Curiosity, Confidence, and the Power of Independent Thought – Interview with Dawn Nicole Hernandez
- Jun 29
- 7 min read
Knikki Hernandez is an educator, writing coach, tutor, podcaster, and founder of Turning the Tide Tutoring, where she helps students strengthen their reading, writing, communication, and independent thinking skills. Her work centers on helping young people move beyond performance-based learning and reconnect with curiosity, confidence, creativity, and purpose.
In this interview, Knikki explores why curiosity matters more than traditional measures of academic achievement, how students develop into confident independent thinkers, and what parents and educators can do to protect a child’s sense of identity, imagination, and human potential.
Dawn Nicole Hernandez, Founder of Turning The Tide Tutoring and New Generations Academy
What first convinced you that curiosity can be more powerful than traditional academic achievement?
I’ve always had an insatiable curiosity. I’ve always wanted to live, know, and experience everything that I possibly could in this life. This is where traditional academics fall short. While there’s nothing wrong with academic success, it fortifies the ego with grades, behavioral charts, and report cards. It also creates a measurement system of people who are all inherently equal but teaches them otherwise. This stifles curiosity and creativity because people become conditioned to measuring up against standards rather than learning for the sake of expanding their minds.
On the other hand, curiosity has led me to believe that wisdom and truth are in everything. This is powerful. I’ve found that the ability to question keeps me humble, the chance to be curious connects me with the right people, and the drive to find truth helps me live a life full of purpose, passion, and potential.
What patterns have you noticed in students who become confident, independent thinkers?
Students who become confident, independent thinkers have a sense of knowingness that something is different about them. They may conform to the system for a while because it’s what they’ve been told to do and it’s all they know. But that burning desire for a rich life never dies. They know that they were meant for more. The people who listen to that voice as opposed to the one that constantly compares them to someone else are the ones who find their purpose in life. Some refer to it as a calling.
As an example, I interviewed a gentleman on my podcast, The Gentle Year, who has a son who simply did not follow rules when he was younger. He couldn’t be contained or restrained in any way, and, for a while, both his life and his dad’s life were complete hell. The family tried different school systems and approaches, but nothing worked. It was heart-wrenching to listen to, but his dad didn’t give up on him. He knew that his son was different from the “All-American, picture-perfect son” he had envisioned having as a father, but his drive to figure out what made his son tick never wavered. As such, he was able to eventually figure out that his son had an affinity for the outdoors. His son is now living in a van, enjoying the life of his own making, and has a successful YouTube channel. The son and his father had a very strained relationship for a time, but now their connection is stronger than ever. There’s obviously much more to the story than I can share here, but one of the common denominators that I’ve found in confident, independent people is that they dream about a life where they can simply be themselves, and they never let go of that dream.
How do you help students discover strengths that may not be recognized in a conventional classroom?
Recognizing a student for their strengths is actually a lot more complex than one might think. I know for me, if someone told me that I was really good at something, I would take it to heart immediately. I’d also want to know more about why they felt that way. I might ask, “Really? What makes you say that?” I’d want to know what they saw so I could begin to see it in myself. It’s also great to receive recognition in general. It feels good. It can also reinforce your identity and make you more confident as a person, especially if your self-image is already good to begin with.
What I’ve found, though, is that a lot of students are actually averse to being recognized for their strengths. There are a lot of reasons for this. In some cases, they’re taught to deflect any attention off of themselves for fear of not being “humble,” but I’ve found that humble people aren’t the ones deflecting praise, they’re the ones who can see the gifts in others and acknowledge them for it. I’ve also found that students are fearful of standing out because of backlash they might receive from their peers. “Who does he think he is?” “She thinks she’s so much better than everyone else.” “I don’t know why people like him.” “She’s a suck-up.” All of these comments originate from insecurity and deprive people of the recognition they deserve.
Because of this, I keep my praise very light, casual, and subtle. Most of the time, it’s done in private, especially if it’s more personal in nature. I don’t get overly excited, even though that’s not how I feel. I’m stoked for them. I’m so happy for them. I want to jump up and down and shout for joy that they have this beautiful gift, but I don’t. I quietly and privately let them know that I simply see a talent in them and let them take the wheel from there because that’s what they are most comfortable with.
