Strategy #2: Questioning

Okay, so I just talked about one of the strategies I've been using lately-- letting the kids observe and wonder and make predictions, but not providing them with the "correct answers." This makes them feel really safe-- there are no "I told you sos" or any kids feeling smug. It promotes an environment where even the kid who feels like a science loser can participate without worry. This incorporates not only observation, but reading, writing, speaking, analysis of an idea, judgment, debate and even reflection into your week. But what did I do to keep them thinking? I asked the little suckers a TON of questions. And boy, did they hate me for it.

As teachers, we barrage our kids with a multitude of questions... but what are meaningful ones? And how do we get them to actually THINK before they speak?

Commonly, I've noticed that students want to give you the answer they THINK you're looking for. They want the praise and the satisfaction of being right... but they're not THINKING. They're simply reacting to what you put in front of them. Most teachers, when a "right" answer is shouted out feel happy. Ahh yes, they are on the same page. Excellent. Of course, you soon realize that it's only 4-5 big-mouthed students who are with you....and they haven't even processed the question. They don't know why the question is important. So, because sometimes you're just GOING to ask questions that have obvious answers (even dreaded yes/no ones)... try to fix it. Or as the dude from Spiderman would say: try to rectify certain inequities. Okay, so that doesn't quite work here. But onward!

Let's look at how this works in my classroom on at least a monthly basis.

1. Miss J asks question.
2. Kids shout out answer, gleeful that they know the answer, and will make Miss J oh-so-very proud.
3. Miss J realizes that students took NO time to think about what she posed..and realizes it is her own fault for asking such a dopey, shallow question.
4. Miss J pauses and gives the kids.... THE LOOK. You know the one. Slightly pursed lips to one side, furrowed brow, slightly narrowed eyes. It's the look that says "Reallly? Is that seriously how you're going to answer that?"
5. The kids see The Look (Number 216 in case you're counting) and IMMEDIATELY give the OPPOSITE ANSWER. "Ah ha! Now this HAS to be right!"
6. Miss J gives them the look again.
7. Class dissolves in confusion. What is she doing?!?! NEITHER WAS RIGHT? AWW GAWD!
8. Miss J says something like "This time, I want you to PAUSE and THINK before you speak. Raise your hands when you are ready." OR "This time, I want you to jot down your answer. When it's complete, raise your hand."
9. Miss J gives them a variation of the question, but HOPEFULLY in a deeper format. The kids pause, think, reply.
10. Miss J asks them why in the world she wouldn't take their first answers. Discussion ensues.
Problem solved.

Most helpful tool: GIVING THEM THE LOOK EVEN WHEN THEY ARE RIGHT.
Why I do it?: To get them to think before they respond, to second guess what they originally might think, to think beyond the surface level, and to be able to give JUSTIFICATION for their answer.


Many days I do "warm-ups" in the morning as bell work. For warm ups, students are allowed to use their notes. (It's a clever way to make them recopy them in a different format and in their own words, most days. Heh heh heh. God, I'm crafty. Of course, the kids that don't TAKE them struggle... most end up taking them eventually.) After about 5 minutes, students are given 1 minute to share with their neighbor. Then, they KEEP their work and self check it. I go over the answers, and they add any information they DIDN'T have into their work. I collect all of these at the end of the week.

ANYHOW, as I'm in the check stage, I ask the question, and get volunteers to give the answer.
RULE: THEY MUST ANSWER IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.

This takes a while to get used to, so we walk through the process. I write down EXACTLY what the kids says. Even "errs" and "uumms" and giggles. This usually breaks the tension a little bit, and we all have a good laugh-- but only if the student is one who can handle it.

If the student says one word, I write just that one word down. Then, I then ask the student if he or she can fix it on his/her own and make it into a sentence. They think a few seconds and do. I give mucho praise. Then, I ask the class "what word can we replace thing/something/the object/stuff with?" We make the sentence better, it evolves. And the next question continues the trend.

By the end of the answering period.....

1. They will think before they speak. It takes longer time to construct a sentence. This means your answers will be more thought out.
2. Because the answers will be more thought out, kids will stumble upon a justification, extension or an example they might not have thought of initially.
3. You get to praise them more-- not only on their answers and word choices, but on their THINKING which is far more important.
4. Almost all of your kids will be answering in complete sentences and actively thinking!

Why is this awesome?
It helps their writing.
It slows them down.
It gives "slower" kids a chance to think a bit longer.
It builds confidence.
It allows piggybacking.


A challenge: if I am asking for examples, I won't let students answer back THE SAME WAY. This makes the answering kind of a game AND they can work on their transition/sequencing words.

EX:

1. Miss J, one example of a consumer is a rabbit.
2. Another example of a consumer would be a turkey.
3. In addition to rabbits and turkeys, armadillos are also consumers.
4. Consumers in a desert climate might also be gila monsters and cactus wrens.


More questioning strategies:
1. Ask a student to REPEAT the answer the last student said VERBATIM. WHY? They have to listen to the other students-- not JUST you. Everyone is a teacher, everyone is a learner, everyone is important.
2. NEXT: Ask a third student to REPEAT the answer the last student said IN THEIR OWN WORDS. Why? It forces them to use their own language and synthesize or summarize to create meaning for themselves.

Okay. I'm done for now. Too may epiphanies and I'm drained. So... just one question....

Do you get why I'm doing all this?

Wait. Did you just shout YES!

Sigh. Look 216 comin' right atcha.