- Closed questions are responded to with yes or no answers. Did you have any questions?
- Recall questions test memory. What is the capital of Colorado? Name two leadership theories discussed in chapter two.
- Phrases or open ended questions set thoughts in motion. They can not be answered with yes or no or a name or date. They demand the learners thoughts. Which leadership theory discussed in chapter two would be most successful with today's learners?
Effective teaching isn't about right or wrong answers. If the information is important teach it to your learners. Then ask them open questions about it.
Once you ask the question be sure to allow time for a response. One second is not enough time. Count to five and you will begin to get more answers to your questions.
Question 1: What types of open ended questions do you use in your teaching?
The power of partnerships addresses the value of placing people in partnerships. The learners benefit in 3 ways. The learners get to know each other, they can test their ideas with one person rather than the entire class. They usually create growing energy in the room.
Suggested Partnership Ideas
1. Quotes: Provide each group with a quote and ask them to talk about the quote. The quote should be related to the subject you are teaching. An example of a quote for an educators workshop is "Education is the the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
2. Partner Interview: Develop two or three questions for participants to ask a partner. The questions should be related to the topic you are teaching.
3. Sentence Completing: Ask the learners to complete a few simple sentences, then ask the learners to share their results with a partner. These questions should be related to the topic you are teaching
4. Partner Circle and Share: In groups of 8 or more form two circles, an inner and outer circle. Have the participants face each other. Give them an open question related to the class material being covered and have them respond with each other. You can play music while this is going on and when you stop the music it is time to change partners.
Questions 2. Can you think of situations in your teaching where the partnership ideas would be valuable to include?
Last semester in Process and Methods, we each had to discuss/explain an "opener", "icebreaker", "energizer" that assisted in setting up the conditions for learning. Mostly, they would in some fashion relate to the topic of study. These can be very valuable in setting the tone and partnering with students.
ReplyDeleteI agree. The key the author discusses is that the openers be related to the topic you are presenting,as you mentioned. People remember most what is stated at the beginning of the presentation.
ReplyDeleteDeb