Teacher questioning helps the student bridge the gap between the content and the concepts that organize the content. When presented content, people employ critical thinking skills in an attempt to make sense of it. The Mechanics of Highly Effective Questioning HEQ considers the type of question, the order the questions are asked, and the manner each question phrased. Types of questions asked ensure that the student does as much mental work as possible: open-ended questions HEQ is not random questioning, is done to get students to be problem solvers, normally requires the teacher to ask about connections that exist in the lesson itself [not create artificial bridges between different lessons], and is used primarily as a “re-teaching” tool. When phrasing questions, consider: Scope start with a broad scope then narrow each subsequent question is dependent upon the student response. [lead them w/o their knowledge of being led] Ask “What do you see?” instead of “Did you see [X]?” Intentionality each question should be asked with a goal or purpose in mind ____________________________________ Phrase questions so student responses are specific, justified and complete. Highly Effective Questioning Developing the Seven Steps of Critical Thinking By definition, a critical thinking skill must: Be a mental act shows the student is thinking and is not the actual product produced Be a critical act have a purpose other than recite from memory Be something that can be taught or developed through instruction not a collection of personal experiences Be useful in more than one area of content Lead to genuine understanding recall is not a critical thinking skill because it is hard to teach someone to memorize, it is difficult to memorize endless lists of data, and is not generalizable to other content areas. labeling is an example of a critical thinking skill. Ask students to: ”Label the parts of a graph.” “Identify the main character of a story.” Students need to notice key elements first RELEVANT FACTS FIRST Ask, “Was the dog important to the story?” instead of “What color was the dog?” Critical thinking skills are a specific set of mental acts to find generalized rules that help students make sense of a variety of content. Critical Thinking Skills are: teachable, tangible, & useful Students must see how a rule applies to a specific set of facts—Concepts are tied to their content. Why do we ask questions? Make an assessment Keep students engaged Query for comprehension/provide feedback Keep teachers focused Lead the learner to understanding Implications for Our School If all teachers employ the strategy of asking effective questions and require critical thinking, students no longer wonder, “Why do I have to answer in this class if I’m allowed to just watch in others?” It may help better define the culture in the School for Scientific Studies as one that encourages/demands student participation, exhibits high expectations, provides an environment conducive to questioning and demonstrates specific, consistent classroom practices that engage all students in every classroom. A “standardized” questioning framework may also encourage Staff to identify & employ a common vocabulary in concepts that are cross-discipline.