Art of Questioning

I. Student doesn’t know how to begin. Tim/Esther

• What part of the text, what book is the problem coming from?
• Can you break the problem down into smaller sections?
• Fish for subject taglines, “is there a rule or principle about this?” that is applicable to the problem
• Where do you think we should begin?
• What tools do you have that might be useful here?
• What do the instructions say?
• Have you seen similar problems (in text, in notes)
• What information do you have? What DO you know? What are you looking for?
• If the problem is simpler, can you solve it?
• Can you draw a visual representation? A picture?

II. Student has a misconception that you see in his work (student is unaware) Jaime/James

• “Let’s assume this is true and go forward from here,” following the implications, find a contradiction.
• Provide student with a worked through, simpler problem. Reinforce steps, compare these steps with his.
• Explain to me how you know this is true
• Use a model or manipulative if the situation allows.
• Can you check your answer? How can we tell it is right?
• Is this answer making sense? Is it about what you would expect?
• Can you predict the answer?

III. In a group, solving a problem type that is new. Jerome/Sarah

• Has anyone read the chapter? What do you know? What is the problem asking for?
• Do you have a formula? Have you heard of this concept?
• Do you recognize anything from a previous section that you have been studying?
• What did you learn in your last section?
• Let’s devise a problem that is similar but simpler and working through it.
• Make sure everybody in the group responds to each of the questions
• Do you know any piece of the problem? What do you know about them?
• Have everybody write on the board or on a paper—board is best
• If there is a way to generate personal student interest in the problem that is good
• Can we draw a diagram or picture or represent it visually? Mind maps can also be good vehicles for organizing information to help solve a problems

IV. Student completes a problem, answer is wrong, doesn’t know how to proceed. Angie/Kyle

• What was the question asking?
• What steps did you take to get the answer?
• Let’s compare your steps on paper to what you describe.
• How can you find these mistakes in the future?
• Did you write every step down?