By Carole Hayward
Posted on 2015-04-02
“Children are full of questions every day: “Why? How does that work? Why? How do you know?” The science classroom is the perfect place to take advantage of this natural curiosity. Questioning cultivates student engagement and drives instruction throughout the learning process.”
This introduction to NSTA Press authors’, Julie McGough and Lisa Nyberg, new book The Power of Questioning: Guiding Student Investigations sets the stage for their model, Powerful Practices. The model takes questioning in the K–6 classroom to a new level while emphasizing the interconnected nature of instruction. Instead of having your students look for the answer, you allow them to raise other questions as they investigate the topic further.
This pedagogical picture book is color-coded to indicate the three components of the instructional model:
Questioning is printed in red.
Investigations are printed in blue.
Assessments are printed in purple.
These three aspects are linked, and it is important not to approach the model in a linear fashion. As the authors explain, “when thoughtful questioning is combined with engaging investigations, amazing assessments are produced—just as when red and blue are combined, purple is produced.”
Involving students in the Powerful Practices model requires that you know your students as individuals—each student’s way of understanding the world and way of participating in discussion—and as a group. This will help you create engaging questions and a collaborative environment that supports dynamic discussions, leading to purposeful learning that is applicable to the child’s world.
In the book, the authors ask and answer many questions themselves as they present the model:
Connecting Questions and Learning
Developing Questioning Strategies
Engaging Students and Teachers
Building a Questioning Environment
Engaging in Purposeful Discussion
The authors provide links and QR codes to videos and audio recordings related to content throughout the book. The first book in a new series, Powerful Practices, this book is also available as an e-book.
The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.
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“Children are full of questions every day: “Why? How does that work? Why? How do you know?” The science classroom is the perfect place to take advantage of this natural curiosity. Questioning cultivates student engagement and drives instruction throughout the learning process.”