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"You try to fake it, but it limps right out of your mouth, barely alive. “What’d you learn in school today?” In a single sentence, all that is wrong with “school.” First, the detachment–you literally have no idea what they’re learning or why. (You leave that up to school, because that’s what school’s for, right?)..." 
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Scoop.it!
Find education news, teaching strategies, lesson plans, activity ideas and more on the WeAreTeachers blog. Featuring posts by guest bloggers and teachers.
Beth Dichter's insight:
If you have not checked out Wonderopolis it worth your time to head over and see the resources available. They post a Wonder of the Day (and as of this writing they have 1328 wonders). You will find a question and a movie, but that is just the beginning. There are additional questions, a Wonder Gallery, Wonder Words (as in vocabulary), Try It Out (ideas for follow-up work), Still Wondering (additional resources), Test Your Knowledge, and a Wonder What's Next (a teaser for the following wonder). Although this was written for a Kindergarten class the site allows you to search and provides Wonders appropriate through high school. The idea of using this as a tool for writing is one that could be used in any classroom, and you could focus it in specific areas or change it daily. And if you are looking for some Wonders that are appropriate for younger grades you may want to check out this post by the author: 50 Great Wonders from Wonderopolis for Primary Grades.
Carola Brunnbauer's curator insight,
November 12, 2014 1:26 AM
tatsächlich eine wunderbare Website und ein sehr schöner Erfahrungsbericht, so etwas sollte es auch auf Deutsch geben
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"It just might be that in a society where information is abundant, thinking habits are more important than knowledge. Somewhere beneath wisdom and above the “things” a student knows. Laws of economics say that scarcity increases value. It’s no longer information that’s scarce, but rather meaningful response to that information. Thought. And thought has a source–a complex set of processes, background knowledge, and schema that we can, as educators think of as cognitive habits. And if they’re habits, well, that means they’re probably something we can practice at, doesn’t it?"
Beth Dichter's insight:
We want our students to demonstrate that they know how to think, to understand that they have the ability to ask questions and find answers, answers that may not be available through Google (esp. if we are asking them to research). In short, we want them to use metacognitive skills. But how do we teach them these skils? The image above, from teachthought, provides 15 questions that may help students create the habits that students need to learn. Below are three of the questions. Click through to the post for the entire list, as well as some great discussion. * Is this idea important to me? To others? Why or why not? * Is there a “part” of this new idea I can take and “pivot”? Create something new and fresh? * What real-world models–examples–relate to this that can help me understand this further? Consider posting these questions in your classroom and using them when appropriate with students.
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One of the take aways from the Curriculum Mapping Institute this past week was that it brought an upgrade to THE trusted KWL (Know, What to Know and Learned) Chart to the forefront. It seems a no b...
Beth Dichter's insight:
Not too long ago I posted an article that suggested we move from the KWL chart to the KWHL chart...and here is another post that suggests we make it more in-depth by adding the letters A and Q. What do all these letters stand for? K - What do I know? W - What do I want to know? H - How do I find out? L - What have I learned? A - What action will I take? Q - What new questions do I have? More in-depth discussions of these new letters are included in the post.
Kate JohnsonMcGregor's curator insight,
April 24, 2014 8:43 AM
I love this idea - it fits beautifully with the concept of Inquiry-based learning and students assuming ownership of the research process - Yay ACTION! The idea that learning and research are ongoing - and active - is a key element to new learning models. Very exciting!
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Do you allow students to answer a question with the response "I don't know" in the classroom? Perhaps you should consider no longer allowing that phrase and instead offering up these five other ways that might get students thinking a bit more.
Beth Dichter's insight:
How often do you hear a student say "I don't know." Here are five alternative suggestions that you might offer up to your students. Why? If we want our students to become critical thinkers they need to be able to ask questions. Rather than accepting the answer "I don't know" have the student think a bit more and come up with a better question. Click through to the post to see three additional questions and share your own if you have other suggestions.
Kirsten Macaulay's curator insight,
January 1, 2014 5:10 AM
5 Better Ways To Say 'I Don't Know' In The Classroom 1. May I please have more information? 2. May I have some time to think? 3. Would you please repeat the question? 4. Where could I find more information about the? 5. May I ask a friend for help? Good ideas! 
