LEARNING TO LEARN
Maddeningly , it seems these perceptions of peers and teachers are unfounded . Video interviews , which were played in Lower Sixth and Year 9 assemblies to encourage student questions , indicated that teachers regard students who ask questions as confident , bright and engaged . Furthermore anonymous polls in assemblies found that the large majority of students find peers ’ questions beneficial to their learning .
So what can be done to commence combat with the entrenched myth that teachers and peers don ’ t appreciate student questions ? There seem to be some straightforward steps we can take during our lessons . Circulating around our classrooms and checking in with each student demonstrates an encouraging teacher demeanour and reduces the number of peers able to hear a question being voiced . As put by one student : “ I think people are a lot more inclined to actually ask a question when it ’ s one-on-one .” Anecdotally , having trialled this in my own lessons , the simple act of passing by a student ’ s desk appears to encourage them to assess their own understanding and search their mind for any questions they want to ask . It seems encouraging student questions goes hand in hand with encouraging student reflection , a form of higher-order thinking . Explicitly praising questions should also go a long way in confirming our appreciation of them . Without being disingenuous , this praise needs to be regular to negate the longstanding perception of questions as a sign of intellectual weakness . It seemed to work for this student : “... when [ the teacher ] praises you , it feels like there ’ s , it counters the environment around you and your peers , so you don ’ t feel as bad asking the question .” Allowing pair or small group discussion , before opening the floor to questions , can bolster confidence in the validity of a student ’ s question too as indicated by another participant : “... the more you get that [ small group discussion ], the more questions you ’ ll ask because also you feel like you ’ re helping other people and also feeling like people are similar to you , you ’ re not like , the only person who doesn ’ t understand .” We feel safety in numbers .
the teacher with even more feedback on student understanding . If few students were confident they could answer their peer ’ s query , perhaps the concept should be reviewed with the whole group .
Ordinarily , a student question signifies an attentive , reflective student who provides their teacher with immediate feedback on their learning progress . Students withholding questions prevent their teachers from fully assessing their understanding and helping them develop further . Quod erat demonstrandum , the only stupid question is the one never asked . Let ’ s make sure our students know it .
Rest assured , more student questions does not have to mean more work for the teacher . We are not , after all , encyclopedias of our subject knowledge and there are several ways to help a student answer their question . A direct answer may be required but , often , guiding students in the use of a textbook , or looking back in class notes , is equally helpful as it promotes research skills students can use when stuck outside the classroom . In this way , we can help our students become more independent learners . Alternatively , directing a student ’ s question to the rest of the class can foster a more collaborative learning environment , as students work together to develop their understanding , whilst providing
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