Today we had a training given by Steve Olsen on the use of questions in the room. He said that the effective use of questioning in the classroom is one of the hardest things to do. It really got me thinking about how I question kids, what I question them about... even how long I give them to answer my questions. Apparently 10% of the kids answer 80% of the questions and teachers average only about 2 seconds of wait time after each question. To say nothing of the fact that the vast majority of the questions asked are lower level thinking questions. Good Lord! Is that my classroom as well? What can a first grade teacher do to ask more efficient and effective questions?

getting started!

As part of my professional growth and development this year I have decided to try and be more reflective in my teaching. It just seems like a really good idea. The more I can think about what I am doing in my classroom, hopefully the better I will do it... assuming I am thinking clearly. That is where I hope my friends out there in the teaching world will help me out. So, I am starting a blog. The purpose of this blog is to log the things that I see happening in my classroom, the stuff that I am doing or not doing that I feel has an impact on me as a teacher. The goal hopefully is to be a better teacher, a teacher who thinks about what they are doing and doesn't simply do the same thing that they did the last year, pulling out the same lessons and doing them in the same way... uuggg. Now since my principal is reading this I am obligated to say that I will not use any of the real names of any of my kids, and, as much as possible I will keep everything innocuous and as free from liability as possible. (is that good enough Mr. H? ) ... (not his real last name initial) ... anyway, I would invite you all to come and help me think a little more, be reflective a little more... maybe the kids at some point will be able to learn a little more.