Blog Posts

Helping Our Children Become Teachable

Intellectual Humility is the recognition that we do not know everything and that we may be wrong, along with a willingness to listen, learn, admit mistakes, and revise our thinking. Humility is sometimes misunderstood. It does not mean thinking poorly of yourself or being afraid to have an opinion. Instead, intellectual humility means being honest about what we know…and what we don't know.

A humble thinker can say:

“I don't know.”
“I might be wrong.”
“I hadn't thought about it that way.”
“I need to learn more.”
“I was wrong. Let me reconsider.”

These are not signs of weakness. They are signs of a person who loves Truth more than simply being right.

Why Does Intellectual Humility Matter?

Our children live in a world filled with information and opinions. They will encounter people who confidently tell them what is true, what is false, what they should believe, and what they should reject. We want our students to be able to think for themselves…but thinking for yourself does not mean assuming that you are always right. Intellectual humility allows a student to hold convictions while remaining teachable. It helps students listen carefully, consider evidence, recognize the limits of their own knowledge, receive correction, and change their minds when Truth requires it. For Christians, this is particularly important. We worship a God who knows all things; we do not. Our confidence ultimately rests not in our own understanding, but in God and in Truth.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” — Proverbs 3:7

Humility makes learning possible.

How Does Intellectual Humility Develop?

Just like Curiosity, humility grows and changes as children mature.

Preschool — WONDER

“I don't know yet.”

Young children are naturally aware that there is much they do not know. We can encourage them to ask questions, listen to others, and recognize that learning is something we do throughout our lives.

Lower Elementary K–2 — DISCOVER

“I can learn from others.”

Students begin to recognize that other people may know things they don't. They can practice listening, receiving correction, admitting mistakes, and being willing to try again.

Upper Elementary 3–5 — INVESTIGATE

“I might not have the whole answer.”

Students can begin to recognize that difficult questions may require more information and that their first answer may not always be their best answer. They learn to ask, “What am I missing?” and “What else should I consider?”

Middle School 6–8 — EVALUATE

“I should examine what I think…and why.”

Students become increasingly capable of recognizing assumptions, evaluating evidence, considering other perspectives, and identifying weaknesses in their own reasoning. They learn that changing one's mind in response to good reasons is not failure; sometimes it is evidence of good thinking.

High School 9–12 — PURSUE TRUTH

“I care more about what is true than about being right.”

Mature intellectual humility enables students to investigate independently while recognizing the limits of their own knowledge. They can hold strong convictions without becoming unteachable, listen thoughtfully to disagreement, evaluate arguments fairly, acknowledge mistakes, and revise their conclusions when warranted. The goal is not uncertainty about everything. The goal is confidence without arrogance and conviction without closed-mindedness.

How Can Parents Encourage Intellectual Humility?

1. Let your children hear you say, “I don't know.”

Our children don't need parents who have an answer for everything. Let them see you model a willingness to learn.

“I'm not sure. Let's find out.”

2. Admit when you're wrong.

One of the most powerful lessons we can give our children is to hear us say:

“I was wrong about that. I need to correct myself.”

When adults can admit mistakes without embarrassment, children learn that being wrong is not something to fear.

3. Ask, “What might we be missing?”

When your child has a strong opinion, don't immediately challenge it. Instead, ask questions that encourage deeper thinking:

“What makes you think that?”
“Is there another way to look at it?”
“What information might we be missing?”

4. Teach children to receive correction.

Correction is part of learning. Help your child see feedback not as an attack, but as an opportunity to grow.

5. Model listening.

Let your children see you genuinely listen when someone disagrees with you. You can disagree with someone while still taking their ideas seriously.

A Simple Challenge for Your Family

At some point this week, ask your children:

“What is something you don't know yet that you'd like to learn?”

Then ask:

“What is something you have changed your mind about because you learned something new?”

And perhaps most importantly, let them hear you answer those questions yourself. Intellectual humility reminds us that none of us has arrived. There is always more to learn, more to understand, and more Truth to pursue. At WCA, we want our students to grow from the wonder of “I don't know yet” to the mature recognition that “I may not know everything—and that's why I will keep learning.”

That is not weakness. That is humility.

Soli Deo Gloria