When we were young, most of us looked forward to attending school. We got excited to learn about the evolution of a butterfly, read Harry Potter and see how many times tables we could solve in under a minute. School was a place that was exciting and fun. However, our love for school soon faded for many: the thrill, enjoyment and natural joy of learning morphed into stress, perfectionism and burnout. As high school students, many of us work hard and push ourselves to our limits, trying to complete every assignment and get straight A’s, leaving no room for curiosity, which has long been the driving force behind innovation, creativity and progress. The modern school dynamic stifles the desire to discover and learn.
The natural inclination to discover the “whys” and “hows” of the world grows throughout infancy and hits its peak in early childhood. In what is known as the “why” phase, young children, generally ages two through five, are eager to solve puzzles, use their hands and aren’t afraid to get dirty in the process. But why does it stop there? Why, as we get older, does our focus shift? Why do we lose interest in uncovering the mysteries of the world?
The obvious answer is that young children are innately curious about how and why things work, which is encouraged and nurtured by the adults in their lives. However, that curiosity dwindles as children progress through grade school and beyond. For me, at least, it certainly felt that way. This notion resonated with a woman named Karen Ricks, who opened an international Montessori preschool in Japan. The Montessori philosophy is one where hands-on learning is frequent, independence is encouraged and open time for play and social interaction is common.
“I think the biggest long-term impact I have seen is that Montessorians remain perpetually curious about the people and the world around them, seeing learning as an enjoyable life-long process rather than a burden that ends when a school bell rings,” Ricks said in an interview for Rasmussen University.
A study by the University of Virginia revealed that adults who participated in two or more years of Montessori education reported higher levels of well-being: higher confidence, better social trust and a more positive outlook. A school environment that allows room to play and encourages wonder and creativity ultimately fosters happiness in adults.
However, this is not the case at the high school level, where, for many, the focus sits on meeting the demands of challenging classes instead of cultivating creativity. According to a 2025 January Bark survey, 35 percent of students feel burnt out or uninterested in learning three to four days a week, and 16 percent of students feel burnt out or uninterested in learning five days a week. Many students, including myself, are struggling to find inspiration and happiness at school and quite possibly don’t even want to be at school in the first place. Perhaps the lack of curiosity and wonder is to blame.
Many high school students work exceptionally hard to get accepted into a top-tier university. However, the challenging course load and high expectations are crushing their desire to learn for the sake of learning and not satisfying their innate curiosity.
I regularly experience the struggle of an overwhelming workload. I used to take art classes after school every week, write poems in my journals, doodle and make up songs. While I still do some of those things, now I spend most of my time doing homework and worrying about what I might get on my next math test. Oftentimes, my worth is directly connected to having a high GPA and being a perfect student. No wonder we all feel uninterested in learning when most of what we’ve gained from it in recent years is perfectionism and negative self-talk.
Of course, it isn’t that simple. Many students pursue art, music, drama, engineering, photography and more in high school, and these classes go a long way toward filling that curiosity bucket. However, they are not always considered rigorous on a transcript, so many students abandon those pursuits and add another Advanced Placement (AP) or honors course. Also, while today’s method of education may not foster curiosity and creativity, it’s easy to understand why many believe these rigorous classes have merit. Mainstream courses help students learn to think critically and prepare for college and beyond, and of course, we shouldn’t ignore the benefits of those classes and their functionality; they teach students how to be successful in rigorous and stressful environments, improve work ethic and more. AP credit can even reduce college tuition, a significant benefit for those who struggle financially. However, it’s crucial to realize that although getting a solid education is essential to surviving today, curiosity and a sense of self are just as important, if not more so. And school today just isn’t getting that part of the job done.
