they will recall the magical moments from their days spent in our classes.