Hacking Questions
Description
"Look out, Socrates! Here comes Connie Hamilton, the newest innovator of questionology! - Marcia Gutiérrez, High School Educator
A fresh perspective on the art of questioning
Questions are the driving force of learning in classrooms. Hacking Questions digs into framing, delivering, and maximizing questions in the classroom to keep students engaged in learning.
Known in education circles as the "Questioning Guru," Connie Hamilton shows teachers of all subjects and grades how to:
- Hear the music: listen for correct answers
- Scaffold to trigger student thinking without doing it for them
- Kick the IDK bucket to avoid "I don't know" as the final answer
- Punctuate your learning time to end with reflection questions
- Spin the throttle to fuel students to ask the questions
- Fill your back pocket with engagement questions
- Make yourself invisible by establishing student-centered protocols
- Be a Pinball Wizard and turn students into facilitators
Praise for Connie Hamilton and Hacking Questions
"Connie Hamilton is known by teachers and leaders as the Questioning Guru. She offers minor tweaks and major perspective shifts. You will be a better questioner tomorrow." -Dr. Dorothy VanderJagt, Professional Learning Coordinator
"Connie Hamilton is a world-class presenter with expertise in the art of questioning. She provides a fresh perspective and practical tips on integrating research-based strategies." -Melisa Mulder, Intervention Teacher
"Connie is an incredible driver of change in our focus on classroom questioning as a best practice instructional strategy." -Troy VanderLaan, Middle School Administrator
Answers to your questions about questions
Hacking Questions provides practical solutions to the universal questioning problems that teachers face daily. Find your answers now.
More details
Content
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Questioning leads to growth
Hack 1: Assume All Hands Are Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Expect that every student will engage
Hack 2: Kick the IDK Bucket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Keep the cognitive baton in students' hands
Hack 3: Punctuate Your Learning Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Close with reflection questions
Hack 4: Be a Pinball Wizard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Guide students to facilitate their own conversations
Hack 5: Play the Broken Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Replay questions to maintain focus
Hack 6: Fill Your Back Pocket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Prepare a handful of metacognitive questions
Hack 7: Make Yourself Invisible. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Establish student-centered protocols
Hack 8: Hear the Music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165
Listen for correct thinking, not just correct answers
Hack 9: Scaffold, Don't Spoon-Feed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183
Trigger student thinking without doing it for them
Hack 10: Spin the Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Fuel students to ask the questions
Hack 11: Create a Safe Zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223
Establish an environment that encourages risk-taking
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243
An exercise
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
