Purposeful Questioning

This week's readings were about purposeful questioning. Purposeful questioning is so important in the classroom. Not only does it extend our students thinking, it also leads to authentic learning. Engaging students deepens their understanding and helps them reach new levels of learning.

This concept of engaging in purposeful questioning got me thinking about how I teach and question my students. This week concluded my first formal observation. I was thrilled to be rated effective in all areas. What got me thinking was their feedback about how I question my students. In class, I am constantly questioning my students. When they ask me a question, I respond to them with a question. I think this is really important because it makes them think through their responses.

Another question I ask my students a lot is to explain their thought process. As a teacher, not only am I assessing their answers, I'm also assessing how they got there. Seeing how students work through problems helps me see where they take wrong turns and I can better assist them in getting the correct answer in the future. My goal is to grow my students and the best way to do this is to question them and have them develop thought processes that require critical thinking skills. Practicing these skills in a controlled environment, like a classroom, helps students become more comfortable and helps prepare them for the world outside of school.