Some people ask if public recognition is appropriate. Yes, absolutely. I rarely ever plan these moments. They’re usually spontaneous. A kid, for example, might say something absolutely brilliant or insightful, to which I respond with a neutral compliment like That was well done rather than You did a nice job. It’s always sincere, but the key is to make it quick so that it’s not overdone. Turning a compliment into a long, drawn-out process would make them feel very uncomfortable, so I make sure to praise subtly and move on quickly.
Where do you think today’s education system most often discourages curiosity?
Traditional school is a 13-year conditioning process. It’s there to teach you to work, sit still, meet deadlines, ask for permission, and focus your attention on what the system wants or deems as worthy.
However, curiosity is innate to all human beings. Think of when you were a child. The world seemed more magical, didn’t it? That’s because it is magical. Human beings are creative beings. You have the ability to create your reality, anything you want, really. To create simply means “to bring into being,” but you’re told “You can’t do that,” countless times throughout your conditioning process. Unfortunately, it takes at least five positive comments just to neutralize a negative. But because the negative is such a common part of the daily conditioning process, it eventually tips the scale, and the person loses their sense of curiosity along with their creative abilities. This is to maintain control.
Why is independent thinking becoming increasingly important for the next generation?
This is such a huge question to answer, but the primary reason is because agendas are everywhere. Some are hidden beneath most people’s conscious awareness, and others are in plain sight. Either way, if you can’t think for yourself, then you have no ability to discern, and without that, you cannot truly comprehend. Everything simply “sounds good,” so you’ll go along with it. “Well, that doesn’t sound so bad, so it’s probably fine,” you’ll say. “I’ll leave this to the experts,” “My friends are all doing it,” “Who am I to question or disagree?” That’s a dependent thinker.
An independent thinker questions their reality. When you start thinking independently, you ask different questions, “Is this really all there is?” “Could there be a better way?” “Do I actually want to do this?” “What are the potential consequences?”
An independent thinker is one who has principles, morals, and values. When they say no, there’s a reason. When they say yes, there’s a reason. They can make decisions. They can lead themselves. They’re disciplined. They’re focused. They read. They think. They follow when they deem it’s appropriate to do so. They lead when it’s necessary. A dependent thinker does none of these things.
What is one simple shift parents can make to encourage deeper thinking at home?
Remove judgment. Don’t take a child’s question as a parental failing or a sign of rebelliousness. They are asking questions because they’re looking for answers, understanding, and truth. Do research with them. Anticipate their needs before they ask. Listen more than you speak, especially when a child is confiding in you. This will build their trust in you as a confident and trustworthy adult in their life. Doing the opposite will result in the erosion of the child’s identity and self-image.
How can educators help students build confidence without making performance the primary focus?
Try to give as much one-on-one attention to each student as you can. It’s not going to be a lot because you have so many students and only so much energy and time in a day, but if each student can in some way feel that you believe in them, that’s more powerful than any lesson you’ll ever teach. If you can’t give them more time individually, a simple comment on one of their papers, a word of encouragement between classes, or a genuine compliment mid-lesson is just as effective.
You often speak about human potential, what do people tend to underestimate about themselves?
That neither your potential nor your creative ability is in anyone else’s hands but your own. That there is an actual recipe for success. When you follow the recipe for success "exactly", the results will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen. I use it, and so do countless others, many of whom were uneducated, depressed, physically ill, or in dire financial situations. They’ve turned their lives around completely. This isn’t a man-made philosophy or “solution,” as human potential has nothing to do with people and everything to do with understanding your connection to the Divine.
If every parent, educator, and student embraced one idea from your work, what would you hope it would be?
That learning to read and write well is the key to confidence and success. Yes, you can have a measure of success without these skills, but the difference is like driving a rusted-out car with a cracked windshield, flat tires, peeling paint, and an engine that barely starts versus a sleek and brand-new luxury sports car with a spotless paint job, leather seats, tinted windows, and a powerful engine.
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