Asking questions
RECENTLY, a student of Grade 8 asked a few questions in a rapid sequence during a science lesson. Her mind was reeling and one question led to another. The questions were met, as they inevitably are, with suspicion, and the teacher retaliated with ‘don’t act too smart’. That rebuttal is flawed at many levels. Firstly, aren’t students being sent to school to become smart? Isn’t the purpose of all learning geared towards asking questions relentlessly to engage with content on a deeper level?
Unfortunately, our schools have always laid more emphasis on discipline and compliance than relentless learning. Any behaviour that breaks the flow of the teacher’s talk time is met with rebuke. It’s almost as if the teachers are racing against the clock to regurgitate what they know in each chapter of the textbook being taught.
Students cannot be involved in learning in depth, nor can they learn to answer questions if they don’t ask. Questions don’t arise in a vacuum; they are the result of a thinking mind. Fostering a culture where questions are encouraged and appreciated helps instil a love for learning in students. It teaches them that curiosity is a strength and that questions demonstrate critical thinking.
This mindset is particularly crucial in primary and secondary classrooms, where students are still shaping their view of the world and belief systems and, at this stage, it is important for adults to value their self-expression as they learn to think, express and share ideas.
Besides, questions in class, and indeed later on in professional life, provide valuable feedback reflecting understanding as well as gaps in knowledge. They also encourage collaboration, help students develop a voice and gain confidence in their abilities. Questions can create a vibrant learning environment, albeit noisy and chaotic. Chaos is often misunderstood in our culture as a lack of discipline, even though the sparks of intelligence and revelation often take root in chaos.
Educators who fear too many questions are often vying for control.
Educators who fear too many questions in class are often vying for control, hoping that they can orchestrate an environment where the teacher remains the main character in the movie. If students are to develop the confidence to ask, explore and unlock their potential, they need a safe, non-
judgemental environment where the quality and frequency of questions is not controlled. In an ideal world, students would not hesitate to ask or answer questions.
There is much literature and work being done on the foundational skills of learners in early years. Yet, the power of engaging them through questions is underrated. One of the fundamental ways that children develop communication skills is to practise relaying their thoughts, and the transformation to active learning comes from being involved, engaged and motivated.
When questions are unwelcome, it not only stifles curiosity, it discourages creative thinking and out-of-the-box solutions and negatively affects students’ self-esteem as they lose their ability to express themselves and start relying on another authority to simply ‘transfer’ content that they are expected to learn and reproduce.
Fast forward a few years — when these learners engage with technology, they will no longer have the skill to conduct research on their own using their digital literacy skills. Their engagement with AI, for example, rests on asking the right questions, using relevant prompts and leading their own learning. A large part of research prompts has to do with framing the right questions. When they no longer have the skills to engage with technology, the tools of learning become redundant in real-world experiences.
Reading and comprehension skills are required in all subjects, at all educational levels. Whilst teachers give questions to be answered by students, few take the time out to flip the formula and ask students to come up with questions based on what they read. The quality of the questions students come up with is a quick assessment method signalling which students have read and understood the content.
Asking questions, whether relevant or not, helps students learn decision-making, challenges their thinking and clarifies their thoughts. It also prepares them for a world where they will have to engage in conversations on topics they know little about and will need to ask questions to learn how to develop their understanding.
The best scientists in history have engaged in problem-solving by asking hypothetical questions. How are we to produce problem solvers if students are only taught to learn content they receive and are not equipped to build on it through interrogation and original thought?
The writer is a teacher, educator, author and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK. The views expressed are her own and do not reflect those of her employer.
Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2024
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