Slaughter's Innovative Moment
March 11-17 is Question Week- Let's Talk About Questions
The Importance of a Good Question
Knowing the answers will help you in school. Knowing how to question will help you in life. - Warren Berger
It is essential for a teacher to ask the proper questions to direct the learning process. Asking questions helps to create an environment of deeper thinking and even more so when the students are the ones that are posing the questions.
When students leave our classrooms and go out into the great- wide- open, long gone will be the days when someone is asking them questions to drive them to the next thought. We need students to learn to question and think for themselves. They need to learn how to question the world around them, the media, and the knowledge that is spoken as truth.
Most knowledge is formulated in the earlier ages. Why? They wear everyone out with questions of course!
The older students get, the less apt they are to ask questions. Part of this is because we are strapped for time and tend to hurry it along and we miss the impact student inquiry can have on the process. Connecting students to the process of inquiry create a stronger connection between the content and the student. It creates ownership.
By reversing the flow of questions we help prepare the student for leadership and empower them with the will to think about what they know is true and questions what they hear and read. When they learn to question the knowledge given, they will discover deeper understanding.
Warning: This takes scaffolding and many tries before you begin seeing a difference. Why? Pure and simple, students are out of practice. They are used to being asked the questions and being in charge of the questions takes a bit of getting used to.
The Question Formulation Technique
Step 1- Question Focus
Peek students interest in a topic with a picture, a statement, an article, a video, etc. It is essential not to make it a question. The media is a springboard for the questions that will be formulated. I would suggest presenting this to the students ahead of time and allowing them time to contemplate. You could post this on a class blog, eBackpack, or Google Classroom.
Step 2- Questions
Begin propagating a list or cloud of questions (it doesn't matter the shape). Have students ask as many questions as they can, do not stop to discuss, answer, or judge the questions. Write the questions precisely as the student poses them and have them change all statements they make into questions as well. You can use Padlet, Flipgrid, Pear Deck, or just paper and whiteboard. I suggest switching it up from time to time to keep it fresh.
Step 3- Improve the Questions
Once the question time has ceased, begin looking at the questions that have been presented. Analyze and Identify the questions as Googleable or Non-Googleable. Consider at this time having students change a question to a Non-Googleable question. This can be done by circling the Non-Googleable questions or possibly making a spreadsheet or chart separating the questions. Don't dismiss Googleable questions as not necessary, because they can be vital to the research but separating them can help students identify types of questions which improves the questioning ability.
Step 4- Prioritizing Questions
Have students reflect back to the essential question and learning goal and create a focus for your research. Have students select the questions that would bring about the best research for the topic or purpose. Discuss the rationale behind the decision to include the questions. This step takes the thinking from divergent to convergent and brings back a focus to what needs to be known to complete the task. Giving students a rubric or creating a list of criteria will help students prioritize the questions.
Step 5- Next Step
Begin research, lessons, or projects. Students have a more thorough knowledge of what they are working on after formulating the question. If using Pear Deck, you can use the Take-Away feature with Padlet you can arrange as you go.
Step 6- Reflection
Use the questions to reflect on the learning whether it is lessons or projects. These questions can be used as a model for a Socratic Seminar type final review of the unit. Reflecting on the questions and knowledge learned helps the student to internalize and remember.
Benefits to the teacher
QFT can help you focus your instruction and will give allows you a window into your classes understanding of the topic before you begin.
During or Post Instruction:
Teachers can use the questions as a jumping off point for assignments and classroom discussion. Referring back to the list as the unit is taught creates a review and helps refresh the minds.
This technique helps teachers to show students how to focus their investigations and create cohesive projects and writing.
Let's Be Honest It Will Not Be Easy- Nothing Worth Having is!
Practice Creates Experts: