I
have a book on my shelf called The Art
and Science of Teaching.* I like the
title because it reminds me that teaching is an endeavor requiring a sophisticated
blend of creativity, knowledge and exactness. The questions we ask as coaches can help
teachers attend to both the art and the science of their work. A previous post discussed asking questions to help teachers
access their creativity. Today let’s dig
a bit deeper about using questions to help teachers examine their thinking and
make it more incisive.
As
a coaching conversation unfolds, you can ask questions that take thinking to a
deeper, more precise level. These probing questions are specific to the
content of the conversation. During a
planning conversation, when a coach asks, “What might you hear students saying
if they understand that concept?” she invites consideration of the measurement of
learning targets. Her question takes
what the teacher has just said (about her goals for students) and encourages
the teacher to dig deeper (how are you going to know they’ve got it?). Similarly, in a reflective conference after a
lesson, a coach might follow up on a teacher’s comment, “They just don’t get
it!” with the probing question of, “What are some examples of students’
confusion?” By asking this question, she is moving the conversation in a
productive direction. The coach
encourages a closer look at evidence that could pinpoint students’ confusions
or misconceptions, information that will be helpful as they consider plans for
re-teaching.
In
these examples, questions lead to concrete examples of what could be and what
has been. These specific examples
clarify both the coach’s and the teacher’s understanding. Questions that ask for concreteness or
request clarification can be used whether or not you’ve made a classroom
observation.
“What
might you hear if…..” or “What are some examples of…..” can lead to
opportunities for collaborative problem-solving and improved instruction. Just be sure to fill in the “…..” with
language very specific to the situation.
Our precise questions invite precise responses and express our genuine
curiosity about the complexity of the art and science of teaching!
This
week, you might want to take a look at some resources related to STEM:
Find Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math lessons. Just select your grade level and area of focus, then choose from a wide variety of topics (don’t skip those marked “afterschool” – these hands-on activities that could be used in school, too!)
Literacy in STEM learning (from Reading Today):
And
for a smile, watch the 1 minute YouTube video about why we need STEM education:
Happy
spring!
*Marzano,
R. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching:
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