Quality Questioning for Middle School Classrooms

Quality Questioning for Middle School Classrooms Mary Sarli & Nancy Trapp Institute for Public School Initiatives University of Texas Mary Sarli, 2011

Traveling down the road… Have you ever been traveling in a car and the road was straight and smooth? It’s great, isn’t it! No problems! (But sometimes it is boring.) Mary Sarli, 2011

Traveling down the road… Have you ever been traveling and you saw mountains and hills ahead? You knew the scenery would be great but it might be rough going! Mary Sarli, 2011

Traveling down the road… That’s how teaching is! Sometimes it’s easy to travel but it might be boring. Other times it’s an exciting experience but it might be harder to travel! Mary Sarli, 2011

Traveling down the road… Teaching kids to think is just like that! Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s hard but it’s rewarding! Let’s start by learning about HOTS! Mary Sarli, 2011

Higher Order Thinking Skills Mary Sarli, 2011

HOTS What are “Higher Order Thinking Skills”? HOTS are ways to engage students in really thinking. There are actually two different systems to classify HOTS. Mary Sarli, 2011

HOTS One system is based on Benjamin Bloom’s work. The second system is based on Erickson’s Levels of Complexity. Mary Sarli, 2011

Bloom’s Taxonomy Six Levels of Thinking Evaluation Lower Levels: Synthesis K, C, A Higher Levels: Analysis S, A, E Application Comprehension Knowledge Mary Sarli, 2011

Erickson’s Levels of Complexity Four Levels of Complexity FACTS TOPICS and CONCEPTS PRINCIPLES GENERALIZATIONS Mary Sarli, 2011

Bloom’s and Erickson’s These two systems can work in conjunction so that learning can be found on Bloom’s Taxonomy and Erickson’s Levels of Complexity at the same time with a matrix. Mary Sarli, 2011

Bloom’s and Erickson’s Evaluation Synthesis Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge Facts Topics Concepts Generalizations/ Principles Mary Sarli, 2011

Examples Math – What is 12 x 3? Science – What are the 3 layers of the earth? Social Studies – What year did the 13 colonies declare independence? Mary Sarli, 2011

Examples Math – Compare and contrast a rhombus with a trapezoid. Science – What are the differences between acids and bases? Social Studies – Explain the reasons why Texas declared independence from Mexico. Mary Sarli, 2011

Examples Math – Why were personal computers invented and how have they assisted society? Science – What do you feel is the most valuable consequence of protecting the environment? Social Studies – What is your opinion of states’ rights in regard to education? Mary Sarli, 2011

State Assessments How about the new STARR tests? We don’t have any samples yet. Where do we expect the new STARR items to be on this grid? Mary Sarli, 2011

Bloom’s and Erickson’s Evaluation Synthesis STAAR Problems Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge Facts Topics Concepts Generalizations/ Principles Mary Sarli, 2011

Bloom’s and Erickson’s • So if the new STARR tests will probably require that student work at Concept Level and Above and at Application Level and above, how can we change what we do to meet the needs of our students? Mary Sarli, 2011

Thinking and Questioning Mary Sarli, 2011

To think is to question.John Dewey Mary Sarli, 2011

Questioning • Motivates students • Stimulates high level thinking • Encourages creativity • Enhances self concept • Enhances communication. • Helps avoid mistakes. Mary Sarli, 2011

Quality Questioning includes… • Open-ended questions without yes/no answers • Questions that relate to students’ lives and interests • Questions that cause students to make connections between disciplines Mary Sarli, 2011

Quality Questioning includes… • Student-generated questions • A balance of convergent and divergent questions • Adequate wait time • Teacher not answering questions • Follow-up responses Mary Sarli, 2011

Think, Pair, Share • Think: Teacher asks the question • Pair: Students respond in pairs to the question • Share: Students then group share Mary Sarli, 2011

“Schools can no longer function as filling stations to which young people drive up, receive the knowledge they need for a working lifetime, and then drive away.” Nancy Johnson, former U.S. representative Mary Sarli, 2011

Types of Questions • Active questioning: students make up the questions • Passive questioning: teacher asks questions; students answer • You want more active questioning in your classes! Mary Sarli, 2011

When students do not ask questions, both teaching and learning suffer. J. T. Dillon. 2010 Mary Sarli, 2011

Brainstorming • Reproductive: ask students to reproduce something they already know or should know • Productive: ask students to brainstorm as many different ideas as possible – no right/no wrong answers Mary Sarli, 2011

Graphic Organizers • Mind Maps • Thinking Maps • Venn Diagrams • Frayer Model (vocabulary) • Timelines • Diagrams Mary Sarli, 2011

The question is more important than the answer. Once a question is answered, the inquiry process stops. Socrates Mary Sarli, 2011

Compare and Contrast • Every IQ test has compare/contrast questions (analogies). • With compare/contrast questions, you are stimulating thinking, but also checking for comprehension. Mary Sarli, 2011

Compare and Contrast • Compare (like) • How is________ like__________? • Contrast (different) • What makes_________ different from_____? • Move from the concrete to the abstract Mary Sarli, 2011

A reader with no questions might just as well abandon the book. Harvey and Goudvis, 2000 Mary Sarli, 2011

Feelings, Opinions, Personification • Viewpoint/Involvement • Open door to motivation because of involvement Mary Sarli, 2011

Opinion Example • In your opinion, should state governments pass a law forcing bicycle riders to wear helmets? Mary Sarli, 2011

Personification Example • How would a flagpole feel about a 1000 pound flag? Mary Sarli, 2011

Students should feel proud they have a question rather than pleased that they have an answer. Janice Szabos Mary Sarli, 2011

Prediction/Imagination Questions • Prediction/Imagination or “What would happen if…” questions can be used to develop an entire unit of study. • After a question is posed, students are encouraged to brainstorm in large groups, small groups, or partners. • After the list is generated, try a first hand experience to generate more ideas. • “Dig deep.” Mary Sarli, 2011

Prediction/Imagination Questions • What would happen if human beings had no thumbs? Mary Sarli, 2011

Prediction/Imagination Questions Math • What would happen if we did not know how to multiply? • What would happen if no one used the order of operations? Mary Sarli, 2011

Prediction/Imagination Questions Social Studies • What would happen if the US system of checks and balances was altered by eliminating one branch of government? • What would happen if Puerto Rico became the 51st state? Mary Sarli, 2011

Prediction/Imagination Questions Language Arts • What would happen if punctuation marks were never used? • What would happen if the setting of The Alamo had been Dallas, Texas? Mary Sarli, 2011

Prediction/Imagination Questions Science • What would happen if there were no scientific method? • What would happen if there were no wind? Mary Sarli, 2011

Questioning/Strategies Cards • Look at your handout called Questioning for Quality Thinking and Strategies to Extend Student Thinking. Mary Sarli, 2011

Questioning/Strategies Cards • When printed double-sided on cardstock these provide a concrete reminder to include quality thinking in the classroom. • Teachers can put them in every textbook, notebook, and on their desk to remind them. Mary Sarli, 2011

Questioning/Strategies Cards Some quality thinking questions: • K – Describe • C – Retell in your own words • A – How is this related to that? Mary Sarli, 2011

Questioning/Strategies Cards • A – What are the parts or features of this? • S – What ideas can you add to this? • E – What do you think about this? Mary Sarli, 2011

Quality Questioning for Middle School Classrooms