ExplainDefendJustify
These are Larry’s famous last words. Mine are in the same ballpark. Every time a student gives me a response, I
follow-up with something like: “How did you know that?’ “Can you tell me more?” or “What makes you
think so?”
If you’re thinking this sounds familiar, you’re right! In my Questioning
Strategies and Fear of Failure
entries, I address this issue with suggestions.
In reality, if we do not create a culture where students can
explain and support their responses, we cannot be certain they understand. We cannot be sure students can explain their own
thinking; thus, demonstrate how they know.
Furthermore, I’ve lost track of the number of times in
recent months I’ve been told by a student, “I don’t know.” My response is always, “Yes, you do.” This usually needs followed-up with one or
more prompting questions to activate prior knowledge and possibly further
questioning on the student’s responses. You
see I am confident there is something going on inside that brain! I want to find an entry point where I can
establish some degree of understanding of both the student’s prior knowledge
and the motivation behind the behavior (non-responsive.) We cannot accept “I don’t know” and move on
to the next student. These responses may
come from shyness, fear of failure, and yes, sometimes, lazy thinking, which we
as educators have allowed.
Perhaps educators are guilty of lazy thinking, as well. After all, this is not an easy process. It is not for the weak minded. It requires intentionality with questioning
from the very start of the planning process.
It takes effort to design appropriate questions. Then, once we are in the classroom and in
that moment, it takes practice and thinking on our part to ask “the right
question” when reacting to a student’s initial response. Depending on the student’s response, what is
my response? What’s my next
question? My wheels are always spinning!
This I know for sure; the process is more proficient and
much easier to implement when we begin by asking students questions like the
ones I mentioned in the first paragraph after every response…when we intentionally require students to defend,
explain and justify their responses!
I love that you mentioned intentionality. I think good questioning happens on purpose. I think educators must invest in intentional planning for questions as well as invest instructional time in raising the rigor of questions. Of course, you add questions as needed as you instruct, but you must also plan higher-level, more rigorous questions if you want to get students' "wheels spinning." Effective instruction requires intentionality and investment from the educator.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ms. Jenkins regarding intentionality and planning. Filling in blanks or categories for a lesson plan format are a far cry from the type of intentional planning necessary for the rigor in student thinking being demanded of learners in 2014. Learners today must be problem solvers and be able to make connections between and among an ever changing world and the reality they experience on a daily basis. If we as educators are going to meet the needs of society we must intentionally plan learning sequences which require rigorous student thought and effort.
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