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Home : 2002 : January : 12

Questions
By Sharon

I've been teaching third grade for four years, and I have experienced my students constantly asking questions. They ask questions although I have modeled, and gave very clear directions and procedures. It seems like when
one asks, then here all of them come.
I have a great deal of cooperative learning going on in my classroom. What I do is tell them that "I don't know, maybe one of your classmates can help you out." I even look for someone who seems to know what they are doing and tell them to ask that specific person for assistance.
I also take their question and throw it back at them, rather

than giving them a response. It doesn't take them long to realize that I am not always going to give them the answers that they are looking for.

It takes quite a while to get them used to the routines, because they seem to lack a great deal of confidence at this age. However, once they become confident, I have to step back because there is no stopping them. I tell them that it is very important to make independent decisons becuase I can not go home with them at night to help them.

Furthermore, I don't ridicule them. We laugh at "our" mistakes together. I let them know I make mistakes also.

You may not see results right away, but keep trying. I've been doing it 4 years and every class is differnt, but I never get a group of children who come through the door confident. It takes time. Good Luck!