Asking Good Questions
developed by Christina Wright

It’s satisfying to an adult to hear, “That’s a really good question.” The response means that you have inspired someone to think, to formulate something new, to gain some insight. It’s important to ask good questions of children, but first we must know what a good question is. As Socrates taught his pupils through asking good questions, so teachers and parents can expand and encourage children’s thinking by asking good questions and listening carefully to the responses.

Good questions invite thought, requiring more than simple recall. “What time is it?” may be a good question of a five year old who is learning to make sense of an analog clock, for the process of thinking about the hands is one which requires problem solving at this stage. Good questions usually have a variety of correct answers. “Which way did you choose to figure it out?” would elicit a discussion of strategies. When children strive to answer good questions, understanding that they have time to talk and formulate their replies, the rest of the people in the room (or the car...) learn as well. The question poser gets a good picture of what is happening in that child’s mind, and those who are listening pick up and adapt new ideas.

It is a pleasure to try to answer a good question. A good question feels like someone has opened a door into an interesting room you have never visited. You are eager to enter the room to see what’s there. You are intrigued to answer a good question; you’ve never answered this question before, and you don’t know exactly what you think about it until you put together your reply. A good question invites and evokes creative, critical thinking.

How does one learn to ask good questions? As you begin to think about asking good questions, you will invariable “catch” yourself asking a simple, recall-type question. As you realize you’ve just asked one of “those” questions, you can turn it into a “good” question by adding, “How do you know that?” or “Why do you think that’s so?” or “Can you think of another way?”

Learning to ask good questions takes practice. If you’re new to asking good questions, count to ten before you speak again after your good question. (Quick prompting on your part implies that there’s a single, correct answer, and promotes the notion that good thinking is a matter of instant recall.) Find ways to increase your own “wait time” after you ask a good question. Make an audio tape of your interactions every so often to listen to how well you’re managing the wait time and combating the desire to give immediate prompts. Also, not all children (or adults) think productively as they talk. Some people need time to think and answer later, or to write an answer. Come back to children who ask for more time (and don’t forget). Some children want to reply the next day. Others will come to you later in the day with a well-formulated response.

Learning to ask good questions will transform your relationships with children. They will respond positively to the respect and genuine interest that a good question conveys.

About the Author

Christina Wright, Ph.D., is a math consultant living in Seattle, Washington. She is an adjunct faculty member at Pacific Oaks College Northwest and a frequent facilitator for the online-line Bank Street Forum.