Before I get started, just a few quick reminders:
Math Game Markdown – tomorrow is the last day to purchase my math games at a discounted price. The games are marked down anywhere from 20 – 33% off. Check them out by clicking the picture:
Have you entered for a chance to win a new pencil sharpener from Classroom Friendly Supplies? This one also ends tomorrow. Click the picture below to enter:
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming, er…blog post 🙂
Chapter 4 – Increasing Comprehension by Asking Questions
Keene and Zimmerman write, “Questions lead children through the discovery of their world.”
One of my favorite things about teaching young students is their insatiable curiosity. I love when they pose a question that really drives instruction. However, I have to admit that sometimes we can’t let the questions drive our instruction because of the pressure to meet the standards with the little time we are given.
McGregor and Gelb came to these realizations about math:
* Teachers can encourage kids to build on their natural curiosity by asking questions.
* The ability to ask questions can be developed.
* Sometimes there is no need for answers. In fact, sometimes there are no answers.
* Teachers should believe that the questions they ask influence the depth and quality of our teaching.
* It may be more important to find the right question than to find the right answer.
Students need to understand how mathematicians use questioning to increase comprehension:
1. Mathematicians purposefully and spontaneously ask questions before, during, and after working with mathematical concepts or problems.
2. Mathematicians ask questions for many reasons.
3. Mathematicians understand that there may be more than one answer to a question. they do not stop thinking about a question after they discover one right answer.
4. Mathematicians understand that many intriguing questions require further information or explanation.
5. Mathematicians understand that hearing the questions of others inspires new questions of their own. Listening to the answers of others can inspire new thinking.
Just like in reading, there are different types of questions: Right There, Think and Search, On My Own, and Thick & Thin Questions.
Right There – the answers are literal and easy to find.
Think and Search – the answers are in the text, but are harder to find because students have to put together more than one sentence to get the answer.
On My Own – the answers are not directly in the text. Students have to think about the text and what they already know to get the answer.
Thick Questions – answers are long and require further thinking. The questions often start with Why? How Come? I Wonder…
Thin Questions – can be answered with a yes, no, or a number. They are the more literal questions.
Thinking stems to help get students to question:
* I wonder…
* Why does…
* What would happen if…
* How is this similar to…
* I don’t understand…
* What other information is needed…
* What does this remind me of…
* What do I notice about…
* Are there any patterns…
* What strategies might I…
* What do I need to find out….
* Will diagrams, models, or other representations help me…
Here are some resources I found that I think go right along with this chapter. First, I saw this on Pinterest and it leads to a free download from TpT:
source: Meg Anderson
Next, I found two documents with more information about questioning:
Oh, and make sure you check out these other posts about the chapter. Some of these posts include freebies for you:
Coming Soon: Chapter 5 – The Importance of Visualizing Mathematical Ideas
Thanks for sharing the links. Some interesting reads.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this chapter, Storie!
Brenda
Primary Inspired
Yeah!!! The Building Capacity Series is from Ontario…my province. I've looked at it during Math PD before but forgot it until now, so thanks.
Great post too.
Beth
Thinking of Teaching