The Power of Effective Questioning in Math

I am always amazed at the value of effective questioning in "the real world". Whether I am discussing finances with my husband, or asking our own kids about their school day....the types of questions I ask will certainly elicit various responses. Let me provide an example that many of you can relate to....

As Conner gets off the bus and rushes to the kitchen for an after school snack, I might ask "How was your day, Conner?" The usual response would simply be "Good". Obviously, this type of response doesn't really tell me a whole lot about the past 8 hours! The same can happen when we are teaching Math. If we simply ask, "What answer did you get?", the response does not give us much insight into their mathematical thinking.

Instead, asking questions such as "Could you use a more efficient strategy?" OR "Does your answer seem reasonable? Why or why not?" PBS Teacherline has created an excellent resource for asking effective questions when teaching math. Some of these questions promote problem solving, encourage reflection, and have students make connections among ideas. Click here for Developing Mathematical Thinking with Effective Questions .

Remember, simply asking a question that provides a "right or wrong answer" does not give us much insight into their mathematical thinking...but rather it is the process that they used to get to that point! Take a couple of minutes to view this Abbot and Costello video that illustrates this concept!