R. Alisha J. Hill's curator insight,
January 3, 2014 2:12 AM
How do you engage the student when he/she says "I don't know"?
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"What’s the key to effective learning? One intriguing body of research suggests a rather riddle-like answer: It’s not just what you know. It’s what you know about what you know. To put it in more straightforward terms, anytime a student learns, he or she has to bring in two kinds of prior knowledge: knowledge about the subject at hand (say, mathematics or history) and knowledge about how learning works. Parents and educators are pretty good at imparting the first kind of knowledge. We’re comfortable talking about concrete information: names, dates, numbers, facts. But the guidance we offer on the act of learning itself—the “metacognitive” aspects of learning—is more hit-or-miss, and it shows."
Beth Dichter's insight:
As teachers do we emphasize what we want students to learn, or do we focus on how they should go about learning and the necessary skills? This post focuses on these issues looking at current research. It also provides two sets of questions, one where "Students can assess their own awareness by asking themselves which of the following learning strategies they regularly use..." and the other "a series of proactive questions for teachers to drop into the lesson on a “just-in-time” basis—at the moments when students could use the prompting most." Another great article by Annie Murphy Paul that provides much food for thought.
Phil Turner's curator insight,
October 8, 2013 6:49 PM
A question of study rather than memorising ... how a student of a topic goes about constructing meaning and negotiating understanding. 
Mary Cunningham's curator insight,
October 13, 2013 12:13 PM
This is a great article about ensuring that students understand the mechanics of their own learning.
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"These questions are more about the student than you, your classroom, or education. What every student should know starts with themselves and moves outwards to your..."
Beth Dichter's insight:
What might you learn about your students/learners if you were to ask your students to answer these questions? TeachThought suggests that you might use these questions in a number of ways: * Jigsaw * Choice (as in let the students choose the questions they answer) * Personalize (this may work well if you know your students and can ask them to answer questions that would relate to them) * Use them as a writing prompt * Team building games * Big Picture * Wing it More information on these is available in the post.
Dean J. Fusto's curator insight,
August 27, 2013 10:12 PM
The article provides suggestions on ways to prersent these questions across multiple grade levels. 
davidconover's curator insight,
August 30, 2013 7:58 AM
I plan to use this list in my all of my classes.
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A look at what infographics are, beginning with definitions from three locations as well as one great infographic that provides a short but great definition (and uses lego block)! Additional examples of infographics are provided (including a short vidoe that describes them) as well as the science behind infographics and infographics and education. A list of additional resources is also listed.
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Teachers' expectations about their students' abilities affect classroom interactions in myriad ways that can impact student performance. Students expected to succeed, for example, get more time to answer questions and more specific feedback. A fascinating look at what can happen when teachers expectations for their students change, looking at "how do we get teachers to have the right expections?" Seven suggestions are provided for ways "teachers can change their expections."
Spice Wang's curator insight,
November 18, 2013 5:50 PM
Right expectation let students have clear understanding of what they are supposed to achieve and behave. Hence, a right expectation is a good start of classroom management.
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There are times when we question who creates the materials for standarized tests...and this is one of them. How about a test that takes a famous Aesop fable, The Tortoise and the Hare' and chooses to substitute a pineapple for the hare?" Would this be an improvement? "Next, the story was used in a standardized reading comprehension test for eighth grade students. The last, and worst part: the test writers came up with a series of 6 comprehension questions, two of which are completely baffling." This post has the entire story from the exam as well as the two questions. It also turns out that Daniel Pinkwater (children's author) wrote the original story as a fractured "fractured fable" but that fable had an eggplant, not a pineapple. You can read Pinkwater's interview about this issue at this link:
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In the first of a new TED-Ed series designed to catalyze curiosity, TED Curator Chris Anderson shares his boyhood obsession with quirky questions that seem t...
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Over the last few weeks I have received a hand full of e-mails all asking the same question. What would you recommend? MacBook vs ChromeBook Laptop vs Tablet Tablet Laptop vs Tablet Slates The problem is that's not the right question to be asking...read on to find out what question we should be asking.
