The Power of Questions in Classroom Learning

Have you ever pondered about the curiosity of children? They send forth a barrage of ‘whys’ in almost incessant repetition to almost every experience they encounter.  It is a time of wonder, firsts, and initial learning about how the world works.  The curiosity of childhood seems to wane over time and before you know it, we are adults who have fallen into the rank and file, following directions, and carrying out tasks. Long too soon, our childlike curiosity and inquiry has been silenced. The truth is, asking questions and being curious is an important ingredient to critical thinking. In fact, asking questions is one way to be creative and successful in life. 

Why, What If, & How?

In “A More Beautiful Question” by Warren Berger, the why’s, what ifs, and how’s, often asked by children, are also good questions for adults to have a curious, questioning mindset. This mindset fosters outside of the box thinking and creativity. The author suggests that a good practice when setting goals is to hold a ‘question-storming session’ instead of brainstorming session, and asking the questions of “what if”, “why”, “how” and as part of the creative planning process. You can expect many questions to flow out of this process before developing a goal. Eventually through all the questions, an action plan can be developed. This is the process of turning “what if” into reality. By asking these questions, persons move away from the norm to embrace something new. Ultimately, the process boils down to choosing a goal, thinking how to reach that goal, and then doing it! The most creative companies are those that encourage employees to search for innovative solutions that refresh the organization. Some sample questions to refresh an organization are:

·      Why are things the way they are?

·      Why not try something different?

·      What if we try this…?

·      How could we implement this?

Berger also suggests that asking questions about one’s personal life can also spark positive change and increase happiness. Asking oneself “what if I changed just one thing about my life”, can bring about positive, refreshing change. He also speaks to the importance of asking oneself what they are thankful for and expressing gratitude, as one way of improving overall happiness.    

Fostering a Culture of Inquiry in the Classroom

If asking questions and being curious is an important ingredient to critical thinking, then as educators we must infuse this kind of paradigm in the classroom. If asking questions is one way to be successful in life, then this critical thinking tool should be enforced across all grade levels. Just imagine if the direction of a lesson was based on students asking questions and being curious about subjects. Every lesson can start with the question “why”. Students can ask ‘why’ the current situation is the way it is, “what if” something was a different way, and the creativity flows from there. Teachers can serve as guides, keeping the discussions on track and supporting creative thinking.  Instead of talking ‘at’ students, imagine a classroom where students are supported in learning what they want to learn based on a question-storming session where BIG goals are set, and students are engaged in the direction of the learning process. This is a big goal for my classroom in the coming year ahead. The focus for me will be guiding learning through the framework of curiosity and LOTS AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS!    

Reference

Berger, W., & Cummings, M. (2021). A more beautiful question: The power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas. Bloomsbury Publishing.