Effective Questions and Teaching Techniques

Field trips get all students excited!  Once students know they are going on a field trip, they get extremely excited to be getting out of school!  However, it is very important to be cautious!!  Field trips are not about fun, they should be fun but they must focus on learning.  It is critical that the field trip tie into the curriculum and provide the students with a learning opportunity that could not be achieved in the classroom.  Field trips should include pre-trip planning, that includes direct instruction.  Students need to know how the trip is relating to the material being covered.  In addition to how it relates, the students need to know what they are expected to be doing and what to be looking for.  During the field trip that students need to have their learning directed.  I think one of the best examples I can think of was the field trips that I was required to participate in for my sheep production class.  I honestly could not understand how these trips were going to benefit me.  The instructor required all students to submit a typed trip report, it had to specify what happened and what material was taught.  These reports made me take notes and dig deeper in the experienced.  Finally, tying into my previous thought the field trip needs to be summarized.  Once the trip is over and back into class the students need to know why they went, what they learned and how it relates to the curriculum.
 

Questions???  I was shocked to learn that teachers ask between 300-400 questions a day!!  I find that funny since teachers are teaching, you would think that students would be questioning.  However, students are not typically forthcoming with questions.  Thus, the teacher has to ask questions in order to get students involved and to check understanding.  Although, the teacher has to be cautious to utilize EFFECTIVE questions.
 
 Effective questions require students to provide more than yes or no.  Effective questions lead the students into the material.  When given the chance students will take the easy way out!  Take time and have your questions planned.










Cooperative learning AKA group work can be both dynamic and frustrating.  Students tend to dread group projects, this is because so often one student takes charge, by doing everything and/or one student does nothing.  However, group work is an essential teaching and learning technique.  Once we join the working world, avoiding group work will not be an option.  To better facilitate group learning the following is a great flow chart to help increase success.

The first consideration is group size, small groups make it much harder for someone to hide and slide under the radar.  Whereas, larger groups are much harder to facilitate and gauge participation.  Considering these facts I feel I would start by using a small group project, specifically looking for my problems.  I feel identifying the students who have a tendency to slack will make it easier for me to keep track of them later and make sure they are involved.

Always REMEMBER about Teaching:

• It's about them, the students
• Help student, help themselves
• Check back, progress/learning

Teaching TIPS:

• Set context
• Use paraphrasing
• Use clarifying questions
• Use mediating questions
• Model
• Rehearse, have students repeat questions