Raise Your Hand if You Know the Answer

A core principle of the Professional Development School (the teaching intern partnership between the State College School District and Penn State’s College of Education) is that "inquiry" is an essential component, not only of learning, but of quality teaching.

The PDS philosophy of teacher inquiry is based on the idea that classroom teachers can, and should, generate knowledge about their practice; and that this research – what works, what doesn’t, and why - is a natural extension of good teaching.

That's why I look forward each year to the PDS Inquiry Conference where over seventy interns present the results of their inquires. I've never been disappointed, but this year I came away even more impressed by their professionalism; more appreciative for what they bring to their classrooms; and with a greater expectation for their future in education.

A little hyperbolic perhaps, but entirely justified.

My morning began with a presentation by first/second-grade intern Margaret Morton, whose inquiry originated with this "wondering": why are some students reluctant to participate in class, even those who are otherwise good students?

As you would expect, a large part of the answer has to do with the fear of being wrong, which afflicts a lot of people, regardless of academic ability. But what to do?

Margaret tried several approaches, but one strategy that proved particularly effective was the “buddy system”. Allowing pairs of students a little time to first discuss their thinking with each other gave them confidence that they were on the right track, and made them more comfortable about “going public” with their answer.

As good research tends to do, this lead me to a more fundamental wondering: why should students participate in class?  This has been a part of education for so long that the question is seldom asked.

A common reply is that “class participation will be 10% of your grade”, which is a terrible answer in that it only serves to externalize the motivation to learn. A better answer is the one Margaret offered: in order to contribute to the class.

However, the value of a student’s contribution depends a lot on what kind of answer you’re looking for.  “1776” and “93 million miles” do little to contribute to the learning of other students in the class, except to further demonstrate who the “smart” kids are.

Rather, it’s those questions for which there aren’t any “right” answers that provide the best opportunities for authentic student contribution. (By the way, this is especially true – or should be – in math class. What strategy did you use to approach this problem? Why? What other strategies could be used?)

A good answer (or question) is one that “contributes” to the class by provoking additional thinking, and learning, in other students.

Knowing how to generate and encourage authentic class participation – what kinds of questions to ask, and how to ask them - is a key part of how teachers create a classroom climate that is conducive to learning.