Blog Post # 4

What do we need to know about asking questions to be an effective teacher?

Asking questions:

-Types of questions
-open ended/ Close ended

Goal of a question:

-student vs teacher

Provoking thought:
-strategies
-questions

What do we need to know about asking questions to be an effective teacher? First, as a teacher you must ask your self what is the goal of a question from the teacher's perspective? The goal of a question is to essentially provoke thought and active learning among students. Most teachers begin this thought provoking process by asking what are called open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are used to enable active learning, and require a deeper thought process in order to answer them. This type of questioning also helps the teacher gauge student comprehension while in the middle of a lesson, enabling the teacher to mold the lesson to the students' needs at that time.
Another way to question students is through closed-ended questions. Closed-ended questions are questions that require only brief answers, usually yes or no type questions. This type of questioning can be used to keep focus during discussion and can also help to promote discussion. Teachers should always present students with effective and organized questions in order to guide their students towards active learning.
 Now, from the student's perspective the goal of a question is to learn more about the information that they are given and try to understand it. When a student asks a question they are using active learning, they are wanting to learn more about they are being taught and trying to reinforce what they are comprehending. According to http://teachingcenter.wustl.edu One strategy to help keep students engaged during questioning is by avoiding " leading questions". "A leading question is phrased in such a way that it suggests its own answer and therefore discourages students from thinking on their own." As EDM 310's motto goes " Questions are more important than the answers" and an effective teacher constantly strives to challenge their students to ask effective, active, and thought provoking questions in order to enhance their own knowledge and skills.