Classroom Community
Accepting and Encouraging all Students’ Strategies &
Asking Effective Questions
Asking Effective Questions
- Having and accepting various solutions, discussion and promotion of student talk about strategies and questions that permit different entry levels, allows students to feel valued as learners and gain understanding of their thinking and the thinking of others.
- Using skillful questions helps students become successful in finding their solutions and understanding mathematics. Dr. Marian Small discussed in her “Asking Prompting Questions During Instruction” webcast, how vast research has been done on teacher questioning and how teachers mostly question to check and use fewer questions to initiate thinking. With richer questions, students develop richer conversations.
- Included in the following link are sample questions that can be asked during mathematics class. As the guide indicates, questions can be placed on a clipboard and also posted in the classroom. Both the teacher and students have them in sight so they are easily accessible. These questions are found in Chapter 6, pages 81 - 84 (click here).
Use Think-Alouds
When teachers think-aloud, students hear the process they are to go through and gain an understanding of the time and thinking it takes to get to the final response. It may also help them to become aware that sometimes it is necessary to go back and revisit previous ideas and rework them.)
When teachers think-aloud, students hear the process they are to go through and gain an understanding of the time and thinking it takes to get to the final response. It may also help them to become aware that sometimes it is necessary to go back and revisit previous ideas and rework them.)
Make Students' Thinking Visible
Making students' thinking visible for all is a way to encourage students to engage in their learning and realize the importance of their ideas. Having students’ problem-solving strategies posted with their name on “their” strategy would help with this. For more information, have a look at the “Strategies” video (My Child’s Math) from www.education.alberta.ca.
Resources:
(A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics, Kindergarten to Grade 6-Volume 2 - Problem Solving and Communication, p. 31, 32, 34, via eworkshop.on.ca) http://www.eworkshop.on.ca/edu/resources/guides/Guide_Math_K_6_Volume_2.pdf
(Small, Marian. Asking Prompting Questions During Instruction Webcast via learnteachlead.ca) http://learnteachlead.ca/projects/differentiating-mathematics-instruction/
Making students' thinking visible for all is a way to encourage students to engage in their learning and realize the importance of their ideas. Having students’ problem-solving strategies posted with their name on “their” strategy would help with this. For more information, have a look at the “Strategies” video (My Child’s Math) from www.education.alberta.ca.
Resources:
(A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics, Kindergarten to Grade 6-Volume 2 - Problem Solving and Communication, p. 31, 32, 34, via eworkshop.on.ca) http://www.eworkshop.on.ca/edu/resources/guides/Guide_Math_K_6_Volume_2.pdf
(Small, Marian. Asking Prompting Questions During Instruction Webcast via learnteachlead.ca) http://learnteachlead.ca/projects/differentiating-mathematics-instruction/