Riddle Me This? Why The Person Asking the Most Questions in Class Must be the Teacher

I love comics! As a kid, the stories hooked me. There are epic battles between good and evil. Flawed heroes overcome obstacles to save the day. The characters draw me in like a magnet to metal. I cheer for heroes, but the stories are more than that- you learn the backstory of the villains and you find ways to connect to them as well.

One of my favorite comics is Batman. My favorite nemesis of The Dark Knight is Edward Nigma, a.k.a. The Riddler. The Riddler is able to match wits and intelligence with the world's greatest detective, but the game isn't in the heist for Nigma. The game is in leaving clues in the form of riddles for Batman to solve. These clues are what allow Batman to understand the methodology and rationale behind The Riddler's latest caper!

In my class, I am The Riddler, of sorts. I encourage all teachers to embrace their inner "Nigma".

The genesis of my beliefs around answering student questions with questions stems from one of my early teaching mentors, Charlie Myers. Charlie came to become a Social Studies Department Chair at Lexington Catholic High School in Lexington, Kentucky after a career in political think tanks and work as a lobbyist. My first gig was working as an Honor's American Government teacher at the school, and Charlie took me under his wing.

Charlie would almost never directly answer a student question, regardless of how simple. He would return a question from a student with a question of his own. One day, I asked him about this philosophy and he said, "I learn a lot from answering difficult questions. They force me to think. I want my students to think, so I ask questions- if it is good enough for me, it should work for them."

This is what The Riddler does with Batman. He uses questions that force Batman to think critically about the situations surrounding the crime. In this way, Batman gains insights that are critical to solving the puzzles that are The Riddler's Shenanigans.

I want my students to be superheroes, so I enact a similar strategy. The students ask questions about research, or the current concept being learned, or about a particular project. I answer their questions with questions, with several goals in mind. I want my students to think more critically. Asking questions forces students to engage in the higher order thinking skills outlined in Bloom's Taxonomy. By creating scenarios where students are answering questions that further their own thinking, I also create an environment where students develop greater academic independence. As I say all the time in my classroom, "I am not the end-all be-all fountain of knowledge!" My students gain greater confidence that they can seek answers on their own through independent inquiry.

This has also created an environment where students will ask questions of each other rather than asking questions of me. The students look to each other as experts and it forces greater accountability from them, which leads to a classroom environment where asking questions is valued and expected.

To take advantage of this paradigm shift in environment, I have incorporated my Riddler techniques with the teaching strategy of 3 Before Me. You can check it out here. The concept is simple, before students can come to me and ask a question, they must ask at least 3 of their peers in the class the question without receiving, what the student deems is, a suitable answer.

In my Bring Your Own Device institution, we have adapted 3 Before Me to include utilizing internet research. Now, a student must ask at least 2 peers and check out a web resource to seek an answer before they can come to me. Once they seek answers from me, I become The Riddler, asking questions that force the critical thinking that I seek in my classroom.

My classroom is Gotham City- full of Riddlers and superheroes! I encourage all teachers to shift the responsibility of answering questions to their students. You never know who will be the next Bat Girl or Batman in your midst!

Please leave comments if you have any questions or need further clarification.

Check out my YouTube channel: Chaka Cummings (The Dedicated Educator). Also, find me on LinkedIn and check out some of my published posts on education.

3 Social Media Sites that Will Improve Your Teaching

"The best teachers are the best thieves."

One of my mentors in education, Janet Fortune, began an education class at Berea College with this statement. She explained that teachers must become adept at sharing their practice with other educators while also borrowing and utilizing concepts from colleagues that will have a positive impact on students. By combining resources, teachers better the class experience for students and help young people fulfill their vast potential.

I have subscribed to this theory throughout my time as an educator. I have travelled to schools, gone to countless conferences, and even cold-called and emailed teachers that I had no prior connection with to understand techniques or lessons that were being used in the classroom. Whatever it takes to make my classroom the best it could be, I am willing to do.

This drive isn't unique to me; many educators have the same passion and determination to make their classes awesome! Social media has made the process of becoming a better thief even easier and more convenient! Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn are three great social media tools that will take any teacher to Robin Hood status!

Pinterest

For many educators, Pinterest is already a tool in their tool box.  Some data may reveal that Pinterest isn't as prevalent in the educator's tool bag as one might think.

According to Edison Research, 64% of Pinterest users are 35 or younger and 70% are female. Meanwhile, in 2010, the median age in the United States of teachers reached over 37 years old- up nearly 2% from 10 years prior, this according to The Center for Public Education. Also, according to The National Center for Education Statistics, in 2011-2012, 76% of public educators were female.

So, for many educators, the joys of discovering inspiration via Pinterest is not a reality.

