Posted: Dec 10, 2010 3:41 am
Crocodile Gandhi wrote:If your kid asks you a question, don't answer it immediately. Ask them the question and let them think about the answer.
Excellent point. We adults and teachers are often too quick to offer an answer, but what I've found over the years is that pausing and asking a question is often more effective in getting kids to think. And encouraging kids to ask good questions is equally important.
(I used to teach a class where we'd be discussing a particular short story or essay, and all I was able to do was to ask interpretive questions. Those classes were amazing when they took off, especially when kids started figuring out interpretive questions on their own and generating their own discussions - kind of put me out of a job! )