Skip to main content

Turning the question

My school has been sending me to some inquiry training.
The “i” word has been thrown around since my education classes in college.
It is one of those things that is really good as a concept but kind of hard to pull off in the classroom well.
For lots of reasons.
But the big one number is because teachers are reluctant to let go of the control.
To let the kids loose with a concept and see where they end up.
Let them discover, own it and share out all on their own. Without intervening.
Then push them a little bit further and clear up any misconceptions that they are holding onto before they slip out your door.
This is supposed to be the most meaningful way for a kid to learn.
For them to discover rather than memorize.

One of the other problems with inquiry and science is that kids have stopped learning how to ask questions.
My son bombards me with whys all day long.
Why are owls nocturnal? (which comes out a lot more like “not-turtles”)
Why do I have to take a shower?
Why does that cloud look bear with a tutu on? (I don’t make this stuff up)
Why does gum stick? (like to the bottom of my car floorboard)
Why does Tess have her head in the toilet? (good question, kid and I so wish I knew)
But eventually after years of hearing moms and teachers and everyone else say,
Later.
Just because.
And I don’t know.
Those “why” questions stop flowing.

And then in high school you have to pry questions out of them and bribe them with candy and stickers all kinds of silly.
And even then, they mostly don’t ask very good questions.
They still sound a lot like my 5 year old, asking questions that start with why.
And why questions are really hard to answer.

I can tell you how neurons fire. But not why.
I can calculate the speed of light. But not tell you why things get all crazy when you start moving that fast.
I can tell you how far away the moon is. But not why it ended up there.
I can observe altruistic behaviors in animals, but not tell you why they protect each other.
At least not with certainty.

Why is hard to calculate, observe and measure.

So, we learned this little trick today called
“Turning the question”
Taking a why question. And pulling out variables and finding things kids can actually investigate.
For example, if they ask “why does water boil?” That is a tough question to investigate.
But, they could do some quick experiments do see at what temperature it boils, if hot water boils faster than cold water, if different liquids boil at different temperatures, if adding something to the water makes it boil faster, etc.

Pretty much the trick and thing the instructor said that I dutifully jotted down in my comp book ( while thinking more along the lines of a blog post than a lesson plan)

“How can the question be turned into a practical action?”

And I am a girl coming out of a long season of questions and especially whys.
Most of which have nothing to do with science.
But more on the lines of my faith and my heart and my relationships.
And the whys weren’t really getting me anywhere.
Except more questions.
But turning those hard questions into actions.
That might actually teach me something.


Posted by Picasa

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Canceled

I inhale books. So much so that I’m occasionally embarrassed by my intake. I don’t want anyone to think that I don’t work or pay attention to my family.  I’m just a fast reader and I don’t watch a lot of TV or play any games on my phone. Well – except for Wordle of course. My library card get a lot of miles. However, I still probably spend an embarrassing amount on books.  Even though I often put books in those cute little free libraries – I still have more books than shelves.  Today I did something tragic.  I did not renew my book of the month membership.  And let's be honest, it is more like three books a month.  I am not unhappy with the customer service, quality  or selection.  Book of the Month, I promise …it’s not you - it’s me.  I want to invest in my writing and I realize this going to cost me.  I don’t want to take that money from my family or my kid’s college funds.  Instead I had to evaluate what I was willing to give up.  What financial choices impact me but not as many

slow

Recently I went to the local running store and let them charge a ridiculous amount for a new pair of running shoes. I used to run. Just like I used to do lots of things, but lately I have been slow to get off the couch. Let’s be honest. This season has been a long one, and I’ve been slow to do a lot of things that are good for me. My old shoes are wearing thin and nothing motivates like a new pair of kicks.  I quickly found my brand and style of choice and asked the worker to bring them in my size. The owner spoke up from the back, “So you are picking your shoes out based on how they look?” I pulled my own foot into her view. I showed her a similar pair in teal, well worn, with the big toe scuffed all the way through. The model was a few years old and I needed a fresh start.  “Nope. These are my brand, but I’m open to your suggestions.” Runners are very particular about their shoes.  I tell her I need something to absorb a lot of the impact.  I tell her that I overpronate just a little

The annual REAL Christmas letter: 2021 edition

  One of my favorite traditions for over a  decade has been to sit down and try to write a REAL Christmas letter.  Not just the highlights, but a few honest moments as well. It started as a joke with one of my friends, thinking how refreshing it be for people to share more than just their perfect lives that we are used to seeing on Facebook and Instagram. It would be way more truthful and a whole lot more entertaining. So here goes… 2021 I had such high hopes for you. Well, actually the bar was pretty low but clearly not low enough. If I have learned anything from 2020 it is that even things that are difficult, the days are still a gift. It is a gift to gather with family without a Covid test or a worrisome 5 days after. It is a gift to go to the movies or a concert. It is a gift to go to work, school and sporting events. It is a gift to get vaccines, to board an airplane to sit in a pew at church. It is a gift to be allowed back to visit someone in the emergency room. It is a gift to