When teachers  want hints for facilitating discussions,  we often talk about the importance of questioning that engages student thinking. I want to pass on 3 pieces that I think help teachers reflect on their questioning.

First, an article that was recently posted on Twitter.  This article “Questioning Our Patterns of Questioning” from Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 2005, is relevant for all ages.  It differentiates between “funneling” patterns where “the teacher asks a series of questions that guide students through a procedure or to a desired end” and “focusing” patterns where the teacher’s questions are based on students’ thinking.  The article uses several examples to illustrate these patterns.  It also suggests how teachers can reflect on their own questioning practice by making an audio recording of a classroom discussion and then analyzing their own questioning patterns.  Here is the link to the article: Focusing with Questioning nctm.

Another helpful resource is a talk Graham Fletcher gave on  April 13, 2016, called “The Less I Talk, the More I’m Listened To”.  He gave it at The Math Forum, NCTM Ignite event at the 2016 NCSM Annual Conference in Oakland, CA.  It really makes you think about who does the talking in math class.  Here is the web address:  http://bit.ly/29PAsQE

And then, an article I’ve been recommending for years, “Never Say Anything A Kid Can Say” by Steven C. Reinhart, also from Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, but so relevant for all grades.  Mr. Reinhart talks about how he learned to ask “good questions” that brought students to engage more effectively and take greater responsibility for their learning.  Now when I am facilitating a math discussion, I often think to myself, “Never say anything a kid can say.”  I try to ask questions that will get the participants to delve into understanding the concepts at hand and explaining what they understand?  Click here for the article.