And the Answer Is…
From the desk of Carol C…
I’ve thought a lot about the role of questioning in our classrooms and its effect on students. Questioning, if used to help students think more critically is a vital part of any high achieving classroom. Lately though I’ve started thinking about the answers we give children. Whether kids are preschool age or in college the answers we give them open the door to learn more or shuts it and closes the discussion.
I wanted to find out how answering questions encourages curiosity and a desire to learn. I started on the internet and found some interesting research by Robert Sternberg. He states that there are seven levels of answers to questions. While Sternberg doesn’t believe that every question must be taken to the seventh level, he does believe that we need to answer children’s questions by providing scaffolding to reach the higher end of his scale. Below are the levels of answers along with examples of each.
Level I: Adults don’t answer the question.
Examples:
“Why do I have to eat my green peas?” Because I told you to.
“Why is McDonald’s fish square?” I don’t have time for that.
“I’m 15. Why do I have to have a curfew?” You just do.
Level II: Adults give a quick uninformative answer.
Example:
“Why is it cold outside?” It’s winter
“Why is that man bald?” He doesn’t have any hair.
“Why do we have proofs in geometry?” To help you prove something.
Level III: Adults may say they don’t know or give a simple answer.
Example:
“How does the rain wash away my chalk?” I don’t know. That’s a good question though.
“Why do some bikes have gears?” Gears keep your speed the same.
Level IV: Adults should encourage a child to find the answer by using a reliable source.
Example:
“What is a tortoise?” Let’s look that up in the dictionary.
“Where does pepperoni come from?” Let’s look in the encyclopedia.
“What will the earth look like in 100 years? Do we know someone who would help us with the answer?
Level V: Adults should brainstorm with their child.
Example:
“Why do dogs lose hair?” Maybe they get hot. They don’t like it. They are made that way. It’s heavy and cold.
OR
“Why does Edgar Allen Poe write such melancholy pieces?
Maybe he was clinically depressed.
He made not have thought they were depressing.
He was paid more money for morose subjects.
He had a horrible childhood that continued into adulthood.
Level VI: Adults should steer their child toward finding the answer(s) to questions and try to evaluate these answers using reliable sources.
Example:
How can we find out why dogs lose their hair?
(Adults ask in this case.)
The child may or may not suggest the computer or a special book she has. If not, the adult may. The adult would want to read the information to the child. Even if the adult has to find the information it serves as a model for children who will use the method as they get older.
OR THE POSE QUESTION:
Now how are we going to evaluate the possible answer of depression?
Where would we find that information?
Level VII: Adults help their child follow through with finding the answers to number VI. (This step would most likely be for older children.)
Example:
How do I know my information is right?
Okay, let’s go find the information for a few days – we’ll search through the encyclopedia and the internet, make phone calls, conduct interviews, and other things. Then we will get back together next week and evaluate our findings.
These levels may seem idealistic for a classroom teacher who has a prescribed curriculum and no extra time during the day. One way to quickly and easily “push” your students to look for answers to their questions is to take advantage of a teachable moment in class. One scenario might be your student(s) wants to know what base 3 means. You answer saying that it’s a great question and then asking for ideas. After accepting these (best to write them down), ask what sources could be used to find the answers. (Level VI) Encourage students to go home and see if they can find the answers or find some good sources they could use.
The next day you would briefly have the students share what they learned and the sources they used. The other alternative would be to let the students share with each other. If a few attempted to find the answers they could meet with each other and share what they found out. If more than a few attempted then they could be divided into groups and share. This could be done before class starts, snack time, or whenever there are a few minutes the students can get together. Take a few minutes of math time to have them share what they found out and how they located the information.
A much larger endeavor could involve an area of your curriculum. You might pose several questions and either assign or have your students choose which one to research. One question in science could be, “How do your muscles move?”. At home or at school students could start at Level V and proceed from there.
These levels of answers aren’t just for schoolwork. Parents can help their children explore topics that are of interest to them. If their children love dinosaurs, then parents can explore dinosaurs with them or guide them through their own exploration. When children, young or old, are encouraged to investigate an interest or passion it may ignite a spark that leads them to create, discover, or make the earth a better place as they continue to pursue what they love.
Just think of Bill Gates, Steven Hawkins, or Marie Curie.