Joseph Rogers Primary School
September 28, 2015
Questions, Questions, and more Questions
Refining our questioning is also one of the reasons that we are unpacking standards. Once we understand what the standards are asking us to do, we will be better able to refine the questions that we ask our students.
Below is food for thought about questioning.
- What kind of questions are you asking your students? Did you know the least interesting questions are those with straightforward, factual answers. We are all guilty of asking student's questions that they already know the answer to. These questions are not making our students think. The goal of our questions should be for our students to have to struggle a little to come up with the answer. There is certainly a time and place for knowledge level questions, but where are we spending the majority of our time in questioning our students?
- What is the ultimate goal of your questions? Another article made an interesting point when it said the ultimate goal of a question isn't to acquire knowledge - you can always google this. I found it interesting that it stated every minute students are forced to spend memorizing the definition of a word (what is an author?) is a minute not spent wrestling with ideas (what would our world be like if we did not have authors?) When I left the classroom, I am not sure I asked questions that were always pushing students to think harder and deeper. We all like to ask questions so students can successful, but do we spend our time asking tons of questions instead of asking questions that truly make our students think?
- Are we giving students opportunities to ask questions? Do you give them an opportunity to ask questions before you begin a lesson so you will know what they want to learn about? Another article in this magazine talked about a teacher that had a great plan and a great lesson. She had students ask questions about what they wanted to learn when she taught the particular topic. Students came up with GREAT questions. But the teacher taught the lesson exactly the way she had planned instead of taking into account what the students had said they wanted to know more about.
A few notable quotes on questioning
Because imitation is a powerful form of learning, much of what students learn about questioning and problem-posing is a result of the teacher's modeling.
Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick, p. 66
Most students believe teachers ask questions to get the right answer (the teacher's answer)- so they stop thinking if a right answer doesn't immediately come to mind.
Jackie Acree Walsh and Beth Dankert Sattes p. 46
I want students to seek information and articulate their confusion. I don't want them repeating information that everyone already knows...
Cris Tovani p. 30
Students who learn to ask good questions are no longer just consumers of information; they are also generators of information.
Catlin Tucker p. 78
I truly believe that the best teachers in Tennessee are right here at JRP. You know how to teach and you know how to get results. I am glad that I am here and that I have opportunity to work with you.
Lori
Lots of Learning
Alphabet Boot Camp
JRP on display at the bank
Calendar of Events
what's happening at jrp
October 1 - 1st grade Grandparents Reader's Cafe in library
October 2 - end of 9 weeks; popcorn and drink; SWPBS reward; lunch provided for you in the library to celebrate the end of the first nine weeks
October 5-9 - FALL BREAK - rest and relax
October 12 - reteach rules for each area in our school
October 14 - Fall picture retakes
October 15 - after school training with HCSO
October 16 - report cards
Art Grant
Family Breakfast
Preparing our students
TN Promise
JRP teachers that will be mentoring students
Janice Marshall
Paula Carroll
Lori Smith
Tracie Jones
Jessi Hughes
Paula Carroll
Jennifer Belt
Susan Seals
Becky Redding
Cindi Roberts
Including myself, we have 11 teachers that will be mentoring!
writing
Parent Volunteers
thought
-Alfie Kohn
Joseph Rogers Primary School
Email: lori.allen@hck12.net
Website: jrp.hck12.net
Location: 2001 East Main Street, Rogersville, TN, United States
Phone: 423.272.9110