Pinterest can be a muse for educators looking for guiding light on a variety of topics. Looking for a quick activity for an advisory group or a homeroom? Pinterest has that! Wanting to jazz up the decor in your space? Pinterest has that! Trying to gather ideas for reconfiguring your learning space? Pinterest has that! How about finding some new posters for your classroom? Pinterest has that, as well!

Not only can an educator find these items via Pinterest, but you can create your own account and organize your new-found gems for easy location down the road.

Twitter

While Twitter can have many wonderful applications for your classroom as a teaching tool, do you, as an educator, take full advantage of Twitter as a tool for professional development? Twitter is an awesome tool for collaboration with educators all over the country.

Have you participated in a chat?

There are many names, (live chat, Twitter chat, tweet chat) but the idea is consistent. Educators can use Twitter as a vehicle for real-time conversations on a variety of topics. You can observe the chat or participate by answering and asking questions. These chats are a great way to connect with other educators and further collaboration among professionals in education.

Looking for a list of education-themed chats on Twitter to get you started? The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has put together a list here. A couple that I have been into, lately, are the Lausanne Learning Institute's chat on Thursdays at 8pm Central (#llichat) and Learn Like a Pirate (#learnlap), which has regular chats on varied topics.

LinkedIn

Okay, so you have a LinkedIn account. You signed up for it a few weeks ago, or months, or years, for that matter. You aren't looking for a new job, so you don't monitor the account regularly.

This is a missed opportunity!

LinkedIn has numerous communities that you can join to network with educators from around the country. Educators can, also, follow the pages of thought leaders in education, schools from around the country, or periodicals, journals, and other educational publications. This is a great way to keep up with trends and get quick access to reading that may further your professional practice.

Of course, there is also the opportunity to use LinkedIn for its intended purpose. LinkedIn is an incredible tool for networking with educators around the world! Meet someone at a conference, or at a regional meeting, or at a mixer? Use LinkedIn to keep up with your latest contact without the hassle of storing a business card.

LinkedIn is also a great way to reach out to someone and make an initial introduction. Finding your next keynote speaker, or professional development experience, or your next career opportunity may be as simple as inviting someone to connect with you.

The opportunity to write and publish your own articles via LinkedIn is also a great feature. Put your thoughts out there and invite others to connect with you to further your own pedagogy.


Use Pinterest, Twitter and LinkedIn to make you the best thief you can possibly become- your students will thank you for it!

Please leave comments if you have any questions or need further clarification.

Check out my YouTube channel: Chaka Cummings (The Dedicated Educator). Also, find me on LinkedIn and check out some of my published posts on education.

So, I Decided to Let My Students Talk...

There are certain phenomena from my educational experiences as a student that baffle me.

Now that I teach, I certainly appreciate my teachers- especially their patience. However, one of the conundrums that still boggles my mind from my school experience is the necessity to silence students. It seemed as if every class I had in middle school had rules around talking.

The problem was that I had a lot to say!

Rather than stifle the natural inclination of my students to talk, especially as we discuss interesting, controversial, or contemporary topics, I have decided to embrace that fact that, to paraphrase the immortal words of Shrek, "...it's getting them to shut up that's the trick."

So...do you remember those questions that you were assigned for homework? You know the ones- your teacher would assign a reading of a section, or a chapter, or a unit. Then, there were 3 or 4 question after the reading that you needed to answer (I was that kids that always asked "do we need to use complete sentences?") Did you enjoy those assignments? Nah, me neither!

I have taken this concept and turned those questions into reflection opportunities for Round Table Discussion. The concept is simple. After we complete an activity or simulation, I assign reflection questions for the students to complete. These questions are open-ended and may require a student to perform further research into a topic. Once complete, students share their answers in small group discussions moderated by me. Students discuss differing perspectives and share their insights thus sparking deeper thinking, inciting lots of comparisons and contrasts, and, hopefully, furthering students understanding of the activity.

In order to ensure constructive conversations, I provide the students with a framework for creating statements. I found a document titled "Meaningful Conversations" while researching Cooperative Learning. Students must utilize one of these phrases to make a statement or ask a question during Round Tables. This ensures that students have appropriate language for the discussion, whether it is to ask a followup question, share a new perspective, or to disagree with their classmate. It keeps the discussions moving and limits opportunities for Round Tables to deteriorate into dialogue that isn't beneficial for furthering student learning.

Round Table Discussions are one activity that helps to foster positive dialogue in classrooms. If my students are going to talk anyway, I want to give them the tools and experiences to make their conversations powerful and positive. Students need to have their voices heard! Therefore, provide constructive outlets that give ample opportunities for student discussion while guiding them in the art of debate and constructive conversation.

Please leave comments if you have any questions or need further clarification of this awesome and exciting activity.

Check out my YouTube channel: Chaka Cummings (The Dedicated Educator). Also, find me on LinkedIn and check out some of my published posts on education.