5 Simple Questions that Promote Student Thinking

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Edutopia recently posted the following simple questions that teachers should be asking. These questions promote student thinking. 

Consider posted these questions at the back of your classroom as a reminder to ask them often.

#1. What do you think?

This question interrupts us from telling too much. There is a place for direct instruction where we give students information yet we need to always strive to balance this with plenty of opportunities for students to make sense of and apply that new information using their schemata and understanding.

#2. Why do you think that?

After students share what they think, this follow-up question pushes them to provide reasoning for their thinking.

#3. How do you know this?

When this question is asked, students can make connections to their ideas and thoughts with things they've experienced, read, and have seen.

#4. Can you tell me more?

This question can inspire students to extend their thinking and share further evidence for their ideas.

#5. What questions do you still have?

This allows students to offer up questions they have about the information, ideas or the evidence.

For more thoughts on raising thinking children, see:

• Kids + Thinking
• Think Outside the Bubble

Art Makes You Smart

My wife, Misty, would love this New York Times story in support of art education.

Here are some excerpts from the story...

Students who were selected to visit the museum on a field trip demonstrated stronger critical thinking skills, displayed higher levels of social tolerance, exhibited greater historical empathy and developed a taste for art museums and cultural institutions.

Moreover, most of the benefits we observed are significantly larger for minority students, low-income students and students from rural schools — typically two to three times larger than for white, middle-class, suburban students — owing perhaps to the fact that the tour was the first time they had visited an art museum.

Further research is needed to determine what exactly about the museum-going experience determines the strength of the outcomes. How important is the structure of the tour? The size of the group? The type of art presented?

Clearly, however, we can conclude that visiting an art museum exposes students to a diversity of ideas that challenge them with different perspectives on the human condition. Expanding access to art, whether through programs in schools or through visits to area museums and galleries, should be a central part of any school’s curriculum.

The Bottom Line

*** I first read this poem in Discipline with Dignity. ***

Face it.

Nobody owes you living.

What you achieve or fail to achieve in your lifetime

is directly related to what you do

or fail to do.

No one chooses his parents or childhood

but you choose your own direction.

Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome

but that too is relative to each individual.

Nothing is carved in stone.

You can change anything in your life

if you want to badly enough.

Excuses are for losers.

Those who take responsibility for their actions

are the real winners in life.

Winners meet life’s challenges head on

knowing there are no guarantees

and give it all they’ve got.

It’s never too late or too early to begin.

Time plays no favorites

and will pass whether you act or not.

Take control of your life.

Dare to dream and take risks.

If you aren’t willing to work for your goals,

don’t expect others to.

Believe in Yourself!

- Anonymous

Kids + Thinking

When kids leave school they may have a burst of energy.
When educators leave school we may be exhausted.
Maybe physically, but probably mentally drained too. Why is this? Are we doing too much of the thinking, maybe thinking for our kids? 
These questions motivated me to find out what some thinkers say about thinking. Here we go...

"Time given to thought is the greatest time saver of all." - Norman Cousins

With something to think about, 

Mr. Russell

10 Brain-Break Questions

*** Read more about brain-based learning here. ***

The following brain-break questions help students focus attention by turning their thinking upside down.

1. Are you more like a cracker or cookie?
2. Would you rather be extra-large or extra-small? Why?
3. What if walls could talk? Which walls would you most like to interview? Why?
4. What are the disadvantages of being able to read minds? Write the schedule you will follow on a new holiday called Opposite Day.
5. Write a description of an imaginary teacher who teaches you in the most fabulous ways.
6. Describe a problem that has no solution.
7. Describe five unusual uses for a toothpick.
8. You have the world's oldest notebook, and inside are five of the world's top secrets. What are they and what will you do with them?
9. You are allowed to fly 10,000 feet in the air for three hours. Where would you go and what would you like to see?
10. Are you more like earth, air, fire or water?

Source: edutopia.org