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ORIGINAL THOUGHTS PAGES
THOUGHTS ON QUESTIONS - BY JOHN F. MORGAN
Teacher A:
Questions! Questions?!? I hate to hear questions.
Will those students ever leave me alone?
Don't they know teachers have papers to grade...
Grades to average...
Averages to turn in...
Important memos to read...
Tests to create...
Handouts to copy...???
When will they ever listen to what I say the first time?
When will directions and instructions be clear?
Are they stupid?
I'm so tired of questions!
The next student who asks a question
Will feel like dirt the rest of the day.
Without question.
Teacher B:
Questions? Questions! I love to hear questions!
Thank goodness, I have some student willing to risk possible embarrassment
By asking a question that probably half the class wanted to ask,
But was afraid to because the teacher or other students might make them feel stupid
For not understanding.
I have fresh objectives from questions.
I re-evaluate my teaching techniques because of questions.
I am a better teacher next term because of questions.
Questions mean a desire to learn.
A raised hand...
A puzzled look...
A "lost" expression...
I explain again and again and again,
but each time, more students learn
If I,
the teacher,
have the patience
to say it
again.
Conclusion:
If a teacher is tired of questions,
If a teacher dislikes questions,
That teacher lacks the patience to teach well.
-Copyright 1997 John F. Morgan
