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Charles Ames Fischer
a book bubble about
The Power of the Socratic Classroom
Education & Reference
Author Insight
Practice Asking Questions
Teachers are often surprised when I suggest that they should have students practice asking questions. I'm still not even sure why they are surprised. As humans, we need to practice everything! A lot of animals are highly functional shortly after they are born. But we humans take years to do even basic things like feed ourselves. We have to practice moving our limbs, crawling, walking, and talking. And then we need years and years to "figure ourselves out." It should come as no surprise, then, that we would need to practice asking questions. Not only do we need to find what we are curious about, but we then need to formulate the language to properly express that curiosity. It takes practice!
Book Excerpt
The Power of the Socratic Classroom
Early in school, students learn and practice the key question words: who, what, when, where, how, and why. Teaching about questions after this, however, often slows or stops. Sometimes students will be exposed to types of questions in textbooks, ones that are labeled “Critical Thinking” or “Synthesis.” Some textbooks have pullout boxes and brief mini-lessons that teach about questions, but these are often scattered and disconnected. Opportunities for students to write or ask their own questions are much less frequent, and in fact, in many learning situations, students are even discouraged from asking their own questions.
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