The Power of Questioning: Opening up the World of Student Inquiry

by Starr Sackstein

Teaching and learning cannot happen without questions. Inquiry is the offspring of curiosity and creativity. Questions are incredibly powerful tools that open the world up. In the age of Google, the way we teach needs to change and students need to be reconnected with their early childhood curiosity. Let’s put that control back into kids’ hands by teaching them to question better. The Power of Questioning will help you to make students partners in their own learning.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction

74 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2015

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the accessibility of this book. It was short with short chapters, making it easy to pick up for a quick read of the whole book or just one chapter. I liked the teacher vignettes. There is a focus on high school journalism, but there isn't any reason why you couldn't use the strategies for other classes and other levels. I feel like I use a lot of the questioning strategies already, but it was a good reminder as to why it is so important to give your students' curiosity a space in the classroom.

[Sukhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief introduction. Good research, intriguing ideas. The reflection questions were good but there were many more of them than there was information provided. I liked it and will most likely return to the ideas Starr Sackstein outlined here.

[Ashley Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heat book about engaging students in their own education. The right type of questions can lead to a world class education. This book is written by a traditional school teacher and gives advice to teachers in traditional classrooms (but also parents). There is a description of a hierarchy of question types as well as examples of using Socratic Seminars in the classroom. I liked the antidotes from other teachers and professionals that have a different perspective on the topic. And I appreciated the advice on using technology to reach the kids and give them more confidence in participating as well as researching. Technology has its good and bad parts, which is addressed. But it is the world we live in and being able to use it appropriately is vital. And it can be a great tool in education, especially as students seek to discover what interests them and how to take charge of their own education.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here are some of the words I want to carry with me as I try to ready myself for this upcoming school year:
Too often teachers jump into a school year focusing heavily on the content that needs covering, ignoring the most important and ever-changing piece - the students themselves. p2
Teachers can never take for granted that students know. This is why it is essential that they become the driving force in their own learning. p4
...without good questioning techniques, students lack the ability to forward their thinking, or obtain information in a clear manner. p12
In the past, leaders were those who knew the right answers. Today, leaders are this who know the right questions. Influential school leaders asked questions with the intent to be helpful. not to show how smart they are or to demonstrate authority. In a culture of learning, the path to understanding is paved with questions. p18
...students are always seeking answers to where they belong, and educators and parents need to be mirrors and sounding boards to help guide them in their search for self. p 40
Children become learners when we teach them not only to show how to ask ... questions but also how to find the answers for themselves. p 41

[Alexandra Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I teach math, wasn’t too applicable

I found that a lot of the things I read in this book were awesome. I loved the anecdotal stories from other teachers. The only reason for the three stars is that I found that I didn’t see a lot of reference to mathematics, but maybe that is because I am biased. :) I do recommend this book to each and every history/English teacher out there!

[Sheri Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confirmation of actions that transform schools.

Confirmation of actions that transform schools. Anecdotes and research to support your own transformation. A simple yet complex strategy: Let students ask the questions.

[Cathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical techniques on how to encourage students to take more ownership of learning.