Chapter 3- Loving the Questions
The questioning chapter- The first thing I appreciated about this chapter was the different ideas/thought processes that it helped me to develop when thinking about the idea of questions. I think at times we are all guilty of wanting to take the easy road so we either give a student the answer, or we give them the juicy questions, Rather than allowing them to come to those questions and answers on their own. Combining this chapter and some ideas I got at Nationals, I planned a whole unit for my 5th graders. My gears have been turning for weeks, but I've just now been able to get the progress recorded here.
"Imagine how it would be if your students' interests and burning questions determined the vector of teaching and learning in your classroom and if your job as teacher were primarily to create a curricula that grew out of the questions arising in the learners who joined you each day." (Stuchul & Uhl P53) This statement hit home because we kept toying with this idea of heroes/super heroes while my student teacher was with me, and many students overheard and became very excited. So I decided let’s run with this thing they are so energetic about and make it meaningful- We are going out with a bang! I also feel like this statement will be driving a lot of my curriculum next year- and this idea of questioning and exploration lines right up with our new standards :) They also talk about the idea of trusting our students in have this natural curiosity, and to be deep thinkers (This paid off more than I could possibly have imagined- see week 11 & 12).
"A well framed question can unlock mystery." (Stuchul & Uhl P56) This is a great reminder for me personally. I think of those times when someone has posed just the right question and it totally sent my brain wondering in a great way. Creating really deep questions and answering them is not my forte, in fact that is why I have a tendency to shy away from this idea sometimes. But this chapter helped me to bring more light to my own insecurities as well as abilities- and to know that they are developing.
I love this idea of questions to create community (reminds me of the scene in Freedom Writers when she is creating this sense of community and empathy with her questions!) This is what I used for my lesson.
2. Pre thinking on lesson with “why questioning” Share a roughly outlined lesson plan, add a descriptive narrative. It might be interesting to interview yourself with why questions (record it) and transcribe it…. However you accomplish this, make sure you're reflecting deeply on the process.
My pre-thinking for my lesson was generated from this idea that I wanted my students to really think deeply about this idea of a hero- knowing they would be challenging each other, I knew we needed to create a sense of community and respect for one another. Please keep in mind these are 5th graders during MAP testing, spring fever, full moon, hormones are setting in, and it’s a class combined with another ¼ of a class- so they are together for specials class- but not during teamwork/brainstorming in the classroom.
Questions that I originally wanted to pose:
1. How many of you enjoy school?
2. How many of you enjoy spending
time with your friends?
3. How many of you think school
is hard?
4. How many of you think MAP
testing is hard?
5. How many of you are worried
about middle school next year?
6. How many of you want to take
art/choir/band/drama next year? J
7. How many of you like living in
our community of Blue Springs?
8. How many of you like the
neighborhood you live in?
9. How many of you can think of
something you would like to change about Blue Springs?
10. How many of you think there
are problems in Blue Springs?
11. How many of you think would
like to help your community to be a better place?
12. How many of you think that you
could help with solutions to make your community better?
13. How many of you can think of a
hero?
14. How many of you can think of a
hero from Blue Springs?
Knowing that their
answers would guide me, I brought this list to school and we played our question
game! Questions for Amy- my question doesn’t relate to the class- but it relates to you and how you teach, so answer if you want.
I prompt this question because I am always remembering watching you explore those oil paint sticks last year- I was mesmerized watching you jump in with no fear, worry, and no preplan, just raw discovery. You are extremely comfortable with letting go and allowing things to happen in your art and your thought process. And from what I’ve seen with your students, big and small J you work really hard to promote this questioning exploring environment. In that environment there are a lot of unknowns. So: How as a teacher do you become more comfortable with the unknown for our students and their work And how do you help them become more comfortable with this?
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