Curiosity Time
Ready to explore the practice further?
Watch the full video below!
Try It
The easiest of steps. During a normal class period, allocate 15-20 minutes for students to generate thought-provoking questions about the topic at hand. Give each student a few minutes on their own, then let them work in small groups to refine their questions. Then, have each group present to the class their suggested questions, and have the class prioritize/refine. With this approach, you’ll avoid what often makes a student reluctant to ask an interesting question — the fear of being laughed at, or viewed as a ‘grade grubber.’ Keep in mind, great questions often seem a bit laughable.
Discuss It
- How curious are your students?
- What surprised you?
- What can you do going forward to improve their ability to ask thought-provoking questions?
- How might you ensure Curiosity Time becomes a regular practice?
- Often, kids in kindergarten ask far better questions than high-school kids. Why would that be the case?
Go Deeper
Consider using this same process to encourage students to:
- Offer a challenging, even controversial, point of view (Challenge Time),
- Analyze the relevance of what they’re learning (Relevance Time),
- Create their own problems and test questions (DIY Test Time).
Check out the articles below about why employers value people who ask great questions:
FORBES: The Importance Of Hiring Curious People
THE ATLANTIC: Schools Are Missing What Matters About Learning