That isn't really the question. It is more complex than that.
After reading the first three chapters of Warren Berger’s book, "A More Beautiful Question," I look at every question in a new light and ask myself even more questions. In chapter 2, Berger describes the research conducted by Paul Harris, a Harvard child psychologist: "A child asks about forty thousand questions between the ages of two and five" (2016, p. 40). Yet, when they enter preschool, their questioning diminishes. As an educator, this is concerning but not surprising. When kids are younger, they ask a question, which is answered. Then kids usually follow up with a "why" question after each answer they receive. Their curiosity at a young age is piqued, and the eagerness to learn more and more keeps them questioning. However, as they begin their journey in the education system, this idea of questioning begins to fade. Why? Is it because they don't feel safe to question? Are they not receiving answers to their questions? Do they not know how to question? How do we, as educators, teach them to ask questions and, more importantly, bring back that spark of inquiry?
The Why? and What If? of Questioning in Education
From my experiences in education, there isn't time built in for inquiry, as there is a high expectation for students to memorize facts and recall them on standardized tests to demonstrate mastery. In thinking about how our education system could promote learners to question, I can’t help but ask more questions. What if the focus shifts from memorization to inquiry and exploration? According to Berger, "our current system of education does not encourage, teach, or, in some cases, even tolerate questioning" (2016, p. 46). Why not embrace questions and provide students the opportunity to ask questions in a safe way? What if inquiry could be promoted by including it in the standards? Specifically, in my history class, I want to challenge my students to inquire by asking “Why?”, "What if?" and "How?" questions related to our content, such as: Why is water a crucial resource for all civilizations? What if the Aztecs never built chinampas? How would Roman life be different without aqueducts? What if Henry VIII had six husbands instead of wives? Even though there might not be immediate answers to these questions, the goal of student inquiry and gaining a deeper understanding of the content may be achieved. While this might initiate the inquiry process, it doesn't answer the main question: How do I get my learners to be the driving force behind asking their own questions?
How to Teach Learners to Ask Questions?
What if I try to elicit inquiry in my learners with a technique described by Berger in chapter 2, the Right Question Institute’s “Question Formulation Technique” (QFT). In this technique, students are presented with a topic and first asked to come up with as many questions as possible within a specific time frame, following a specific set of rules: write down each question, don’t try to answer the questions, don't debate the questions, and keep thinking of more questions. The second part involves the students changing open questions to closed ones or the closed ones to open, so they understand that some questions can be expanded and others narrowed down. The third phase includes students deciding on three questions to focus on to drive their discussion (Berger, 2016). QFT will be extremely beneficial for my students because it will challenge them to use their brains in a new way and do something they probably have never done before: ask questions to gain a better understanding.
The first time I use QFT with my learners, I want to use fun content so their focus can be on the steps and aren't hindered by the content. How about the topic, “What is history?” or “History is important”. Once they know the procedure, we will frequently use QFT with our history content to hopefully be a jumping-off point for inquiry and deeper understanding. This school year, my ultimate goal is to start building the skill of asking questions in my 7th grade students with the hope to bring back that spark of inquiry they once had in their childhood.
Warren Berger's "A More Beautiful Question" has inspired a fresh perspective on education through the lens of inquiry. The decline in questioning among students highlights a need for change in our education approach. I am committed to fostering a culture where curiosity thrives in my classroom. Nurturing the art of asking questions not only enriches education but can also empower my students to become architects of their own knowledge, contributing to a more inquisitive world.
References
Berger, W. (2016). A more beautiful question: The power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas. Bloomsbury.
Right Question Institute. (n.d.). Right Question Institute. https://rightquestion.org/
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