Kids are SO inquisitive. This week in my 5th grade math block, a student of mine asked a few really awesome "why" questions while discussing the standard algorithm of multiplication.
Why do we carry the 1? Why do we write a zero in the ones place when we multiply the tens place by the ones place? Why did you put the 3 below the 1 and not below the 4? I distinctly remember my past teachers saying "because thats what we do" or "because thats the step in our algorithm" and never getting to the bottom of why we do it. As math instruction shifts heavily to helping students gain strong understanding of place value, these “why” questions are going to keep coming, as they should! I always try to follow up these questions with a positive statement to encourage her to keep asking questions. I hope this student never stops asking "why"! This week I read the introduction and first 2 chapters of Warren Berger's A More Beautiful Question, and it immediately made me think of my student's awesome line of questioning above. It also made me so excited and inspired to ask questions about everything. I started jotting down questions I have about our K-12 school system (I also will take any excuse to get a colorful pen out and brainstorm). I realized once I started with my very first question, they just kept coming! I ended up restarting my timer because I still had more questions I wanted to jot down. Please excuse my handwriting, but some questions I came up with are: Why isn't SEL (Social Emotional Learning) mandatory in all classrooms? Why do we have standardized tests when school isn't "standardized"? How can we get more high school students prepared for the real works (paying taxes, resume writing, job interviewing, etc.)? I could've kept going but I couldn't fit too many more in my wooden tray...
One very unexpected thing happened when I was reading these first 2 chapters. Berger states, "Changing tracks in a career is a form of innovation...and requires the same kind of rigorous inquiry," (Berger, 2014). This passage spoke to me personally as I am in the process of not only changing tracks, but changing career paths as a whole. This "rigorous inquiry" I am experiencing is resulting in an overwhelming questioning of my education and experiences. As I try to figure out how to apply my skills as a teacher to other careers, I am often asking myself "I wonder if..." questions instead of "why" questions. While reading job descriptions and requirements, I think "I wonder if my experience at ____ will counterbalance their requirement of ___?" One question Berger asks is, "Which of my existing skills are most useful and adaptable in this new environment?" Time to take out that colorful pen and start brainstorming!
References
Berger, W. (2014). A more beautiful question: the power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.
LateNightSeth. (2017). I Have A Lot of Questions [GIF]. tenor.com. https://tenor.com/view/seth-meyers-late-night-seth-late-night-with-seth-meyers-lnsm-lnsmgi-fs-gif-7702856
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AuthorJust a 5th grade teacher trying to be the best she can be for her students! Archives
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