Awestruck

There is something invigorating about seeing Year 7 students learning about the moon, space, and phenomena such as eclipses. It’s a reminder of what awe feels like.

Recently, our Year 7s attended two sessions at Scienceworks: a Planetarium session and a show on Electricity, Magnets & Movement.

The planetarium took students on a mission to solve a problem on the moon, showing them a new perspective on how the moon, earth, and sun interact. The Electricity, Magnets & Movement session demonstrated lightning and explored how everyday objects like fans, bikes, cars, and speakers transform electricity, magnetism, and movement into one another.

In these sessions, I saw types of awe. There are the big moments - when lightning strikes or the vastness of the solar system is seen and felt in new ways. But there are also small moments of awe - when students begin to understand how everyday objects and systems work.

Many adults experience less awe in their lives as we become bogged down in routine. In my recent reading of research by professor of psychology Dacher Keltner and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, I have been struck by how fundamental the experience of awe is to human flourishing. Encountering awe has been found to reduce stress and foster humility, social bonding, and a greater sense of meaning.

Year 7 students have yet to be weighed down by life’s responsibilities. So much of what they learn is new and filled with awe. Witnessing their wonder is also a challenge, one that makes me reflect on my own experiences. I realize I am not as easily awed these days. Perhaps because we tend to associate awe only with the big moments. But research also demonstrates that awe can be found in nature, in music, in community, and in learning something new.

I can’t help but think about how we intentionally create these opportunities for DCC students all the time yet often fail to understand their significance in our own lives.

There is much to learn from our Year 7s - from gazing into the night sky to noticing the many awe-inspiring moments in our everyday lives.

It may not have been exactly what Jesus meant, but his advice to be more childlike is a valuable reminder to us all. You too can take inspiration from a Year 7 student and what they are learning in science this year!