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When students know how to ask their own questions, they take greater ownership of their learning, deepen comprehension, and make new connections and discoveries on their own. However, this skill is rarely, if ever, deliberately taught to students from kindergarten through high school. Typically, questions are seen as the province of teachers, who spend years figuring out how to craft questions and fine-tune them to stimulate students’ curiosity or engage them more effectively. We have found that teaching students to ask their own questions can accomplish these same goals while teaching a critical lifelong skill. (Make sure to click where it says Read Sidebar for the Question Forumulation Technique.)
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"It’s always revealing to watch learners research. When trying to understand complex questions often as part of multi-step projects, they often simply “Google it.” Why do people migrate? Google it. Where does inspiration come from? Google it. How do different cultures view humanity differently? Google it. Literally Google it. Type those questions word-for-word into the Google search box and hope for answers..."
Beth Dichter's insight:
Today many students when asked a question choose to Google the answer. A generation is turning to one (or perhaps two or three) search engines and reading the top two or three results. As educators we should think about how this type of search is impacting how our students think. This post explores this, looking at three areas: 1. Google creates the illusion of accessibility 2. Google naturally suggests “answers” as stopping points 3. Being linear, Google obscures the interdependence of information What do you think? Do you think Google is impacting student learning? Do you think that project based learning, inquiry learning, authentic learning projects would provide opportunities for students to not only search, but to use their critical thinking skills? This post may make you look at search engines in a different way.
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Beth Dichter's insight:
This visual is based on an article published by Edutopia, 5 Powerful Questions Teachers Can Ask Students. You can access the article through the link which provides some additional information. If you read the comment section you will also find some additional resources related to questioning.
Tony Guzman's curator insight,
September 29, 2014 9:24 AM
Good list of questions to help get the student voice active in your classroom. 
Frédéric Falisse's curator insight,
October 10, 2014 6:51 AM
Sans questions pas de raisonnement. D'ailleurs, qu'est ce que la réflexion si ce n'est l'enchaînement de questions? Et l'intelligence ne serait elle pas simplement l'enchaînement de bonne questions?
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"Even more than other types of education, eLearning must struggle to attract learners' attention: the Internet is full of distractions, and adult learners are both busier and more free to indulge in distractions. Helping students to pay attention is a primary concern of training professionals, so here are some optimal methods to win the attention game in eLearning."
Beth Dichter's insight:
The number of students participating in online courses continues to grow and for those that currently teach with students in their physical classroom, there are shifts towards blended learning, with part of the day online and part of the day with more direct instruction. This post looks at ways to keep students' attention online, but the same components are also important in the face2face classroom. What is it that help students pay attention? * Problem solving * Comparisons * Visuals * Questions * Emotions * Stories * Contrast * Controversy * Brevity * Lists Each of these areas is described in more depth when you click through to the post and in many cases you will find links to additional resources. You may already be using some of these strategies, but try combining two or more to see how students react. Many of the strategies promote authentic learning opportunities, which promote high engagement. All are valuable to understand and to use in the classroom, but it online or face2face.
Audrey's curator insight,
October 3, 2014 1:26 PM
These are certainly true. Have a look at www.hotmoodle.com
Bernard VULLIERME's curator insight,
October 20, 2014 5:30 AM
Rien de nouveau sous le soleil du bon e:enseignant, mais plus d'exigences … 
clare o'shea's curator insight,
February 5, 2015 1:49 PM
and ask indviduals questions every 2-3 minutes - but always label the behaviour first! so it is a positive experience not a catching out!!
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Beth Dichter's insight:
Here is a visual that may help your students with critical thinking skills. The post in Edutopia provides addtional information on this and the image came via twitter and that link is at the end of this post. As you read the five questions you may find that might change a few. For example, if you are working with younger students you might want to change the first question to "What do you think you know?" and you might also want to change the fourth question to "What more can you tell me?" Do you have other ideas? Share them by adding a comment. The link to the visual is at https://twitter.com/shannonclark7/status/404336242625892354/photo/1/large
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Reading Activity Reading Comprehension - How well do you understand the things you read? Test and improve your reading with our reading comprehension activity! This activity includes 140 texts, each with a set of challenging questions.
Beth Dichter's insight:
If you are looking for online books to help beginner readers or ELL students check out 140 texts available at GCF Learn Free. Each text can be read to the student and there are four questions for each story. If a student answers a question incorrectly they may try again.
