While driving my Kindergartener to school, I’m flooded with questions. No, I’m not analyzing life’s deepest thoughts at the moment, but rather, my daughter has her curious hat on, and she’s wondering about the concept of termites today. Yesterday, it was what is gluten and do nuts have it in them.
What happens to our kids that in Kindergarten they ask so many questions without any filter and by middle school, students are paralyzed with fear that their questions are “right.” Something is killing their curiosity and perhaps it’s because we’ve been too focused on answers and not questions; we ceased teaching the art of questioning. Was it not Socrates who developed the classroom of questions before school was a formal institution? Maybe we should get back to this.
When we take a closer look at our classrooms, we see that teachers are overwhelmed with what they must cover in the curriculum and they must deliver it in a timely fashion. But does this equate to the students learning? We are usurping the floor and talking with hopes that they are listening. Maybe the tables could be turned to have the students be inquiry-minded and curiosity seeking which can increase engagement and therefore learning.
Let’s look at one step at a time changing the dynamic of teacher talking and get the students asking.