Week 5 Questioning Toolkit

I use a combination of question types during my teaching. Reflecting on my classes, I tend to use more telling and hypothetical questions with the younger students. Where as I use planning and organizing questions with the older students.
I feel planning and organizing questions lead students to think more critically and at higher levels. For example, in my religion class we are currently studying the Jesuit missionaries that worked in Japan. We have studies Francis Xavier and Fr. Miki and I expect the seventh graders to know the basic facts about this time period and these people. But the really interesting part of this unit is way it ties into to so many other subject areas. We have discussed the relationship between Japan and the rest of the world during that time. It is helpful for students to be able to answer questions such as, “What year was Fr. Miki murdered?” But I prefer our class discussions that involve questions about the reason Japanese leaders feared the power of the missionaries during that time. “How would we react if our government suddenly made laws forbidding us to practice Catholicism? Would we hide our faith or would be continue to practice?” These are the questions that force students to evaluate their beliefs and think more critically.
When integrating technology into my classroom I think planning questions are very helpful. In my computer classes, I use webquests. I begin the class by asking planning questions. Even if I have assigned one or two sites to be used during class time, it’s important for students to structure their search and look at what areas of the site will be most helpful. I encourage students answer questions about what tasks need to be completed first and how much time will be needed to complete this project. Sometimes I allow students to decide the amount of class periods they think it the project will require. Other times I allow students to work together to decide the best strategy of maneuvering the site. I want to give my students practice forming and answering planning questions so that they find a place to begin, no matter what task is before them.