improving classroom questions in mathematics
DESCRIPTION
Improving Classroom Questions in Mathematics. Title I Directors’ Meeting October 4, 2010 Morgantown. What does Socrates have to do with all of this? Wasn’t he forced to drink hemlock? Isn’t hemlock poisonous? . - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Improving Classroom Questions in Mathematics
Title I Directors’ Meeting
October 4, 2010
Morgantown
How Could Asking Questions Lead to Higher-Level Thinking?
John Ford, Title I Mathematics Coordinator
What
makes a
question
a good
question?
If there are “good” and “bad” questions, is it better to ask “bad” questions or to ask no questions?
How soon should
you expect an
answer to a
question?
How long is “too
long” to wait for
an answer?
How can a student
learn by being asked
a question? (If she
can answer; she already knows – if
not, why would asking the question
help her learn?)
What does this have to
do with mathematics?
When is the best time to ask a question?
Could a teacher ask too many questions? How many would that be? How would someone know?
What might be the danger in using questioning as an instructional strategy – or is there any?
What does Socrates have to do with all of this?
Wasn’t he forced to drink hemlock?
Isn’t hemlock poisonous? Who wants
to know?
There are 10 types of people in the world.
Those who understand binary and those who don’t.
An exercise in using questioning to teach about the binary number system based on the work of Rick Garlikov.
http://www.garlikov.com/Soc_Meth.html
How can a student
learn by being asked
a question? (If she
can answer; she already knows – if
not, why would asking the question
help her learn?)
What Was Being Asked?
•Content (yes/no) questions – one right answer
“What are words made of?”“How many letters in the English Alphabet?”“How many numerals do we use?”
•Questions with more than one correct answer
“Who can write 10 another way?”“Why do you think we have 10 numerals?”“How can you show ‘55’ with your fingers?”
RECALL{
TH INK ING
OTH RE ER C A T LH LAN
{
Learning begins with Questioning
•Socrates 469 – 369 B.C.E.•Children’s Thinking - David Russell, 1956•Taxonomy of Educational Objectives- Benjamin Bloom, 1956•Classroom Questions: What Kinds?- Norris M. Sanders, 1966•Teaching Strategies and Cognitive Functioning in Elementary School Children - Hilda Taba, 1966 •Teacher Effectiveness Training - Thomas Gordon, 1974•Involving Students in Questioning - Francis P. Huskins, 1976•Improving Classroom Questions- Kenneth R. Chuska, 1995 and 2003
Why ask better questions?
“When teachers master the art of
questioning, . . . they will add
purpose and relevance to learning.”
- Chuska, Improving Classroom Questions,
second edition, 2003, p. 13
Planning Lessons - Planning Questions
• Integral to lesson planning should be question planning
• Questions should be open-ended• Question selection should consider students’ knowledge and allow for personal input
Six Motivation Strategies
• Ask Fewer Questions
Could a teacher ask too many questions? How many would that be? How would someone know?
Six Motivation Strategies
• Ask Fewer Questions
• Provide Time for Answers
How soon should
you expect an
answer to a
question?
How long is “too
long” to wait for
an answer?
Six Motivation Strategies
• Ask Fewer Questions
• Provide Time for Answers• Pay Attention to the Student
Six Motivation Strategies
• Ask Fewer Questions
• Provide Time for Answers• Pay Attention to the Student
• Less Talk
Six Motivation Strategies
• Ask Fewer Questions
• Provide Time for Answers• Pay Attention to the Student
• Less Talk• Give Students Time to Write Answers
Six Motivation Strategies
• Ask Fewer Questions
• Provide Time for Answers• Pay Attention to the Student
• Less Talk• Give Students Time to Write Answers• Activate Background Knowledge
What might be the danger in using questioning as an instructional strategy – or is there any?
What does Socrates have to do with all of this?
Wasn’t he forced to drink hemlock?
Isn’t hemlock poisonous?
Six Motivation Strategies
• Ask Fewer Questions
• Provide Time for Answers• Pay Attention to the Student
• Less Talk• Give Students Time to Write Answers• Activate Background Knowledge
Components for Effective Questioning
What
makes a
question
a good
question?
Components for Effective Questioning
• An Issue, Problem or Challenge
Components for Effective Questioning
• An Issue, Problem or Challenge• Real-World Reference Points
Rigor /Relevance Framework
C
D
Assimilation
Adaptation
A
B
Acquisition
Application
Components for Effective Questioning
• An Issue, Problem or Challenge• Real-World Reference Points• An Appropriate Approach
Components for Effective Questioning
• An Issue, Problem or Challenge• Real-World Reference Points• An Appropriate Approach• A Reasoning Goal
Designing Questions• What gives rise to the question?
– Origin, Purpose, or Reason
– From what sources does the question arise?
Designing Questions• What gives rise to the question?
• How is the question framed?- How does the teacher determine which
questions and in what order?
- What criteria should the question meet? - How might students approach answering
it?
Designing Questions• What gives rise to the question?
• How is the question framed?
• What answer is anticipated?- What kinds of responses might
students make?- How will the teacher treat the student
responses?- What follow-up questions might the
teacher or students ask?
When Should a Question Be Asked?
When is the best time to ask a question?
When Should a Question Be Asked?
• Before Study Begins To Motivate To Promote Student Goal Setting To Determine Readiness To Stimulate Thinking To Convey Purpose To Create a Positive Learning Atmosphere To Discern Student Interest or Knowledge To Activate Background Knowledge
When Should a Question Be Asked?
• Before Study Begins To Motivate To Promote Student Goal Setting To Determine Readiness To Stimulate Thinking To Convey Purpose To Create a Positive Learning Atmosphere To Discern Student Interest or Knowledge To Activate Background Knowledge
When Should a Question Be Asked?
• Before Study Begins
The “Big Four” Questions
1. What do you know you know about the topic?
2. What do you think you know about the topic?
3. What do you want to know?4. What do you feel or believe about an
issue or problem?
When Should a Question Be Asked?
• Before Study Begins
Timing
- Two to three days prior to the beginning of a unit in the primary grades
- Two to three weeks in advance for grades four and up
When Should a Question Be Asked?
• Before Study Begins
• During the Lessons
- Analyzing and Critiquing
When Should a Question Be Asked?
• Before Study Begins
• During the Lessons
- Analyzing and Critiquing- Anticipating Outcomes
When Should a Question Be Asked?
• Before Study Begins
• During the Lessons
- Analyzing and Critiquing- Anticipating Outcomes- Summarizing
When Should a Question Be Asked?
• Before Study Begins
• During the Lessons
- Analyzing and Critiquing- Anticipating Outcomes- Summarizing- Detecting Bias and Examining
Viewpoints
When Should a Question Be Asked?
• Before Study Begins
• During the Lessons
• After the Lesson- To summarize- To reflect on what was learned- To draw conclusions- To synthesize information with former
learning- To extend students’ learning
One Last QuestionWhat does
this have to do with mathematic
s?
An example from:
“Number Talks: Helping Children Build Mental Math and Computational Strategies” by Sherry Parrish
328- 69
18
/ 1
/2 1
/
259
?Contact Information:
John Ford Title I Mathematics Coordinator
[email protected](304) 558-7805 ext. 53349