Chapter 5: Questioning Strategies

Chapter 5: Why Ask? Questioning Strategies in the Classroom

           

            I am very fortunate this semester to be in a classroom observing a teacher who is very skilled in questioning techniques.  She teaches both math and social studies.  She covers all 6 levels of Bloom’s “higher-order” questioning as she teaches.  All teachers at the school are teaching using the common core standards which holds teachers accountable for teaching higher-order skills.  She has the students to state facts (level 1-knowledge).  She has students comparing the information to other forms (level 2-comprehension).   She will ask different students who have completed a math problem to show their work on the board then ask students to compare the methodology each student used to arrive at the same answer.  She will then ask students how this can be used in everyday life (application-level 3), and asks them to explain why they feel this solution would be appropriate for that particular situation (level 4-analysis).  She has students to write about what they have learned in their journal and come up with new ways to use the information they have just studied (level 5-synthesis).  Finally, students will share what they have written in their journals and the class will have a discussion where students may ask questions and defend their reasoning/judgment for the entry (evaluation- level 6).

            Effective questioning techniques are essential in the classroom.  I know that right now I am not skilled in this area.  I hope that by the end of the semester, with the observation of such a skilled teacher, I will have improved questioning skills.

Questions:

1.  How do you use effective questioning without absorbing too much time on one question?

2.  What motivators could be used as “hand-raisers” to get students answering questions in the classroom?

Higher Order Thinking Skills Question Templates:

http://www.med.wright.edu/sites/default/files/aa/facdev/_Files/PDFfiles/QuestionTemplates.pdf

Kind of a teacher checklist for questions in the classroom:

http://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/asking-questions-improve-learning

Chapter 7: Reflection

Chapter 7:  Getting It Down: Making and Taking Notes Across the Curriculum

            It has been a number of years since I was in grade school.  At that time, we were not offered any help, skills, or instruction in note-taking.  This would have been a great asset for me as I am someone who takes notes verbatim.  I miss many key concepts because of this.  I will continue writing previous notes as the instructor moves on to new information.  I am also a person who needs proficient notes to study, even though I am present and attentive in class.  I feel efficient note-taking skills should be taught in students’ early years.  Reading this chapter is inspiring for me to teach myself, and later my students, practical note-taking skills.

            The internet is such a valuable resource.  I found several “note-taking for elementary students” interactive sites.  I didn’t have the time to go through the sites thoroughly enough to recommend some as I did on the first blog posting. 

            In order to teach note-taking, there are so many questions to consider.  How do you decide what is important? What are these notes going to be used for? Will they be used to take a test?  Will they be used to write a paper?  With so many options to choose from just for organizing notes, as teachers how would we sample each of these in order to reach our student’s diverse learning styles? 

            I realize that I have more questions than content.  This is a valuable skill that I am inadequate in and certainly should become more proficient in order to teach my students.

Questions:

1.  Are there some other helpful ways you have learned or other experiences you have taught yourself that have to do with note-taking?

2.  How early should we begin teaching the valuable skill of note-taking to students?