The importance of a teacher’s effective questioning cuts across all curricula. Knowing your subject well and having experience help fuel the most successful questioning. So, in my short time working with children, one thing I try to do is turn the students’ questions back to them or show them how to ask a different question to help them resolve their query. I try to show them an alternate way of looking at something or steer them in a new direction. I try not to provide answers, just guidance.
Chapter 7 has a few items that struck me and are thoughts that I want to bear in mind as I grow. Firstly, the importance of observation time before children look for explanations is crucial (p. 191). This cognitive development would be key in teaching a plants unit to 2nd graders. Also, I liked the authors’ explanation of “convergent and divergent thinking” and how they relate to closed and open-ended questions. Especially given the research that is referred to on page 186, it’s a shame that teachers don’t ask more open-ended questions. I suppose they don’t because it takes more time and effort. Additionally, time is once again a factor, especially when talking about “wait-time.” The Rowe study that shows the advantages of adding just 2 or more seconds of wait-time is astounding (p. 201). I will be ultra aware of this as I do my clinicals and student teaching. I will also be cognizant of the distinction of wait-times “1 and 2,” 2 being “the pause that follows the burst of responses by the students.” Finally, I like how a teacher’s support and scaffolding of questions can lead to students’ metacognition or children learning to help themselves.
Lastly, encouraging your students goes a long way and I have always tried to look for good in every student, even if this can be challenging at times. One thing I have trouble doing is keeping children’s comments on track. Especially with the 2nd graders in my clinical, sometimes their contributions have little to do with the topic. I do my best to either gently cut them off, or rephrase their comment to make it pertinent. I want them to feel safe to voice their opinion and be involved, but I sometimes may need to remind them to stay on topic. Ultimately, I believe good questioning is a skill that will develop with reflection, time, and practice.
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