“I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
What makes the sky blue? How does a fish drink water? Why does that person look different from me?
Anyone on the receiving end of a seemingly endless barrage of a preschooler’s questions knows the feeling: exasperation mixed with a shared curiosity about answers to those questions.
Harnessing this abundance of curiosity is essential to early childhood education. Between ages 4 and 5, children are ideally suited for questioning and learning. Their brains are still developing, and they’re not yet applying labels or assumptions, noted Warren Berger, author of A More Beautiful Question.
Early childhood educators view curiosity as crucial to a child’s development — not only academically, but emotionally and socially as well. The school classroom is an ideal environment to engage with young students’ curiosity about the similarities and differences among their peers.
“When young kids come to school, they’re part of a new community and growing into the human beings they’re going to be, so what better time to make our school community the best it can be? Acceptance, inclusion, and kindness are so important,” says Kate Silverman, educational consultant and former teacher and school administrator.
No one is more aware of the need for curiosity around acceptance, inclusion, and kindness than parents who know firsthand the value of their young child being accepted.
“People with disabilities are often marginalized, and others don’t see them as whole people,” says Rebecca Macsovits, Colorado-based author.
Macsovits’ oldest son, Guion, who thrives with Down syndrome, has been an inspiration for her work and advocacy for acceptance and empathy since he came into the world 18 years ago.
“It was about a year after he was born, I had the idea for a rainbow-maned lion with a message of seeing people who look different on the surface — but you really have to be curious to see what’s underneath,” Macsovits says.
Her idea became reality when her children’s book, Guion the Lion, was published in 2020. The colorful book is filled with messages of compassion and curiosity for young children, helping them see the fun to be had in appreciating everyone’s differences.
“The book is inspired by someone with a disability, but the focus is on impacting everyone and making them a better human being,” Silverman says.
Curiosity in the Classroom
It didn’t take long for the value of Guion the Lion’s universal message to be realized on a larger scale. Driven by the inspiration of the book and her own desire for a world where every child is accepted and included, Macsovits launched the Curious B.E.I.N.G.s educational platform in 2023.
“The theme is curiosity, and the problem to solve is judgment,” Macsovits says. “You immediately have judgments when you meet a person, and the way to fight judgment is curiosity. It’s at the heart of what we do.”
She adds, “We’re all guilty of it — it doesn’t have to be a child, even adults do this. Part of the reason we delved into this space is to get to kids when they’re young to help them stay curious and open-minded.”
Curious B.E.I.N.G.s is designed as a supplement to educational curricula to support young people’s social development and help shift an outdated narrative of ‘disability’ to ‘hidden ability.’ Silverman, who is helping develop the platform, said the curriculum is turning the social construct around disability on its head and addressing a big gap in the classroom.
“Historically the conversation around disability has been focused on what students can’t do,” Silverman says. “We are shifting the narrative to celebrate what students can do — their strengths, their hidden abilities, and all the things that make them special and unique.”
The word “B.E.I.N.G.” is formed by the program’s core values: to be kind, encourage compassion, inspire creativity, nurture courage, and grow your mind. Macsovits says these values are needed to be a successful person in society.
The curriculum includes lesson plans with fun, engaging activities that complement the message of Guion the Lion. A teacher resource kit with tools to help lead conversations in a kid-friendly way that doesn’t shy away from answers about disabilities is also included.
“Of course there are going to be questions about disabilities specifically,” Silverman says. “Kids are going to have questions, and we don’t always have the support for the conversations. This really gives the support teachers need to normalize disability.”
The young program is still in its pilot phase, with about 1,000 students having participated in six schools across Colorado and in Illinois, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, and Maryland. Guion’s own kindergarten and elementary school teacher, Simón Price, has piloted the lessons and said the messaging about curiosity has been very well received by her students.
“It led to some nice, authentic conversations in the classroom about acceptance and differences — accepting and celebrating that,” Price says. “It’s a global message, respecting different perspectives and ways of thinking, and seeing the person first.”
Silverman reiterates that educator feedback has been positive and constructive. As the program’s creators continue to work with educational experts to hone its content, they are also building an online resource portal for teachers and parents. The long-term goal is for Curious B.E.I.N.G.s to become a national program in classrooms and libraries, filling a gap in social education for young learners and complementing school districts’ full student-centered learning curricula.
Ongoing Inspiration
As the Curious B.E.I.N.G.s platform continues to grow, Macsovits is amazed by Guion’s positive impact and influence among his family, friends, and beyond.
“All of this came from someone who has Down syndrome. We believe these life skills are universal, and we need to make sure we hold on to our inspiration.”
Guion’s many hidden abilities, Macsovits says, include his sharp sense of humor and incredible emotional intelligence — the ability to sense how someone is feeling, quickly offering comfort when it’s needed, and bringing joy and connection wherever he goes.
Guion — a fitness enthusiast — is set to graduate from high school this spring and is exploring what his postsecondary educational path will be. His mom says that his school experience has been good for not only him but good for his classmates too.
“The beauty of having someone with a disability in the classroom, and why inclusive classrooms are important, is because the learning can actually be richer,” she says. “For the typical person, they are growing too — learning empathy, leadership, life skills they wouldn’t necessarily have gotten if they weren’t in that classroom. It’s a win-win.”
Updates on the Curious B.E.I.N.G.s platform, as well as Macsovits’ collection of articles, the Guion the Lion book, and many other resources for embracing empathy and celebrating diversity, can be found at curiousbeings.org.
Author: Mary Peck, photos by Chris Coleman
Mary Peck is a writer and substitute teacher in Northern Colorado. She enjoys telling stories of fellow Coloradans and is continually amazed by the many hidden strengths and abilities of the students she meets in the classroom.