Jessica Janus's curator insight,
October 23, 2014 9:26 PM
I tired this out and I think this is a great tool to integrate within the classroom. Perhaps on Friday when there is some free time.
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"The handy infographic below is a fun look at making useful and targeted multiple choice questions, and while it is fun to look at, it points out a few important tidbits that struck me as being important to remember whether you’re using technology to assess your students or whether you’re doing it the old fashioned way. Keep reading to learn more."
Beth Dichter's insight:
This post explores multiple choice questions, providing some background information that may help you design better questions for assessment. Did you know that (info below quoted from post): * Questions in a multiple choice assessment are called the “Stem”. * For each question, there is a key answer, and distractors. * The distractors should be plausible answers, true statements (when possible) , and about the same length as the key. Learn more by clicking through to the post!
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"When asked why he became a scientist, Nobel Laureate Isidor Rabi attributed his success to his mother. Every day, she would ask him the same question about his school day: “Did you ask a good question today?” “Asking good questions – made me become a scientist!” Rabi said. Questions are critical, and how to manage and navigate a good question requires practice. “Coming up with the right question involves vigorously thinking through the problem, investigating it from various angles, turning closed questions into open-ended ones and prioritizing which are the most important questions to get at the heart of the matter...”
Beth Dichter's insight:
How do we as educators, and our students ask the "right questions" and have our students stay on the question (and learn how they can ask pertinent questions)? How do we do this as more technology is embedded in our schools? With the Common Core using the Depth of Knowledge as guide, the need for students (and teachers) to understand that we need to move students to Level 3 - strategic thinking and Level 4 - extended thinking, the ability to have students learn how to ask deeper questions is critical.
Ante Lauc's comment,
June 5, 2013 4:06 AM
Did you ask a good question? How many parents motivate their children with this question?
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What do you think the 10 characteristics of a highly effective learning environment are? This post says an environment is "highly effective and conducive to student-centered learning." Read this post to learn more. Each characteristic listed also includes an explanation. Characteristics listed include: * The students ask questions - good questions. * Questions are valued over answers. * Ideas come from a variety of sources. * Learning is personalized by a variety of criteria.
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What can we do in the classroom to help our students to become engaged in their work, to be fully involved? This post is a follow-up to one written in June 2011, and provides a "variety of strategies and approaches" you may try to help move students from being on-task to being engaged. To whet your appetite, here are the first two.
* Ask questions that don't have right or wrong answers. Seek student opinions, allow argumentation, encourage persuasion, and teach students how to disagree and debate in a positive way.
* Strike a balance between praise and feedback. Grant Wiggins, co-author of Understanding by Design points out that praise, "Keeps me in the game, but doesn't help me get any better." While praise may encourage effort, specific feedback is necessary in order to truly learn and grow.
To read the article from June 2011, which has seven strategies/approaches: http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2011/06/on-task-doesnt-mean-engaged.html ;
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"Questioning everything is idiotic and a waste of time. Teach them to question wisely." appeared in my Twitter stream. It was a response to my statement, "The future comes from questioning everything." As always, Ira David Socol has written a post that will make you ask questions, helping you to "create a next generation unwilling to accept the mistakes of the past and present."
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"Spark curiosity in the classroom. Discovery Education and Intel have teamed up to create Curiosity in the Classroom, a website designed to bring teachers, students and families on a journey through life's biggest questions." This site has resources for teachers, parents and students. The teacher area has resources to help students explore careers at the forefront of featured topics such as Communications, Computers, Nanotechnology, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence for Grades 6-8 and 9- 12, including videos, webinars, pdf files. There is also an area called Profiles in Curiosity with the tag line 'Stimulate insightful conversation with your students about these modern day visionaries.'"
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You can inspire students to learn with simple demonstrations of your own curiosity...
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Although these questions may be geared to parents they would be great students to have students answer at the end of a day, or the end of a lesson.
Below are five of the questions provided. When you click through to the post you will find 19 questions proposed by readers of Te@chThought. You might also share this list with parents.
* Tell me one chance you took today, and how it ended up.
* Tell me three facts, two opinions, and one idea you heard today.
* Tell me one fun thing you learned, one useful thing you learned, and one extraordinary thing you learned.
* When were you most creative today?
* What great question did you ask today?