We all like to be right, right? Throughout my first two years of teaching I have stood firm in the thought process that I had to be right. All the time. I always needed to have the answers and make sure I was able to provide knowledge for all the students in my classroom. I also tried my hardest to not ask questions to my co-workers in fear of not looking smart enough or feeling inadequate. However, over the past couple weeks, my thought process has changed completely. After being a student for this past month, I have realized how important it is to question and how important it is to ask questions that may not be answerable. When you stretch your brain and ask questions, you are pushing yourself to think at new levels and explore new ideas. All of this helps shift our mindsets and open our mind to new possibilities. When we begin to question the world around us, we are opening our minds to change the world around us. "A beautiful question is an ambitious yet actionable question that can begin to shift the way we perceive or think about something- and that might serve as a catalyst to bring about change," (Berger 2014, p 8)."
Why Ask More Questions?
The act of questioning requires the questioner to take a step back and analyze a situation. When we do this, we are able to take a moment to reflect, which allows us to gain a deeper understanding of the situation in question. "It's necessary to stop doing and stop knowing in order to start asking," (Berger, 2014 p. 76). When you stop thinking in the context you are used to, you are able to open your mind to new ideas and concepts. We often do not think about things as we are going through the routine of our daily life. When we stop to reflect, we have an opportunity to take a breath and reset ourselves. Questioning is important to develop critical thinking. When we ask questions that we may think are obvious, it can lead to solutions that benefit many people when action is taking. For example, when Shaffi Mather's mother was affected my a medical emergency, he asked the question "Why can't India have 911 emergency service?," (Berger, 2014, p 91). That is something that seemed like a well-structured problem that could be solved, and by asking this question he was able to take action to develop one of the largest ambulance companies in Asia. Because Mather decided to question the world around him, he was able to help millions of people. He didn't stop questioning after the company start either. He continued to question and ask what else he could do to make it better and help more people. The act of questioning isn't just for kids or students, it is for everyone!
How Can We Encourage Those Around us to Ask More Questions?
Young children often question the world with no fear of failure or embarrassment. They ask so they can learn, and that is a large part of how they discover the world around them. We lose that will to question as we get older and as we worry about what others will think or how we will be perceived by our friends, family, classmates and peers. Instead of shutting this down, we need to continue it. We shouldn't be afraid to ask questions or to ask for help. Asking questions can lead to amazing discoveries and opportunities we never would've achieved without making ourselves vulnerable to questions. Berger talks about the question, "what if you could not fail?," (Berger, 2014, p 199). What if we didn't imagine failure. What if we kept our growth mindsets our whole lives and continued on the course of thinking that anything is possible, and if anything, we learn from our experiences. Instead of thinking about failure, we need to shift our mindset to what if I succeed and everything I dreamed has come to life?
I think about how I can encourage my students in my classroom to ask more questions. How can I encourage them to break down the barriers that exist and ask questions without fear or worry? This begins with a classroom community. Creating a space that fosters positive and encouraging relationships breaks down barriers of stress and anxiety and creates opportunity for questioning. Next is to give students the opportunities to question. Encouraging deep thinking and critical questioning is important and relevant across our curriculum. I also want to create a classroom that questions the world and why things happen around us.
I also want to emphasize the importance of not knowing the answers to questions. It is okay to not know the answer to questions you are posing. You don't need to ask a question that has an answer. The act of questioning itself is creating new ideas and thoughts that can lead to new conversations and exploration of new topics. Often, asking questions that we don't know the answers to lead to new explorations and a way to creatively explore ideas. By asking questions that cannot currently be answered, we are opening a door to new possibilities and a future where we shape new concepts based on our curiosity and ideas.
Where do we go from here?
How can you question what we think is set in stone in life?
What changes can we make to allow more questioning to happen?
What conversations do we need to have to encourage questioning?
In this Ted Talk, Karen Maeyens discusses the value of asking questions. She said, "a question is a valuable tool. It is a key that can unlock many doors." This stuck with me because questions are passageways to new ideas and a future in which we change the world with questions.
Additional Resources for Creating a Classroom that Encourages Questioning
Sources:
Berger, W. (2014). A more beautiful question : the power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas. Bloomsbury USA.
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