“My magic words have turned out to be ‘I don’t know.'” – Rachel Naomi Remen
This quote ends Remen’s introduction to the last section of her book, “Kitchen Table Wisdom,” what she titled “Mystery & Awe.”
As a teacher, I think it’s my job to nurture the concepts of mystery and mastery together, rather than pushing kids toward mastery at the expense of mystery. I believe this balance holds part of the puzzle missing in schools today.
💡 Why Mystery Matters:
- ✨ Awe Spurs Action. When children feel the mystery inherent in everything, they will naturally want to achieve mastery. Nurturing their intrinsic motivation is key.
- 🛑 Tests Steal Wonder. Insistence on mastery, such as through high stakes tests, robs students of mystery to the point where they may think it does not exist.
- 🤝 Trust is the Real Lesson. Honesty, especially when a teacher admits “I don’t know,” nurtures trust and helps students connect to their true nature.
The goal of much modern schooling is to push kids toward mastery. Unfortunately, this often leads students to “study for the test,” encouraging them to cram information and then forget it quickly. There is certainly no sense of mystery in that kind of learning.
Related, a powerful teaching moment comes when a teacher says, “I don’t know. Let’s find out.” If this statement is honest, it nurtures trust, which is foundational to connecting with students. Done well, the teacher shifts from being the sole expert to becoming a co-learner. The teacher’s wisdom then lies not in imparting knowledge, but in helping students seek out answers to their own questions.
These are the skills that last a lifetime, which is truly what education is supposed to be all about. Embracing the “I don’t know” is how we embrace the “Mystery & Awe” needed for growth, leading to true understanding – mastery.
Andy Smallman 